PRINTER'S NO. 430
No. 413 Session of 2001
INTRODUCED BY KAISER, PERZEL, DeWEESE, GEORGE, THOMAS,
ARMSTRONG, CAPPABIANCA, YOUNGBLOOD, MELIO, BELARDI, ALLEN,
READSHAW, CORRIGAN, ORIE, MANDERINO, FAIRCHILD, DeLUCA, MANN,
LAUGHLIN, SOLOBAY, BELFANTI, WOGAN, GRUITZA, TIGUE, PETRONE,
TRICH, STABACK, WOJNAROSKI, HENNESSEY, MARKOSEK, BISHOP,
PISTELLA, YUDICHAK, TANGRETTI, E. Z. TAYLOR, HARHAI,
MICHLOVIC, CURRY, FRANKEL, SAMUELSON, COSTA, M. COHEN,
LEVDANSKY, FREEMAN, BEBKO-JONES, C. WILLIAMS, PIPPY, JOSEPHS,
HORSEY, TRELLO, McCALL, SAINATO AND CIVERA, JANUARY 31, 2001
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES,
JANUARY 31, 2001
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 functions of the Department
14 of Health and for birth registration.
15 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
16 hereby enacts as follows:
17 Section 1. Section 201 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 201. Department: General Powers and Duties.--The
1 department shall, pursuant to the provisions of the act,
2 approved the ninth day of April, one thousand nine hundred
3 twenty-nine (Pamphlet Laws 177), as amended, cited as "The
4 Administrative Code of 1929":
5 (1) Administer and enforce the provisions of this act and
6 the regulations made pursuant thereto.
7 (2) Install and maintain a statewide system of vital
8 statistics.
9 (3) Be the custodian of all vital statistics files and
10 records collected, created or compiled under the provisions of
11 this act.
12 (4) Have supervisory power over all local registrars
13 appointed under the provisions of this act. This clause includes
14 furnishing local registrars with informational notices on the
15 existence of and eligibility for the program under Article XXIII
16 of the act of May 17, 1921 (P.L.682, No.284), known as "The
17 Insurance Company Law of 1921."
18 Section 2. Section 401 of the act, amended July 11, 1990
19 (P.L.433, No.106), is amended to read:
20 Section 401. Birth Registration: General Provisions.--A
21 certificate of each birth occurring in this Commonwealth shall
22 be filed with the local registrar of the district in which the
23 birth occurs within a period prescribed by regulations of the
24 Advisory Health Board. The certificate shall be prepared, signed
25 and filed by the attending physician or licensed midwife, except
26 that when there is no attending physician or licensed midwife
27 the certificate shall be prepared, signed and filed (1) by the
28 father, or (2) in the event of his death, disability or absence,
29 by the mother, or (3) in the event of her death or disability,
30 by the householder of the premises or superintendent of the
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1 institution in which the birth occurs, or (4) in the event of
2 the absence or disability of all persons heretofore named, then
3 by such person acquainted with the facts as the local registrar
4 shall designate. The Social Security number or numbers of each
5 parent shall be obtained and maintained separately by the
6 department in a fashion that permits routine screened inquiries,
7 unless there is good cause for not requiring the furnishing of
8 such number or numbers in accordance with Federal regulations.
9 Upon filing of the certificate, the local registrar shall
10 provide the father and the mother with the department's
11 informational notice on the existence of and eligibility for the
12 program under Article XXIII of the act of May 17, 1921 (P.L.682,
13 No.284), known as "The Insurance Company Law of 1921." This
14 information is considered confidential and is to be made
15 available only to Federal and State agencies responsible for
16 establishing paternity or enforcing child support orders.
17 Section 3. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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