SRC-VRA C.S.S.B. 1553 78(R)BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research CenterC.S.S.B. 1553 By: Janek Health & Human Services 4/15/2003 Committee Report (Substituted) DIGEST AND PURPOSE Approximately 1,000 children are born each day in Texas, resulting in significant increases in the number of births and death records processed each year. In the last 20 years, the number of records filed annually has increased over 40 percent. Birth and death records are registered by a local official prior to being sent to the Texas Department of Health's Bureau of Vital Statistics. C.S.S.B. 1553 repeals current Texas law relating to the work and family policies fund, establishes a $3.00 surcharge on birth certificates and a $2.00 surcharge on death certificates, improves the vital statistics system and finances the development of a comprehensive statewide electronic vital statistics reporting system at both the state and local level. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY Rulemaking authority granted to the Texas Workforce Commission is modified in SECTION 5 (Section 81.007, Labor Code) of this bill. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Section 191.0045, Health and Safety Code, by amending Subsections (d)(g) and adding Subsection (h), as follows: (d) Makes a nonsubstantive and a conforming change. (e) Increases the fee for certain documents from $2 to $5. (f) Requires the fees collected under Subsection (e) to be deposited into the state treasury following a specific manner. (g) Makes a conforming change. (h) Requires the Texas Department of Health's Bureau of Vital Statistics (BVS), in addition to fees collected by BVS under Subsections (b) and (e), to collect an additional $2 fee for issuing a certified copy of a death certificate. Requires the fees to be deposited in the state treasury to the credit of the vital statistics fund. SECTION 2. Amends Section 191.005, Health and Safety Code, by amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (d), as follows: (b) Adds "enhancement" of the vital statistics system to the list of expenses that the fund is being used to defray. (d) Authorizes the Texas Department of Health (TDH), from funds appropriated by the legislature, to award grants to local registration offices for enhancements to local systems in accordance with rules adopted by the Texas Board of Health (board). SECTION 3. Amends Section 191.022, Health and Safety Code, by amending Subsection (f) and adding Subsections (g) and (h), as follows: (f) Requires a local registrar who collects a fee for a certified copy of a birth certificate to retain $1.70, rather than to deduct 20 cents, of that fee and to remit $3.30, rather than $1.80, of that fee to the to the comptroller, instead of applying it to the registrar's administrative costs. Requires the comptroller to deposit $1.80 in the general revenue fund and $1.50 in the vital statistics, rather than the work and family policies, fund. (g) Requires a local registrar who collects a fee for a certified copy of a death certificate to remit $1 of that fee to the comptroller for deposit in the vital statistics fund. (h) Authorizes a local registrar to use the fee retained under Subsection (f) only for administering the system of vital statistics. SECTION 4. Amends Section 118.015, Local Government Code, by amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (c), as follows: (b) Requires a county clerk who collects a fee for a certified copy of a birth certificate to retain $1.70, rather than to deduct 20 cents, of that fee and to remit $3.30, rather than $1.80, of that fee to the to the comptroller, instead of applying it to the registrar's administrative costs. Requires the comptroller to deposit $1.80 in the general revenue fund and $1.50 in the vital statistics, rather work and family policies, fund. (c) Requires a county clerk who collects a fee for a certified copy of a death certificate to remit $1 of that fee to the comptroller for deposit in the vital statistics fund. (d) Authorizes a county clerk to use the fee retained under Subsection (b) only for administering the system of vital statistics. SECTION 5. Amends Section 81.007, Labor Code, to delete a reference to Section 81.006 (b), Labor Code (Work and Family Policies Fund) from existing text. SECTION 6. Repealer: Section 81.006, Labor Code (Work and Family Policies Fund). SECTION 7. Effective date: September 1, 2003.