N.Y. Pub. Health Law § 4172

§ 4172. Records; registrar to transmit through health officers. 1.\nWhen the commissioner shall have so ordered, each registrar shall\ntransmit, at such times as the commissioner shall direct, to designated\nlocal health units or officials copies of original birth and death\ncertificates which have been registered in such primary registration\ndistrict, and the statistical abstract of fetal death.\n 2. Each designated local health unit or official receiving copies of\noriginal certificates shall retain such copies thereof pursuant to\nsubdivision one of this section as confidential records subject to such\nfurther regulation to assure such confidentiality as may be prescribed\nby the commissioner.\n