‘Black copy’ certificates OK for proof of birth, city says

QUESTION: I went to the state Department of Health to get a copy of my marriage certificate to get ready to renew my driver’s license. I had a number of documents in a large envelope, including a black copy of my birth certificate, issued before statehood. As I was searching for the correct document to present to the clerk, the birth certificate slipped out. The clerk saw that and said, “That’s not good anymore. You have to apply for a new one.” I filled out an application for a new copy without asking any questions. I had been keeping my black birth certificate in safekeeping all these years only to be told that it’s no longer good. Can you find out why?

ANSWER: There were misunderstandings about these birth certificates on two levels.

However, the word from city licensing officials is that those older “black” birth certificates — black paper with white type — will be accepted as proof of legal presence, as long as they have the embossed state seal.

In your case the Health Department clerk was just trying to save you some grief because the birth certificate had been rejected by city driver’s licensing offices.

“Our apologies for any misunderstanding caused by our staff’s comments,” said Health Department spokes­woman Jan­ice Okubo. “The staff person was trying to be helpful because we have seen a number of people unhappy about being sent back to the DOH to get another copy of their birth certificate to complete the new licensing renewal process.”

Okubo said the “black copy” of a Hawaii birth certificate with the embossed seal is an official certificate of birth issued by the state, meeting all government requirements for official proof of birth.

“This older version of a state-certified copy of a vital record is still valid for official purposes,” she said. But, “We have heard the license renewal offices are asking individuals with the older ‘black copy’ of their birth certificate to obtain the more recent lighter, green-colored background copy to complete the renewal process.”

While the Health Department issues certified copies of vital records that meet “all information requirements for official use,” Okubo said “we do not control how other agencies process the information.”

Dennis Kamimura, administrator of the city Motor Vehicle and Licensing Division, said he heard about the “misinformation” leading to the rejection of the black birth certificates in July.

He said he “immediately sent a memorandum to all staff informing them that Hawaii’s black with white printed information birth and marriage certificates were valid certificates, provided the certificates had the embossed seal.”

If anyone recently has encountered this problem, he says he would appreciate being informed.

Any applicant encountering concerns about a birth certificate should ask that a supervisor review the certificate, he said.

HECO HELICOPTER FLIGHTS

Hawaiian Electric Co. is advising the public that it will be conducting aerial surveys of power lines across Oahu through mid-August and apologizes “for any inconvenience.” The flights began Thursday.

Helicopter flights will take place between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. seven days a week, although HECO says contractors will avoid flights over residential areas on weekends as much as possible. However, locations and schedules may depend on weather and other conditions.

The surveys will entail taking photographs of HECO poles, lines and other equipment, as well as detailed mapping of the electric system using digital imaging technology.

MAHALO

To University of Hawaii-Manoa student James Marshall, who found my daughter’s cellphone on a bench. He called me on the phone, and between us we identified where her Harley was parked and he put it in her saddle pack. I hope it didn’t make him late for class. — Jennifer

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Write to “Kokua Line” at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Honolulu 96813; call 529-4773; fax 529-4750; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.