By Jennifer Eisenbart
Editor
Getting a copy of official certificates in the state of Wisconsin will get a little easier next year.
With the signing of Assembly Bill 633 Monday, vital records – including birth, marriage, death and divorce certificates – will be available in any county in the state.
Previously, in order to get a copy of a record, the person seeking that copy had to go to county where it was issued.
The new law will go into effect Jan. 1, 2017.
Racine County Register of Deeds Tyson Fettes was thrilled to see the bill pass.
“What this came down to, for me, is this is just really good government,” Fettes said. “We have the opportunity to provide better services to the public.”
Starting in 2010, a statewide database began a master file for new records as they are submitted. The change currently allows people to access birth certificates back to 1994, death certificates back to 2013, marriage licenses starting in 2015 and divorce certificates starting this year.
Fettes said the state hopes to have all records accessible in the next year or two. All 72 counties’ records are indexed and shared across the statewide system.
“The one example I use all the time is funeral homes,” Fettes said. “(Operators) can get those death certificates right at the service center.”
Racine County residents looking for copies of these records can go to the Racine County Courthouse at 730 Wisconsin Ave., Racine, or Burlington City Hall, 300 North Pine St., Burlington.
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