By Solis of Bexar H.B. No. 2065
76R4640 JRD-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to allowing a local registrar to charge a records
1-3 management and preservation fee for copies of birth, death, and
1-4 fetal death records.
1-5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-6 SECTION 1. Section 191.0045, Health and Safety Code, is
1-7 amended by amending Subsections (d) and (g) and adding Subsection
1-8 (h) to read as follows:
1-9 (d) A local registrar who issues a certified copy of a birth
1-10 or death certificate shall charge the same fees as charged by the
1-11 bureau of vital statistics, including the additional fee required
1-12 under Subsection (e), except as provided by Subsections
1-13 [Subsection] (g) and (h).
1-14 (g) A local registrar that on March 31, 1995, was charging a
1-15 fee for the issuance of a certified copy of a birth certificate
1-16 that exceeded the fee charged by the bureau of vital statistics for
1-17 the same type of certificate may continue to do so but shall not
1-18 raise this fee until the fee charged by the bureau exceeds the fee
1-19 charged by the local registrar, except as provided by Subsection
1-20 (h). A local registrar to which this subsection applies shall
1-21 charge the additional fee as required under Subsection (e) and may
1-22 charge the additional fee allowed under Subsection (h).
1-23 (h) In addition to other fees charged under this section, a
1-24 local registrar may charge a records management and preservation
2-1 fee not to exceed $1 for each copy or certified copy of a birth,
2-2 death, or fetal death record issued by the local registrar. The
2-3 fee may be used only to provide funds for the management and
2-4 preservation of birth, death, fetal death, and other vital
2-5 statistics records maintained by the local registrar.
2-6 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
2-7 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the
2-8 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-9 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-10 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-11 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.