BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center                                                                                                        S.B. 239

                                                                                                                                            By: Janek

                                                                                                               Health and Human Services

5/13/2005

Enrolled

AUTHOR'S/SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

Under current law, the state registrar and local registrars charge fees for the issuance of certified birth and death records and it is unclear whether registrars may issue non-certified copies. Child fatality review teams must pay the fees when requesting such records, which can prevent some child fatality review teams from getting necessary information in a cost-efficient manner.

S.B. 239 amends existing law to allow non-certified copies of birth and death certificates to be issued to child fatality review teams free of charge.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 191.0046, Health and Safety Code, by adding Subsections (d), as follows:

            (d)  Requires the state registrar to issue, without fee and upon request, a copy of a birth or death record that is not certified to a child fatality review team or the child fatality review team committee established under Subchapter F, Chapter 264, Family Code.

SECTION 2.  Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2005.