HOUSE BILL REPORT

SHB 834

BYHouse Committee on Health Care (originally sponsored by Representatives Sprenkle, Brough, Brooks, Niemi, Grant, Ebersole and Todd)

Revising provisions relating to birth certificates.

House Committe on Health Care

Majority Report:     The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  (8)

     Signed by Representatives Braddock, Chair; Day, Vice Chair; Brooks, Bumgarner, Cantwell, D. Sommers, Sprenkle and Vekich.

House Staff:Bill Hagens (786-7131)

AS PASSED HOUSE MARCH 13, 1987

BACKGROUND:

Presently, safeguards are not adequate to protect confidential information on birth certificates.

Often confidential information e.g. race, marriage status, number of pregnancies, etc. is not separated from the public information, e.g. name, birthdate, etc.

SUMMARY:

Statutory safeguards are provided for the handling of confidential information.  All but vital statistics, e.g. name, birthdate, etc. must be kept confidential and separate.

Parent signatures are required to insure data is complete and accurate.

Inappropriate release of information is made a gross misdemeanor.

Fiscal Note:    Attached.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:     Barbara Richey, St. Peter Hospital; Pat Thibaudeau, Washington Women United; Robb Menaul, Washington State Hospital Association; Christine Nelson, St. Peter Hospital; John Beare, Department of Social and Health Services; Ann Foster, Department of Social and Health Services and Jerry Sheehan, American Civil Liberties Union.

House Committee - Testified Against: None Presented.

House Committee - Testimony For:     The bill is necessary to safeguard confidential information.

House Committee - Testimony Against: None Presented.