By: Zaffirini S.B. No. 276
73R1959 KLL-F
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the certification of births, to information required on
1-3 a birth or fetal death certificate, and to fees for certified
1-4 copies.
1-5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-6 SECTION 1. Section 192.003, Health and Safety Code, is
1-7 amended to read as follows:
1-8 Sec. 192.003. Birth Certificate Filed or Birth Reported.
1-9 (a) The physician, midwife, or person acting as a midwife in
1-10 attendance at a birth shall file the birth certificate with the
1-11 local registrar of the registration district in which the birth
1-12 occurs.
1-13 (b) If a birth occurs in a hospital or birthing center, the
1-14 hospital administrator, the birthing center administrator, or a
1-15 designee of the appropriate administrator may file the birth
1-16 certificate in lieu of a person listed by Subsection (a).
1-17 (c) If there is no physician, midwife, or person acting as a
1-18 midwife in attendance at a birth, and if the birth does not occur
1-19 in a hospital or birthing center, the following in the order listed
1-20 shall report the birth to the local registrar:
1-21 (1) the father or mother of the child; or
1-22 (2) the owner or householder of the premises where the
1-23 birth occurs <if the birth does not occur in an institution, or the
1-24 manager or superintendent of the institution in which the birth
2-1 occurs>.
2-2 (d) <(c)> A person required to file a birth certificate or
2-3 report a birth shall file the certificate or make the report not
2-4 later than the fifth day after the date of the birth.
2-5 SECTION 2. Section 192.004(a), Health and Safety Code, is
2-6 amended to read as follows:
2-7 (a) The local registrar shall obtain the information
2-8 necessary to prepare the birth certificate from the person
2-9 reporting a birth or from another person with the required
2-10 knowledge if:
2-11 (1) the birth is reported under Section 192.003(c)
2-12 <192.003(b)>; or
2-13 (2) a person <physician, midwife, or person acting as
2-14 a midwife> who files a certificate under Section 192.003(a) or
2-15 192.003(b) cannot by diligent inquiry obtain an item of information
2-16 required for the certificate.
2-17 SECTION 3. Section 191.0045(d), Health and Safety Code, is
2-18 amended to read as follows:
2-19 (d) A local registrar who issues a certified copy of a death
2-20 certificate or birth certificate shall charge the same fee as
2-21 charged by the state registrar <bureau of vital statistics>.
2-22 SECTION 4. Section 81.090(g), Health and Safety Code, is
2-23 repealed.
2-24 SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 1993.
2-25 SECTION 6. The importance of this legislation and the
2-26 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-27 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
3-1 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
3-2 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.