HOUSE BILL REPORT

                      HB 2056

                     As Reported By House Committee on:

                                Health Care

Title:  An act relating to vital statistics.

Brief Description:  Making major changes to the regulation and provision of vital statistics.

Sponsor(s):  Representative Braddock; by request of Department of Health.

Brief History:

   Reported by House Committee on:

Health Care, March 6, 1991, DPS.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON

HEALTH CARE

Majority Report: That Substitute House Bill No. 2056 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.  Signed by 11 members:  Representatives Braddock, Chair; Day, Vice Chair; Moyer, Ranking Minority Member; Casada, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Cantwell; Edmondson; Franklin; Morris; Paris; Prentice; and Sprenkle.

Staff:  Bill Hagens (786-7131).

Background:  Presently, Washington state vital record laws are not in compliance with federal public health recommendations.  Further, there is not a statutorily established process whereby vital records can be transmitted from the Department of Health to local health departments.

Summary of Substitute Bill:  The state Board of Health is required by the rule to include in the vital records the items recommended by the federal agency responsible for national vital statistics.  Strict confidentiality standards must be maintained.  The Department of Health, in mutual agreement with local health officer, may authorize a local registrar to access the state-wide birth data base or death data base and prescribe appropriate fees.

Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill:  Comprehensive health statistics provisions are deleted.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

Effective Date of Substitute Bill:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  None.

Testimony Against:  None.

Witnesses:  None.