HOUSE BILL REPORT
SSB 5030
As Passed House:
April 10, 2025
Title: An act relating to improving access to educational services by reducing barriers to obtaining vital records and allowing alternative forms of documentation.
Brief Description: Improving access to educational services by reducing barriers to obtaining vital records and allowing alternative forms of documentation.
Sponsors: Senate Committee on Early Learning & K-12 Education (originally sponsored by Senators Wilson, C., Cortes, Harris, Hasegawa, Krishnadasan, Nobles, Saldaña, Salomon, Trudeau, Valdez and Wellman).
Brief History:
Committee Activity:
Early Learning & Human Services: 3/25/25, 3/26/25 [DP];
Appropriations: 4/4/25, 4/7/25 [DP].
Floor Activity:
Passed House: 4/10/25, 62-33.
Brief Summary of Substitute Bill

  • Prohibits fees from being charged to obtain a vital record of the birth of a child, requested by a parent or guardian who has a child who is eligible for or receiving food benefits under the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or the state Food Assistance Program and is enrolling the child in an early learning program or a public school.  

  • Requires the Department of Children, Youth, and Families and the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction to adopt rules to accept birth certificates, passports, and alternative documents to show a child's age or date of birth for the purposes of enrollment in the Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program and public schools.
HOUSE COMMITTEE ON EARLY LEARNING & HUMAN SERVICES
Majority Report: Do pass.Signed by 9 members:Representatives Bergquist, Chair; Cortes, Vice Chair; Eslick, Ranking Minority Member; Bernbaum, Goodman, Hill, Ortiz-Self, Penner and Taylor.
Minority Report: Without recommendation.Signed by 2 members:Representatives Burnett, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Dent.
Staff: Luke Wickham (786-7146).
HOUSE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Majority Report: Do pass.Signed by 21 members:Representatives Ormsby, Chair; Gregerson, Vice Chair; Macri, Vice Chair; Penner, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Berg, Bergquist, Callan, Cortes, Doglio, Fitzgibbon, Leavitt, Lekanoff, Manjarrez, Peterson, Pollet, Ryu, Springer, Stonier, Street, Thai and Tharinger.
Minority Report: Do not pass.Signed by 6 members:Representatives Couture, Ranking Minority Member; Connors, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Schmick, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Dye, Marshall and Rude.
Minority Report: Without recommendation.Signed by 4 members:Representatives Burnett, Caldier, Corry and Keaton.
Staff: Emily Stephens (786-7157).
Background:

Vital Records.

The Department of Health (DOH) maintains a vital records system that includes reports of vital life events such as birth, death, fetal death, marriage, dissolution of marriage, dissolution of domestic partnership, declaration of invalidity of marriage, declaration of invalidity of domestic partnership, and legal separation.

 

The DOH and local registrars must charge a fee of $25 for a certification or informational copy of a vital record or for a search of the vital records system when no matching record was identified.  There are certain circumstances where this fee is not charged, including:

  • in connection with a claim for compensation or pension before the Veterans Administration;
  • the death of a sex offender or law enforcement use in maintaining a registered sex offender database; or
  • the death of any person who committed a criminal offense, requested by a county clerk or court in the state for purposes of extinguishing the person's legal financial obligation.

 

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is a federal program administered by the United States Department of Agriculture that provides food benefits to low-income families to supplement their grocery budget so they can afford the nutritious food essential to health and well-being.  

 

In most cases, a family must meet both gross income and net income limits to receive SNAP benefits.  The gross monthly income threshold is 130 percent of the federal poverty level and the net monthly income threshold is 100 percent of the federal poverty level.  For a family of four the gross monthly income threshold amounts to $3,380 and the net monthly income threshold is $2,600.  

 

SNAP benefits can be used for any food for the household but cannot be used to purchase alcohol, tobacco, vitamins, medicines, supplements, live animals, hot foods, pet foods, cleaning supplies, paper products, household supplies, hygiene items, and cosmetics.  

 

A family of four has a maximum SNAP monthly allotment of $974.  

 

Food Assistance Program.

The Food Assistance Program (FAP) is the state food assistance program that provides benefits to legal immigrants who are not eligible for the SNAP solely because of immigration status.  Households that include a person eligible for the FAP receive the same amount of food benefits they would receive for this person if they were eligible for the SNAP.  
Summary of Bill:

A fee is not required to obtain a vital record of the birth of a child, requested by a parent or guardian who has a child who is eligible for or receiving food benefits under the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or the state Food Assistance Program and is enrolling the child in an early learning program or a public school.  

 

The Department of Children, Youth, and Families must adopt a rule that requires Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program contractors and providers to accept birth certificates, passports, and alternative documents to show a child's age or date of birth for the purposes of enrollment. 

 

The Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction must adopt a rule that requires public schools to accept birth certificates, passports, and alternative documents to show a child's age or date of birth for purposes of enrollment.

 

Alternative documents include, but are not limited to:

  • a religious, hospital, or physician's certificate showing the date of birth;
  • an entry in a family bible;
  • an adoption record;
  • an affidavit from a parent; or
  • a previously verified school record.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Available.
Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.
Staff Summary of Public Testimony (Early Learning & Human Services):

(In support) This bill removes barriers and connects vulnerable people with important services.  Every year working families miss out on important early intervention services such as speech, therapy, occupational therapy, or highly needed psychological services simply because of the difficulty of getting access to a birth certificate for their child.

 

Obtaining a birth certificate can be the final barrier that cannot be crossed to connect children with services.

 

A lack of a birth certificate can disconnect families with important services and this bill resolves that problem to connect families with critical services. 

 

(Opposed) None.
Staff Summary of Public Testimony (Appropriations):

(In support) None.

 

(Opposed) The bill has some unintended consequences by reducing revenue to the Death Investigations Account (Account).  The bill establishes many alternatives to vital records, so the fee waiver is unnecessary. 

 

(Other) The bill takes money away from the Account which is funded from the vital statistics fee.  This is a major loss to the Account which funds the state toxicology lab, the Forensic Investigation Council, and other purposes.  This Account is already stretched to the limit. 
Persons Testifying (Early Learning & Human Services):

Alexandra Clifthorne.
Persons Testifying (Appropriations):

(Opposed) Annie Pillers, Washington Association of Coroners and Medical Examiners.

 

(Other) Timothy Grisham, Washington Association of County Officials.
Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying (Early Learning & Human Services): None.
Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying (Appropriations): None.