MS SB2125

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

Tribal Court authority includes making changes to: birth dates (by two or more days), child surname, parent surname, birthplace, or other changes resulting from legitimation or filiation.

State Board of Health must be made a respondent in tribal court proceedings and must comply with tribal court decrees regarding birth certificate changes in the same manner as chancery court decrees.

Tribal Court jurisdiction is not exclusive; persons of Mississippi Choctaw descent may continue to seek birth certificate changes through chancery court proceedings.

Effective date: July 1, 2014.