PRINTER'S NO. 2243
No. 1744 Session of 1985
INTRODUCED BY LASHINGER, ITKIN, B. SMITH, HAGARTY, TIGUE,
MILLER, KUKOVICH AND HERSHEY, OCTOBER 15, 1985
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND WELFARE, OCTOBER 15, 1985
AN ACT
1 Amending the act of June 29, 1953 (P.L.304, No.66), entitled "An
2 act providing for the administration of a statewide system of
3 vital statistics; prescribing the functions of the State
4 Department of Health, the State Advisory Health Board and
5 local registrars; imposing duties upon coroners,
6 prothonotaries, clerks of orphans' court, physicians,
7 midwives and other persons; requiring reports and
8 certificates for the registration of vital statistics;
9 regulating the disposition of dead bodies; limiting the
10 disclosure of records; prescribing the sufficiency of vital
11 statistics records as evidence; prescribing fees and
12 penalties; and revising and consolidating the laws relating
13 thereto," further providing for certain records relating to
14 birth and adoption.
15 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
16 hereby enacts as follows:
17 Section 1. Section 603 of the act of June 29, 1953 (P.L.304,
18 No.66), known as the Vital Statistics Law of 1953, is amended to
19 read:
20 Section 603. Change of Civil Status: Amendment of Birth
21 Certificates.--(a) Any person born in this Commonwealth (1)
22 whose birth is registered as illegitimate but who is legitimated
23 by the subsequent marriage of his natural parents, or (2) whose
1 parentage is determined by a court of competent jurisdiction, or
2 (3) who is adopted under the laws of this Commonwealth or of any
3 other state or territory of the United States of America, or (4)
4 whose name is changed by order or decree of a court of competent
5 jurisdiction, may request the department to prepare an amended
6 certificate of birth on the basis of proof of the new status.
7 After the amended certificate is prepared, any information
8 disclosed from the record shall be from the amended certificate.
9 (b) The person involved if he has attained majority and is
10 not incompetent, or his parent, guardian or legal
11 representative, shall file an application making such request
12 and shall submit such proof as the Advisory Health Board may by
13 its regulations require.
14 (c) [After the amended certificate is prepared, any
15 information disclosed from the record shall be from the amended
16 certificate; and access] Access to the original certificate of
17 birth and to the documents of proof on which the amended
18 certificate is based shall be authorized only upon request of
19 the person involved if he has attained majority and is not
20 incompetent, or upon request of his parent, guardian or legal
21 representative, or upon order of a court of competent
22 jurisdiction. Upon payment of a fee and submission of such proof
23 as required by the Advisory Health Board by an adopted person,
24 the department shall provide such person with a certified copy
25 of his or her birth record prior to his or her adoption. This
26 copy shall contain:
27 (1) all of the information contained in the certificate of
28 adoption; and
29 (2) from the certificate of live birth, the:
30 (i) full name;
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1 (ii) sex;
2 (iii) date of birth;
3 (iv) hour of birth;
4 (v) place of birth, including the name of the hospital, if
5 any;
6 (vi) name and title of the certifier;
7 (vii) mother's maiden name;
8 (viii) mother's age at time of birth;
9 (ix) state of mother's birth;
10 (x) mother's address;
11 (xi) father's name;
12 (xii) father's age at time of birth;
13 (xiii) state of father's birth; and
14 (xiv) father's address.
15 (d) Upon payment of a fee and submission of proof as
16 required by the Advisory Health Board, by a natural parent, the
17 department shall provide such parent with a certified copy of
18 birth record prior to the adoption of his or her child. This
19 copy shall contain the information from the certificate of live
20 birth as provided by subsection (c).
21 Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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