Registrars struggling with a glut of paperwork demands in the state’s largest municipalities could get relief from legislation sponsored by Senator Robert Singer and endorsed today by the Senate.

The request for the bill was made by Lakewood.

Municipalities with more than 100,000 residents would be authorized to appoint as many as five alternate deputy registrars to ease the workload of filing vital documents under Singer’s bill, S-85.

“The volume is huge in the registrar’s offices of our most heavily populated cities,” said Singer (R-30). “Registrars are the only ones authorized to complete the labor-intensive paperwork. Often there is more work than there is time to do it, and when people are out sick or on vacation, the crunch gets worse.”

Current law permits the appointment of a maximum of two alternate deputy registrars. Singer’s bill – introduced earlier this month – would allow as many as five designated deputies.

“This will help large communities keep up with the demand without the rigor of hiring in a difficult job market. Efficiency and service levels would be increased by better utilizing existing staff and authorizing them to process forms,” said Singer, adding that “this would be permissive, so no municipality would be required to change a thing.”

The duties of a deputy registrar could include receiving birth certificates and death certificates; issuing burial permits, and copies of birth, death, marriage, civil union, and domestic partnership certificates; taking the oath on marriage and civil union license applications; and issuing marriage and civil union licenses and register domestic partnerships.