79R8465 MSE-D

By:  Delisi                                                       H.B. No. 2101



A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to heirloom birth certificates.                                      
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Section 192.0021, Health and Safety Code, is 
amended to read as follows:
	Sec. 192.0021.  HEIRLOOM BIRTH CERTIFICATE.  (a)  The 
department shall [may design the form of an heirloom birth 
certificate and may] promote and sell copies of an heirloom birth 
[the] certificate.  The department shall solicit donated designs 
for the certificate from Texas artists and select the best donated 
designs for the form of the certificate. [An heirloom birth 
certificate must contain the same information as, and have the same 
effect of, a certified copy of another birth record.]  The 
department shall prescribe a fee for the issuance of an heirloom 
birth certificate in an amount that does not exceed $50 [$30].  The 
heirloom birth certificate must be printed on parchment not smaller 
than 11 inches by 14 inches in size.
	(b)  The department shall deposit proceeds [Proceeds] from 
the sale of heirloom birth certificates to the credit of the 
childhood immunization account.  The childhood immunization 
account is an account in the general revenue fund.  Money in the 
account may be used only by the Department of State Health Services 
for:
		(1)  making grants to fund childhood immunizations and 
related education programs; and
		(2)  [shall be deposited to the credit of the general 
revenue fund.  An amount not to exceed the costs of administering 
this section as determined by the comptroller shall be appropriated 
to the department for] administering this section.
	SECTION 2.  As soon as possible after the effective date of 
this Act, the Department of State Health Services shall begin the 
process of redesigning the form of the heirloom birth certificate 
in accordance with Section 192.0021, Health and Safety Code, as 
amended by this Act.  The department may appoint an advisory 
committee to assist the department in soliciting donated designs 
and selecting the best designs.  Until the new designs are selected, 
the department shall continue to use the design in use on the 
effective date of this Act.
	SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2005.