Several years ago, the Department of Health (DOH) determined  that some birth certificates issued by the Hudson County Office of  Vital Statistics in Jersey City were not valid and the security of the  vital records was compromised.

As a result, DOH mandated that persons born in Jersey City  seeking to obtain a certified copy of their birth certificate for  identification purposes to obtain a passport or driver’s license  would have to either obtain the birth certificate directly from DOH  in Trenton or use the web-based system available through the DOH  website.

In either case, this results in a delay and additional costs in  obtaining the birth certificate. This is a delay that other State  residents (not born in Jersey City) are not subject to because they  can access the needed certificate quickly and easily by requesting it  at their local vital statistics office. This bill, therefore, will restore the ability of persons born in Jersey City to obtain a copy of their  birth certificates in the same manner as do other residents of the State.