Sec. 191.022. LOCAL REGISTRARS. (a) The justice of the peace is the local registrar of births and deaths in a justice of the peace precinct. However, the duty of registering births and deaths may be transferred to the county clerk if the justice of the peace and the county clerk agree in writing and the agreement is ratified by the commissioners court.

(b) The municipal clerk or secretary is the local registrar of births and deaths in a municipality with a population of 2,500 or more.

(c) Each local registrar shall appoint a deputy registrar so that a registrar will be available at all times for the registration of births and deaths.

(d) The local registrar shall sign each report made to the department.

(e) If a local registrar fails or refuses to register each birth and death in the district or neglects duties under this title, the county judge or the mayor, as appropriate, shall appoint a new local registrar and shall send the name and mailing address of the appointee to the state registrar.

(f) A local registrar who collects a fee for a certified copy of a birth certificate shall deduct 20 cents of that fee to apply to the registrar's administrative costs and remit $1.80 of that fee to the comptroller.

(g) Each local registrar shall annually submit a self-assessment report to the state registrar. The department shall prescribe the information that must be included in the report to allow a thorough desk audit of a local registrar.

Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 678, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1989. Amended by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 305, Sec. 2, eff. Sept. 1, 1995.

Amended by:

Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 263 (H.B. 2962), Sec. 1, eff. May 30, 2005.

Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1 (S.B. 219), Sec. 3.0537, eff. April 2, 2015.

Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 837 (S.B. 200), Sec. 5.02, eff. September 1, 2015.