PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 2498
PRINTER'S NO. 3147
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
1963
Session of
2024
INTRODUCED BY PIELLI, WEBSTER, D. MILLER, HILL-EVANS, McNEILL,
GUENST, SHUSTERMAN, MENTZER, SANCHEZ, VENKAT, CERRATO,
PARKER, WATRO, KINSEY, MALAGARI, ROZZI, GALLAGHER, HARKINS,
BOYD, PASHINSKI, DONAHUE, DEASY, STEELE, HANBIDGE, KENYATTA,
GIRAL, BOROWSKI, STEHR, PROBST, HADDOCK, NEILSON, SCOTT,
DALEY, JOZWIAK, KHAN, DELLOSO, GREEN, GILLEN AND FLEMING,
JANUARY 31, 2024
AS REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE ON HEALTH, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
AS AMENDED, MAY 21, 2024
AN ACT
Amending the act of June 29, 1953 (P.L.304, No.66), entitled "An
act providing for the administration of a statewide system of
vital statistics; prescribing the functions of the State
Department of Health, the State Advisory Health Board and
local registrars; imposing duties upon coroners,
prothonotaries, clerks of orphans' court, physicians,
midwives and other persons; requiring reports and
certificates for the registration of vital statistics;
regulating the disposition of dead bodies; limiting the
disclosure of records; prescribing the sufficiency of vital
statistics records as evidence; prescribing fees and
penalties; and revising and consolidating the laws relating
thereto," in records, further providing for fees for copies.
AMENDING THE ACT OF JUNE 29, 1953 (P.L.304, NO.66), ENTITLED "AN
ACT PROVIDING FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF A STATEWIDE SYSTEM OF
VITAL STATISTICS; PRESCRIBING THE FUNCTIONS OF THE STATE
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, THE STATE ADVISORY HEALTH BOARD AND
LOCAL REGISTRARS; IMPOSING DUTIES UPON CORONERS,
PROTHONOTARIES, CLERKS OF ORPHANS' COURT, PHYSICIANS,
MIDWIVES AND OTHER PERSONS; REQUIRING REPORTS AND
CERTIFICATES FOR THE REGISTRATION OF VITAL STATISTICS;
REGULATING THE DISPOSITION OF DEAD BODIES; LIMITING THE
DISCLOSURE OF RECORDS; PRESCRIBING THE SUFFICIENCY OF VITAL
STATISTICS RECORDS AS EVIDENCE; PRESCRIBING FEES AND
PENALTIES; AND REVISING AND CONSOLIDATING THE LAWS RELATING
THERETO," IN GENERAL PROVISIONS, FURTHER PROVIDING FOR
DEFINITIONS; AND, IN RECORDS, FURTHER PROVIDING FOR FEES FOR
COPIES.
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The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Section 807(c) of the act of June 29, 1953
(P.L.304, No.66), known as the Vital Statistics Law of 1953, is
amended to read:
Section 807. Records: Fees for Copies.--* * *
(c) No fee shall be charged for certified copies of records
or parts thereof furnished [members] to:
(1) a member of the armed forces of the United States [and
their dependents] during [their] the member's term of active
service and after [their death in service or] the member's
honorable discharge therefrom[.]; and
(2) the surviving spouse and dependents of a member of the
armed forces of the United States during a term of active
service and after the member's death, whether or not in service,
or the member's honorable discharge therefrom.
Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
SECTION 1. SECTION 105 INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPH OF THE ACT OF
JUNE 29, 1953 (P.L.304, NO.66), KNOWN AS THE VITAL STATISTICS
LAW OF 1953, IS AMENDED TO READ:
SECTION 105. GENERAL PROVISIONS: DEFINITIONS.--AS USED IN
THIS ACT, THE FOLLOWING WORDS AND PHRASES SHALL HAVE THE
MEANINGS GIVEN TO THEM IN THIS SECTION UNLESS THE CONTEXT
CLEARLY INDICATES OTHERWISE--
* * *
SECTION 2. SECTION 807(C) OF THE ACT IS AMENDED AND THE
SECTION IS AMENDED BY ADDING SUBSECTIONS TO READ:
SECTION 807. RECORDS: FEES FOR COPIES.--* * *
[(C) NO FEE SHALL BE CHARGED FOR CERTIFIED COPIES OF RECORDS
OR PARTS THEREOF FURNISHED MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES OF THE
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UNITED STATES AND THEIR DEPENDENTS DURING THEIR TERM OF ACTIVE
SERVICE AND AFTER THEIR DEATH IN SERVICE OR HONORABLE DISCHARGE
THEREFROM.]
(D) SUBJECT TO SUBSECTION (E), NO FEE SHALL BE CHARGED FOR
CERTIFIED COPIES OF RECORDS OR PARTS THEREOF FOR ANY OF THE
FOLLOWING:
(1) AN INDIVIDUAL WHO CURRENTLY SERVES IN THE UNITED STATES
ARMED FORCES, INCLUDING A RESERVE COMPONENT OR THE NATIONAL
GUARD.
(2) A MEMBER OF THE UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES, INCLUDING A
RESERVE COMPONENT OR THE NATIONAL GUARD, WHO WAS KILLED OR DIES
WHILE ON OFFICIAL DUTY STATUS AUTHORIZED UNDER FEDERAL OR STATE
LAW.
(3) A VETERAN.
(4) A SPOUSE OF AN INDIVIDUAL SPECIFIED UNDER PARAGRAPH (1),
(2) OR (3).
(5) A DEPENDENT OF AN INDIVIDUAL SPECIFIED UNDER PARAGRAPH
(1), (2) OR (3). THIS PARAGRAPH SHALL ONLY APPLY TO A REQUEST
MADE FOR A CERTIFIED COPY OF A CERTIFICATE OF BIRTH.
(E) THE FEE WAIVER UNDER SUBSECTION (D) SHALL ONLY APPLY TO
THE FOLLOWING APPLICANTS FOR CERTIFIED COPIES OF RECORDS OR
PARTS THEREOF:
(1) AN APPLICANT WHO IS AN INDIVIDUAL SPECIFIED UNDER
SUBSECTION (D)(1) OR (3).
(2) AN APPLICANT WHO IS A SPOUSE OF AN INDIVIDUAL SPECIFIED
UNDER SUBSECTION (D)(1), (2) OR (3).
(3) AN APPLICANT WHO IS A REPRESENTATIVE OF A DEPENDENT
CHILD OF A DECEASED VETERAN OR AN INDIVIDUAL SPECIFIED UNDER
SUBSECTION (D)(2). THIS PARAGRAPH SHALL ONLY APPLY TO A REQUEST
MADE FOR A CERTIFIED COPY OF A CERTIFICATE OF DEATH.
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(4) AN APPLICANT WHO IS A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE ESTATE OF AN
INDIVIDUAL SPECIFIED UNDER SUBSECTION (D)(1), (2), (3) OR (4).
THIS PARAGRAPH SHALL ONLY APPLY TO A REQUEST MADE FOR A
CERTIFIED COPY OF A CERTIFICATE OF DEATH.
(5) AN APPLICANT THAT IS A FUNERAL ESTABLISHMENT RESPONSIBLE
FOR FILING THE DEATH RECORD OF AN INDIVIDUAL SPECIFIED UNDER
SUBSECTION (D)(1), (2), (3) OR (4). THIS PARAGRAPH SHALL ONLY
APPLY TO A REQUEST MADE FOR A CERTIFIED COPY OF A CERTIFICATE OF
DEATH.
(F) THE FEE WAIVER UNDER SUBSECTION (D) SHALL APPLY
REGARDLESS OF WHETHER AN INDIVIDUAL SPECIFIED UNDER SUBSECTION
(D)(2) OR (3) PREDECEASED OR SURVIVED ANY OTHER INDIVIDUAL WHO
QUALIFIES FOR THE FEE WAIVER.
(G) THE FEE WAIVER UNDER SUBSECTION (D) SHALL APPLY TO THE
FIRST TEN CERTIFIED COPIES OF THE SAME RECORD OR PARTS THEREOF
DURING A CALENDAR YEAR FOR AN APPLICANT UNDER SUBSECTION (E).
(H) AS USED IN THIS SECTION, THE TERM "VETERAN" MEANS AN
INDIVIDUAL WHO SERVED IN THE UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES,
INCLUDING A RESERVE COMPONENT OR THE NATIONAL GUARD, AND WHO WAS
DISCHARGED OR RELEASED FROM SERVICE UNDER CONDITIONS OTHER THAN
DISHONORABLE.
SECTION 3. THIS ACT SHALL TAKE EFFECT IN 60 DAYS.
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