Section 142.07. Conditions for users.

 

(1)   Conditions for admission to the records area. To be admitted to the records area, a person wanting to examine vital records:

(a) Shall register to examine and take notes from vital records by providing to the registrar or the clerk on duty in the registrar's office his or her name and address, and identification of the records to be searched such as by individual or family relationship;

(b) Shall present satisfactory proof of identity to the registrar or clerk on duty in the registrar's office;

(c) Shall read the conditions for examining and taking notes from vital records established under s. DHS 142.05 (3) and this section and sign an agreement that he or she has read the conditions and agrees to abide by them;

(d) May not bring children under the age of 12 into the records area;

(e) May not bring food or beverages into the records area;

(f) May not bring a coat or a purse, briefcase, bag or other handcarried item into the records area; and

(g) May not bring a private copy machine or camera into the records area.

(2)   Conditions for remaining in the record area. Within the records area, a person examining vital records:

(a) May not smoke;

(b) May not engage in loud talking, laughing or noisemaking;

(c) May examine paper records only as a last resort to find individually specified records, except for public indexes and any other compilations that do not contain confidential data;

(d) May examine only records requested under sub. (1) (a) , or records subsequently identified to the registrar by an identifier such as individual or family relationship during the searching process;

(e) May not examine or try to examine:

1. Legally confidential records or confidential parts of records unless authorized by law to examine them; or

2. Paper records that are in poor condition, unless assisted by staff of the registrar's office;

(f) May use a pencil but not a pen;

(g) May not write on a record;

(h) May not alter, mutilate or destroy a record;

(i) May not knowingly ask staff of the registrar's office to perform tasks related to vital records that are prohibited by statute or rule;

(j) Shall turn over to staff of the registrar's office any public index or particular vital record that they need to use in the conduct of daily business; and

(k) Shall comply with any conditions posted under s. DHS 142.05 (3) of the registrar's office that relate to handling vital records.

(3)   Consequences of not meeting conditions for admission. No person may be admitted to the records area unless he or she complies with all requirements under sub. (1) .

(4)   Penalties for violating conditions of use.

(a) A record user who violates sub. (2) (a) , (b) , (c) , (f) , (g) , (j) or (k) shall be given one oral warning to stop and, if the violation continues, shall be required to leave the records area for the day.

(b) A record user who violates sub. (2) (d) shall be given one oral warning not to use records that were not specified under sub. (1) (a) and, if the violation continues, shall be asked to leave the office for the day.

(c) A record user who violates sub. (2) (e) shall be required to leave the records area immediately and shall be barred from the records area for 2 months. A second violation within a 12 month period shall result in the user's exclusion from the records area for 6 months, and a third violation within the 12 month period shall result in exclusion for an additional 6 months and a notice of the violation sent to all registrars in the state.

(d) A record user who violates sub. (2) (h) or (i) shall be required to leave the records area immediately and not return for at least 6 months. A second violation within a 12 month period shall result in exclusion from the records area for one year, and each succeeding violation shall result in exclusion for an additional year. A notice of each violation shall be sent to all registrars in the state.

History: Cr. Register, June, 1991, 426 , eff. 7-1-91.