FINAL BILL REPORT

                 SHB 1930

                         C 108 L 97

Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description:  Restricting copying of birth certificates.

Sponsors:  By House Committee on Government Administration (originally sponsored by  Representatives Chandler, Linville, D. Schmidt and Sheldon).

House Committee on Government Administration

Senate Committee on Health & Long-Term Care

Background:  Birth certificates are filed with local registrars.  Local registrars transmit the original birth certificates to the Department of Health.

Summary:  The Department of Health is to adopt rules providing for the release of electronic copies of birth certificates with standards for security and confidentiality.  All certified copies of birth certificates must be in a format and on paper with security features to deter alteration without ready detection.

Government agencies may be provided with copies of birth certificates if the copies will be used for official duties and the agencies pay the appropriate fee.  The Department of Health may enter into agreements with offices of vital statistics outside of the state for the transmission of birth certificates.

The Department of Health may disclose information which may identify a person named in a birth certificate for certain research purposes.

Votes on Final Passage:

House  96 2

Senate 43 1

Effective:July 27,  1997