HOUSE BILL ANALYSIS

                  HB 1269

Title:  An act relating to death investigations.

Brief Description:  Providing moneys for the death investigations account.

Sponsors:  Representatives Robertson, Costa, Scott, Tokuda, Delvin and L. Thomas.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON LAW & JUSTICE

Staff:  David Bowman (786-7291); Edie Adams (786-7180).

Background:  In 1983, the Legislature established the death investigations= account to fund various activities associated with death investigations.  The state treasurer makes disbursements from the death investigations= account to the following: 

(1)state forensic investigations council;

(2)state toxicology laboratory;

(3)counties for the cost of autopsies;

(4)University of Washington to fund the state forensic pathology fellowship program;

(5)State Patrol for providing partial funding for the state dental identification system;

(6)Criminal Justice Training Commission for training county coroners; and

(7)medical examiners and their staff.

The death investigations= account has received funding from part of the fees received for copies of vital records.  (RCW 70.58.107)  The Department of Health (DOH) charges $11 for the first certified copy of birth, death, marriage, divorce, annulment, or legal separation records.  The DOH charges $6 for additional copies ordered at the same time as the first copy.  Of the fee received for copies of death certificates, local registrars pay all but $3 to the jurisdictional health department and turn $3 over to the state treasurer to be held in the death investigations= account. 

The amount turned over to the death investigations= account from the fee for copies of death certificates has been increased by $1 since 1987.  The state forensic investigations council estimates a shortfall in the death investigations= account for the current biennium.

Summary of Bill:  The fee for copies of vital records and the amount turned over to the death investigations= account are changed.  The Department of Health (DOH) charges $13 for the first certified copy of birth, death, marriage, divorce, annulment, or legal separation records.  The DOH charges $8 for additional copies ordered at the same time as the first copy.  Of the fee received for copies of death certificates, local registrars pay all but $5 to the jurisdictional health department and turn $5 over to the state treasurer to be held in the death investigations= account.

Fiscal Note:  Requested February 6, 1997.

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

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