Ch. 321

1996 LAWS OF MARYLAND

(4) An individual may obtain from the Archives a certified copy of the
original of a vital record that may be examined under paragraph (1) of this subsection.

(e)     The Archives may charge a reasonable fee to cover the expense of copying
vital records or indexes to a vital record, to make extracts from [recent] RESTRICTED
vital records or to undertake a search for vital records.

(f)      (1) An individual may not request a copy of VITAL RECORDS, indexes to
vital records, [vital records,] or extracts [to recent] FROM RESTRICTED vital records
for the purpose of commercial solicitation or private gain.

(2) The Archives may require an individual to state the individual's intended
use of the information obtained under this section.

(g)     Under this section, the copying and use of vital records for disclosure, the
disclosure of vital records, or extracts of [ recent] RESTRICTED vital records or indexes
does not violate the rule of confidentiality in a provision of law, including Title 10,
Subtitle 6 of this article or § 4-224 of the Health - General Article.

(h) The Archives is not liable to an individual for:

(1)     errors in indexing or extracting information from vital records; or

(2)     reasonable reliance on evidence that the person in a RESTRICTED vital
record [pertaining to birth, marriage, or divorce] is deceased.

(i) Unless a record has been transferred to the custody of the Archives, the
information disclosed under this section does not constitute an official record.

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect
October 1, 1996.

Approved April 30, 1996.

CHAPTER 321
(House Bill 1250)

AN ACT concerning

Department of Business and Economic Development

FOR the purpose of modifying the duties of the Maryland Economic Development
Commission; providing that certain funds raised by the Maryland Economic
Development Commission may be expended only through an approved budget
amendment; abolishing the Office of Business Development and Resources;
providing for the Department of Business and Economic Development to perform
the duties formerly assigned to the Office of Business Development and Resources;
changing the name of the Office of International Trade within the Department, to
the Office of International Business; changing the name of the Division of Tourism
and Promotion within the Department, to the Division of Tourism, Film, and the

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