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        PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 430                       PRINTER'S NO. 1215

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA


HOUSE BILL

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, CIVERA AND BROWNE,
           JANUARY 31, 2001

        AS AMENDED ON THIRD CONSIDERATION, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
           MARCH 19, 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 INVOLVING birth registration.                <--

    15     The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
    16  hereby enacts as follows:
    17     Section 1.  Section 201 401 of the act of June 29, 1953        <--
    18  (P.L.304, No.66), known as the Vital Statistics Law of 1953,
    19  AMENDED JULY 11, 1990 (P.L.433, NO.106), is amended to read:      <--


     1     Section 201.  Department: General Powers and Duties.--The      <--
     2  department shall, pursuant to the provisions of the act,
     3  approved the ninth day of April, one thousand nine hundred
     4  twenty-nine (Pamphlet Laws 177), as amended, cited as "The
     5  Administrative Code of 1929":
     6     (1)  Administer and enforce the provisions of this act and
     7  the regulations made pursuant thereto.
     8     (2)  Install and maintain a statewide system of vital
     9  statistics.
    10     (3)  Be the custodian of all vital statistics files and
    11  records collected, created or compiled under the provisions of
    12  this act.
    13     (4)  Have supervisory power over all local registrars
    14  appointed under the provisions of this act. This clause includes
    15  furnishing local registrars with informational notices on the
    16  existence of and eligibility for the program under Article XXIII
    17  of the act of May 17, 1921 (P.L.682, No.284), known as "The
    18  Insurance Company Law of 1921."
    19     Section 2.  Section 401 of the act, amended July 11, 1990
    20  (P.L.433, No.106), is amended to read:
    21     Section 401.  Birth Registration: General Provisions.--A
    22  certificate of each birth occurring in this Commonwealth shall
    23  be filed with the local registrar of the district in which the
    24  birth occurs within a period prescribed by regulations of the
    25  Advisory Health Board. The certificate shall be prepared, signed
    26  and filed by the attending physician or licensed midwife, except
    27  that when there is no attending physician or licensed midwife
    28  the certificate shall be prepared, signed and filed (1) by the
    29  father, or (2) in the event of his death, disability or absence,
    30  by the mother, or (3) in the event of her death or disability,
    20010H0413B1215                  - 2 -

     1  by the householder of the premises or superintendent of the
     2  institution in which the birth occurs, or (4) in the event of
     3  the absence or disability of all persons heretofore named, then
     4  by such person acquainted with the facts as the local registrar
     5  shall designate. The Social Security number or numbers of each
     6  parent shall be obtained and maintained separately by the
     7  department in a fashion that permits routine screened inquiries,
     8  unless there is good cause for not requiring the furnishing of
     9  such number or numbers in accordance with Federal regulations.
    10  Upon filing of the certificate, the local registrar DEPARTMENT    <--
    11  shall provide the father and OR the mother with the department's  <--
    12  informational notice on A BROCHURE RELATING TO the existence of   <--
    13  and eligibility for the program CHILDREN'S HEALTH INSURANCE       <--
    14  PROGRAM (CHIP) under Article XXIII of the act of May 17, 1921
    15  (P.L.682, No.284), known as "The Insurance Company Law of 1921."
    16  This information is considered confidential and is to be made
    17  available only to Federal and State agencies responsible for
    18  establishing paternity or enforcing child support orders.
    19     Section 3 2.  This act shall take effect in 60 days.           <--








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