SENATE AMENDED
PRIOR PRINTER'S NOS. 430, 1215 PRINTER'S NO. 2023
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
SENATOR MOWERY, PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE, IN SENATE, AS
AMENDED, MAY 22, 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 involving birth registration.
15 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
16 hereby enacts as follows:
17 Section 1. Section 401 of the act of June 29, 1953 (P.L.304,
18 No.66), known as the Vital Statistics Law of 1953, amended July
19 11, 1990 (P.L.433, No.106), is amended to read:
1 Section 401. Birth Registration: General Provisions.--(A) A <--
2 certificate of each birth occurring in this Commonwealth shall
3 be filed with the local registrar of the district in which the
4 birth occurs within a period prescribed by regulations of the
5 Advisory Health Board. The certificate shall be prepared, signed
6 and filed by the attending physician or licensed midwife, except
7 that when there is no attending physician or licensed midwife
8 the certificate shall be prepared, signed and filed (1) by the
9 father, or (2) in the event of his death, disability or absence,
10 by the mother, or (3) in the event of her death or disability,
11 by the householder of the premises or superintendent of the
12 institution in which the birth occurs, or (4) in the event of
13 the absence or disability of all persons heretofore named, then
14 by such person acquainted with the facts as the local registrar
15 shall designate. The Social Security number or numbers of each
16 parent shall be obtained and maintained separately by the
17 department in a fashion that permits routine screened inquiries,
18 unless there is good cause for not requiring the furnishing of
19 such number or numbers in accordance with Federal regulations.
20 Upon filing of the certificate, the department shall provide the <--
21 father or the mother with a brochure relating to the existence
22 of and eligibility for the Children's Health Insurance Program
23 (CHIP) under Article XXIII of the act of May 17, 1921 (P.L.682,
24 No.284), known as "The Insurance Company Law of 1921." This
25 information is considered confidential and is to be made
26 available only to Federal and State agencies responsible for
27 establishing paternity or enforcing child support orders.
28 (B) UPON FILING OF THE CERTIFICATE, THE DEPARTMENT SHALL <--
29 PROVIDE THE FATHER OR THE MOTHER WITH A BROCHURE RELATING TO THE
30 EXISTENCE OF AND ELIGIBILITY FOR THE CHILDREN'S HEALTH INSURANCE
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1 PROGRAM (CHIP) UNDER ARTICLE XXIII OF THE ACT OF MAY 17, 1921
2 (P.L.682, NO.284), KNOWN AS "THE INSURANCE COMPANY LAW OF 1921."
3 Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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