MS HB486

Amends Mississippi Code Section 41-57-23 to grant the Tribal Court of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians the same authority as chancery courts to make changes to birth certificates for persons of Mississippi Choctaw descent.

Tribal Court authority covers changes including: correcting birth dates by two or more days, changing surnames of children or parents, correcting birthplace information, and making changes resulting from legitimation or filiation proceedings.

State Board of Health must be named as a respondent in tribal court proceedings and shall comply with tribal court decrees in the same manner as chancery court decrees.

Tribal Court is not exclusive venue; persons of Mississippi Choctaw descent may still petition chancery courts for the same birth certificate changes.

Effective date: July 1, 2014.