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                       ENGROSSED SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 2300

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State of Washington              52nd Legislature             1992 Regular Session

By House Committee on Local Government (originally sponsored by Representative Peery)

Read first time 02/07/92.  Revising the procedures for death certificates.

     AN ACT Relating to death and burial records; and creating new sections.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.      (1) The legislature finds that maintenance and operation of a system of vital statistics and the capturing of the cause of death for statistical and public health purposes is essential to the interests of the state.  "System of vital statistics" means the registration, collection, preservation, amendment, and certification of vital records; the collection of other reports required by chapter 70.58 RCW; training activities related to timely and accurate completion of vital records; and related activities, including the tabulation, analysis, and publication of vital statistics.

     (2) The legislature further finds that the existing system hinders the timely and accurate completion and filing of death certificates, which causes hardships for bereaved families.

     (3) In order to protect public health, achieve consistencies with national standards for vital statistics systems, promote efficient practices, and make use of available technologies, the legislature recognizes that many antiquated laws and procedures developed over many decades must be changed.

     (4) The legislature recognizes it is necessary that the system be maintained by the department of health in cooperation with appropriate units of local government who have reporting requirements for births, fetal deaths, deaths, marriages, and dissolutions.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.      (1) The vital statistics task force is created, consisting of the secretary of health or a designee, the chair of the house of representatives local government committee or a designee, and the chair of the senate governmental operations committee or a designee.

     (2) The task force shall create a working group that includes representatives of a broad range of affected interests, including funeral service representatives, local health officers, local registrars, research professionals, county coroners, county medical examiners, hospital administrators, physicians, county officials, and cemetery representatives.  The working group shall provide information, advice, and technical assistance to the task force.  To the extent possible, the members of the working group should be persons that have been or are members of the center for health statistics advisory committee.

     (3) The task force shall report on its findings and recommendations to the local government committee of the house of representatives and the governmental operations committee of the senate by December 4, 1992.  To complete the report, the department of health shall undertake a review of the laws and procedures pertaining to vital statistics.  The report shall, at a minimum, address the following:  Analysis of the time restrictions placed on physicians and funeral directors, the signing and filing of death certificates and by what method burial transit permits are processed, who can issue permits and under what circumstances, facilitating organ donation, timely disposition of remains, and interstate transportation of the deceased.