Regular Session 2017-2018 House Bill 0084 P.N. 3137

PRINTER'S NO. 3137

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE BILL

No.

Session of

2018

INTRODUCED BY LAWRENCE, BAKER, BENNINGHOFF, CHARLTON, DRISCOLL,

FEE, IRVIN, JAMES, KAUFFMAN, LEWIS, McGINNIS, MILLARD, MOUL,

READSHAW, SAYLOR, M. QUINN, PICKETT, CORR AND ZIMMERMAN,

MARCH 13, 2018

REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON HEALTH, MARCH 13, 2018

AN ACT

Amending the act of June 29, 1953 (P.L.304, No.66), entitled "An

act providing for the administration of a statewide system of

vital statistics; prescribing the functions of the State

Department of Health, the State Advisory Health Board and

local registrars; imposing duties upon coroners,

prothonotaries, clerks of orphans' court, physicians,

midwives and other persons; requiring reports and

certificates for the registration of vital statistics;

regulating the disposition of dead bodies; limiting the

disclosure of records; prescribing the sufficiency of vital

statistics records as evidence; prescribing fees and

penalties; and revising and consolidating the laws relating

thereto," in registration district administration, further

providing for local registrars' compensation; in birth

registration, further providing for children born in a

country other than the United States and providing for

Legislative Budget and Finance Committee study; and making a

related repeal.

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

hereby enacts as follows:

Section 1. Sections 304(c) and 403(d) of the act of June 29,

1953 (P.L.304, No.66), known as the Vital Statistics Law of

1953, are amended and the sections are amended by adding

subsections to read:

Section 304. Registration Districts: Local Registrars'

Compensation.--* * *

(b.1) Local registrars may issue certified copies of a birth

record in a manner prescribed by the department or the Division

of Vital Records. The local registrar shall retain the

percentage allocated under section 403(e)(4) for each

certificate issued.

of sixty thousand dollars ($60,000) in any one calendar year[.

Compensation shall include] for fees received from the

department under subsection (a) and retained from requesters

under subsection (b).

(1.1) A local registrar may not be compensated in excess of

sixty thousand dollars ($60,000) in any one calendar year for

fees received or collected under subsection (b.1).

(2) Upon reaching the limitation on compensation set forth

under clause (1) in any one calendar year, the local registrar

shall transmit all additional fees received under subsection (b)

to the department for deposit as follows:

(i) Three dollars ($3) shall be deposited in the Vital

Statistics Improvement Fund.

(ii) Three dollars ($3) shall be deposited in the General

Fund.

* * *

(e) Upon reaching the limitation on compensation set forth

under subsection (c)(1.1) in any one calendar year, additional

fees shall be transmitted to the General Fund.

Section 403. Birth Registration: Children Born in a Country

Other Than the United States.--* * *

(d) Certified copies of [such certificates] a certificate

shall be issued [upon] on application and payment of the

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prescribed fee under section 609-A of the act of April 9, 1929

(P.L.177, No.175), known as "The Administrative Code of 1929."

(e) A fee charged by the department for a certified copy of

a birth record under section 609-A of "The Administrative Code

of 1929" shall be distributed as follows:

(1) Twelve and one-half percent (12.5%) shall be deposited

in a restricted account within the General Fund. The money in

the restricted account is hereby appropriated on a continuing

basis to the Department of Human Services for training of

mandated reporters of child abuse and child abuse related costs.

(2) Thirty-seven and one-half percent (37.5%) shall be

deposited in a restricted account within the General Fund. The

money in the restricted account is hereby appropriated on a

continuing basis to the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and

Delinquency for grants for child advocacy centers and

multidisciplinary investigative teams.

(3) Twenty-five percent (25%) shall be deposited in a

restricted account within the General Fund. The money in the

restricted account is hereby appropriated on a continuing basis

to the department for the sole purpose of costs associated with

issuing certified copies of birth records. Acceptable uses of

these funds are limited to the salary, benefits and training

costs for an employee in the Department of Vital Records

actively involved in the issuance of certified copies of birth

records.

(4) If a local registrar is involved in the issuance of a

certified copy of a birth record, an amount equal to twenty

percent (20%) of the fee collected for the certified copy shall

be transferred by the department to the local registrar or, if

collected by the local registrar, retained by the local

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registrar.

(5) The remainder shall be deposited in the General Fund.

(f) Funding under subsection (e)(2) and (3) may not be used

to supplant Federal, State or local funds otherwise available

for child advocacy centers and multidisciplinary investigative

teams.

Section 2. The act is amended by adding a section to read:

Section 404. Birth Registration: Legislative Budget and

Finance Committee Study.--(a) Within one year of the effective

date of this section, the Legislative Budget and Finance

Committee shall produce and present a study concerning the

process of issuing birth certificates in this Commonwealth. The

study shall be presented to the President pro tempore of the

Senate, the Majority and Minority Leader of the Senate, the

chairperson and minority chairperson of the Health and Human

Services Committee of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of

Representatives, the Majority and Minority Leader of the House

of Representatives, the chairperson and minority chairperson of

the Health Committee of the House of Representatives and the

Governor.

(b) The study shall, at a minimum, provide a review of the

following:

(1) The current process and recommendations for improving

the issuance of a certified copy of a birth record in this

Commonwealth.

(2) A review and recommendations on future requirements of

the costs associated with the issuance of a certified copy of a

birth record in this Commonwealth.

(3) A review and comparison of the birth certificate

issuance process used by states immediately adjacent to this

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Commonwealth.

Section 3. Repeals are as follows:

(1) The General Assembly declares that the repeal under

paragraph (2) is necessary to effectuate the addition of

section 403(e) and (f) of the act.

(2) Section 2303.1-B of the act of April 9, 1929

(P.L.177, No.175), known as The Administrative Code of 1929,

is repealed.

Section 4. This act shall take effect in 60 days.

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