PRINTER'S NO. 155
No. 142 Session of 1989
INTRODUCED BY LASHINGER, ITKIN AND TIGUE, JANUARY 30, 1989
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND WELFARE, JANUARY 30, 1989
AN ACT 1 Amending the act of June 29, 1953 (P.L.304, No.66), entitled "An 2 act providing for the administration of a statewide system of 3 vital statistics; prescribing the functions of the State 4 Department of Health, the State Advisory Health Board and 5 local registrars; imposing duties upon coroners, 6 prothonotaries, clerks of orphans' court, physicians, 7 midwives and other persons; requiring reports and 8 certificates for the registration of vital statistics; 9 regulating the disposition of dead bodies; limiting the 10 disclosure of records; prescribing the sufficiency of vital 11 statistics records as evidence; prescribing fees and 12 penalties; and revising and consolidating the laws relating 13 thereto," further providing for certain records relating to 14 birth and adoption; and making a repeal. 15 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania 16 hereby enacts as follows: 17 Section 1. Section 603 of the act of June 29, 1953 (P.L.304, 18 No.66), known as the Vital Statistics Law of 1953, is amended to 19 read: 20 Section 603. Change of Civil Status: Amendment of Birth 21 Certificates.--(a) Any person born in this Commonwealth (1) 22 whose birth is registered as illegitimate but who is legitimated 23 by the subsequent marriage of his natural parents, or (2) whose
1 parentage is determined by a court of competent jurisdiction, or 2 (3) who is adopted under the laws of this Commonwealth or of any 3 other state or territory of the United States of America, or (4) 4 whose name is changed by order or decree of a court of competent 5 jurisdiction, may request the department to prepare an amended 6 certificate of birth on the basis of proof of the new status. 7 After the amended certificate is prepared, any information 8 disclosed from the record shall be from the amended certificate. 9 (b) The person involved if he has attained majority and is 10 not incompetent, or his parent, guardian or legal 11 representative, shall file an application making such request 12 and shall submit such proof as the Advisory Health Board may by 13 its regulations require. 14 (c) [After the amended certificate is prepared, any 15 information disclosed from the record shall be from the amended 16 certificate; and access] Access to the original certificate of 17 birth and to the documents of proof on which the amended 18 certificate is based shall be authorized only upon request of 19 the person involved if he has attained majority and is not 20 incompetent, or upon request of his parent, guardian or legal 21 representative, or upon order of a court of competent 22 jurisdiction. Upon payment of a fee and submission of such proof 23 as may be required by the Advisory Health Board, the department 24 shall provide an adopted person with a certified copy of his or 25 her birth record prior to his or her adoption. This copy shall 26 contain: 27 (1) all of the information contained in the certificate of 28 adoption; and 29 (2) from the certificate of live birth, the: 30 (i) full name; 19890H0142B0155 - 2 -
1 (ii) sex; 2 (iii) date of birth; 3 (iv) hour of birth; 4 (v) place of birth, including the name of the hospital, if 5 any; 6 (vi) name and title of the certifier; 7 (vii) mother's maiden name; 8 (viii) mother's age at time of birth; 9 (ix) state of mother's birth; 10 (x) mother's address; 11 (xi) father's name; 12 (xii) father's age at time of birth; 13 (xiii) state of father's birth; and 14 (xiv) father's address. 15 (d) Upon payment of a fee and submission of such proof as 16 may be required by the Advisory Health Board, the department 17 shall provide a natural parent with a certified copy of the 18 birth record prior to the adoption of his or her child. This 19 copy shall contain the information from the certificate of live 20 birth as provided by subsection (c). 21 Section 2. Section 2905 of Title 23 of the Pennsylvania 22 Consolidated Statutes is repealed insofar as it is inconsistent 23 with this act. 24 Section 3. This act shall take effect in 60 days. A18L35JLW/19890H0142B0155 - 3 -