(a) Any person who releases a copy of the confidential portion of the certificate of live birth, except as specifically provided by this part, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of five hundred dollars ($500) or six months in jail. The criminal penalty shall not preclude suit for civil or punitive damages by any individuals harmed by the unauthorized release.
(b) Any person who is the subject of, or the source of information for, a birth certificate, who has reason to believe there has been linkage of confidential information with his or her identity and disclosure of the confidential information to a person not specified in subdivision (a) of Section 102430, shall have a civil right of action against the person releasing the information and may seek punitive damages.
(Added by Stats. 1995, Ch. 415, Sec. 4. Effective January 1, 1996.)