(1) Vital statistics records shall be treated as confidential, but the department of public health and environment shall, upon request, furnish to any applicant having a direct and tangible interest in a vital statistics record a certified copy of any record registered under the provisions of this article. Any copy of the record of a birth or death, when properly certified by the state registrar or as otherwise directed by the state registrar to be a true copy thereof, shall be prima facie evidence in all courts and places of the facts therein stated.

(2) An applicant shall pay fees established pursuant to section 25-2-121 for each of the following services:

(a) The reproduction and certification of birth or death records; except that an applicant shall not pay a fee:

(I) For the provision of a certified copy of such a record to:

(A) Another state agency;

(B) A county department of human or social services; or

(C) An individual presenting a letter of referral from a county department of human or social services; or

(II) If the applicant is a delegate child support enforcement unit acting pursuant to article 13 of title 26, C.R.S.;

(b) Any search of the files and records of the state registrar when no certified copy is made, such fee to pertain to each hour or fractional hour of time of the search;

(c) The processing of new certificates, delayed certificates, or corrected certificates;

(d) The verification of marriage or divorce;

(e) The reproduction of various vital statistics, publications, reports, and data services; and

(f) The verification of a civil union or dissolution of a civil union.

(3) To preserve vital statistics records, the state registrar is authorized to prepare typewritten, photographic, electronic, or other reproductions of certificates or reports. When certified by the state registrar, such reproductions shall be accepted as the original records. The documents from which permanent reproductions have been made and verified may be disposed of as provided by regulation.