P.R. Laws tit. 24, § 1042
When used in this part:
(1) Vital Statistics Registry. — Shall mean the General Registry of Vital Statistics of Puerto Rico established in the Department of Health of Puerto Rico, which shall be charged with the registry, compilation, custody, conservation, amendment and certification of vital records; the compiling of other reports required by this part; other related activities, including the tallying, analysis, and publication of vital statistics.
(2) Local Registry. — Shall mean the Registry of Vital Statistics established in any municipality of Puerto Rico.
(3) Local Registrar. — Shall mean the Registrar of Vital Statistics in any municipality of Puerto Rico.
(4) Keeper of the Registry. — Shall mean the Registrar of Vital Statistics in any municipality of Puerto Rico.
(5) Alternate Registrar. — Shall mean the Alternate Registrar of Vital Statistics in any municipality of Puerto Rico.
(6) Deputy Registrar. — Shall mean the Deputy Registrar of Vital Statistics in any section of a municipal district.
(7) Department. — Shall refer to the Department of Health of Puerto Rico.
(8) Secretary. — Shall refer to the Secretary of Health of Puerto Rico.
(9) Vital statistics. — Shall mean the information derived from the certificates and reports of births, deaths, marriages, divorces, dissolutions or annulments of marriages, and related reports.
(10) Vital record. — Shall mean certificates or reports of births, deaths, marriages, divorces, dissolutions or annulment of marriages, and records related to them.
(11) Registration. — Shall mean the acceptance by the Vital Statistics Registrar of vital records provided in this part and their incorporation in his official files.
(12) Interested party. — Shall mean the registered person if age eighteen (18) or older, or the father, mother, legal representative, legal custodian or guardian, or heirs of the registered person. It shall also mean any minor who is, in turn, the parent of a minor, for whom the issue of certificates pertaining to his/her person or his/her child is authorized. “Interested party” shall also be any entity so designated by a court order.
(13) Electronic or digital transcripts and/or certifications. — The reproductions or copies of birth, death, and marriage certificates or reports recorded in Puerto Rico at the Vital Statistics Registry of Puerto Rico, which shall have the same legal value or effect as the certified copies of such certificates or reports as the Secretary of Health may issue pursuant to § 1237 of this title.
History —Apr. 22, 1931, No. 24, p. 228, § 2; Feb. 23, 1978, No. 1, p. 3, § 1; Dec. 22, 2009, No. 191, § 7, eff. Jan. 1, 2010.