Washington State House of Representatives Office of Program Research |
BILL ANALYSIS |
Appropriations Committee |
|
HB 1578
Brief Description: Using fees to develop and maintain a web-based vital records system.
Sponsors: Representatives Haigh, Cairnes, Gombosky, Benson, Fromhold, Rockefeller, Lantz, Anderson and Alexander; by request of Department of Health.
Brief Summary of Bill |
• Increases the vital records fee by $2.00 (from $13.00 to $15.00) for every copy of a birth, marriage, divorce, and death certificate issued at both the Center for Health Statistics and by local health jurisdictions (LHJs). |
• Increases the vital records fee by $7.00 (from $8.00 to $15.00) for second copies of death certificates issued at LHJs; the Department of Health will use this revenue to develop and maintain the state's vital record systems, including the creation of a web-based electronic death registration system. |
Hearing Date: 2/18/03
Staff: Amy Hanson (786-7118).
Background:
The Department of Health's (DOH) Center for Health Statistics (CHS) has maintained the state's system of vital records and statistics since 1907. Certified copies of birth, death, marriage, and divorce certificates can be obtained from the CHS or local health jurisdictions (LHJs).
The current fee for a certified copy of a vital record is $13.00 per copy, except that additional copies of a death certificate ordered at the same time as the first copy are $8.00 per copy. Of the current fee, $5.00 is dedicated to the Death Investigations Account for purposes that include funding of the state toxicology laboratory, county autopsy costs, and the state forensic investigations council, among other things. For locally collected fees, other than the $5.00 of each fee that is placed in the Death Investigations Account, the remainder is retained by the LHJ that issued the certified copy.
In 2002, the Legislature required the DOH to study the feasibility of implementing an electronic death registration system. In January 2003, the DOH issued a report recommending the creation of such a system in 2005. A fee increase for certified copies of vital records was also recommended to fund the project.
Summary of Bill:
The state and local fee for all certified copies of vital records is raised to $15.00. All fees paid locally stay with the LHJ, except as follows: (1) $5.00 of each fee continues to be placed in the Death Investigations Account; and (2) $7.00 of each fee for second copies of death certificates ordered at the same time as the first copy goes to the DOH to maintain the state vital records system, including the implementation of a web-based electronic death registration system.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Available.
Effective Date: The bill takes effect ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.