S.B. No. 267
AN ACT
1-1 relating to the certification of births and to birth certificates.
1-2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-3 SECTION 1. Section 192.003, Health and Safety Code, is
1-4 amended to read as follows:
1-5 Sec. 192.003. Birth Certificate Filed or Birth Reported.
1-6 (a) The physician, midwife, or person acting as a midwife in
1-7 attendance at a birth shall file the birth certificate with the
1-8 local registrar of the registration district in which the birth
1-9 occurs.
1-10 (b) If a birth occurs in a hospital or birthing center, the
1-11 hospital administrator, the birthing center administrator, or a
1-12 designee of the appropriate administrator may file the birth
1-13 certificate in lieu of a person listed by Subsection (a).
1-14 (c) If there is no physician, midwife, or person acting as a
1-15 midwife in attendance at a birth and if the birth does not occur in
1-16 a hospital or birthing center, the following in the order listed
1-17 shall report the birth to the local registrar:
1-18 (1) the father or mother of the child; or
1-19 (2) the owner or householder of the premises where the
1-20 birth occurs <if the birth does not occur in an institution, or the
1-21 manager or superintendent of the institution in which the birth
1-22 occurs>.
1-23 (d) <(c)> A person required to file a birth certificate or
1-24 report a birth shall file the certificate or make the report not
2-1 later than the fifth day after the date of the birth.
2-2 SECTION 2. Subsection (a), Section 192.004, Health and
2-3 Safety Code, is amended to read as follows:
2-4 (a) The local registrar shall obtain the information
2-5 necessary to prepare the birth certificate from the person
2-6 reporting a birth or from another person with the required
2-7 knowledge if:
2-8 (1) the birth is reported under Section 192.003(c)
2-9 <192.003(b)>; or
2-10 (2) a person <physician, midwife, or person acting as
2-11 a midwife> who files a certificate under Section 192.003(a) or
2-12 192.003(b) cannot by diligent inquiry obtain an item of information
2-13 required for the certificate.
2-14 SECTION 3. Subsection (g), Section 81.090, Health and Safety
2-15 Code, is repealed.
2-16 SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 1993.
2-17 SECTION 5. The importance of this legislation and the
2-18 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-19 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-20 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-21 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.