NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A2311A
SPONSOR: Zaccaro TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the public health law, in relation to prohibiting charg-
es for the issuance of a certificate of still birth or pregnancy loss
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
This bill prohibits fees associated with obtaining a certificate of
stillbirth or pregnancy loss.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1. Subdivision 9 of § 4160-a of the public health law is amended
to prohibit the registrar from charging any fee for the issuance of a
certificate of still birth.
Section 2. § 4160-a of the public health law is amended to add Subdivi-
sion 6 to read that local registrar shall not charge a fee for the issu-
ance of a certificate of pregnancy loss under this article.
Section 3. Effective date
JUSTIFICATION:
A certificate of still birth is a document that no parent ever desires
to receive, yet this piece of paper provides grieving parents with some
degree of remembrance of their child. Certificates of still birth and
pregnancy loss are issued by a respective state's office of vital
records, according to the Star Legacy Foundation, and the Foundation
notes that prior to certificates of still birth and pregnancy loss,
existing stillborn babies did not receive any recognition of life.
On March 21, 2012, Chapter 552 of 2011 went into effect which required
the issuance of certificates of still birth to New York parents and
certain immediate family members who request one. The justification for
this law read in part, "Many families who have suffered the agony of a
stillbirth want a certificate acknowledging the process, with
contractions, labor and delivery, that resulted in a stillbirth. They
feel it would ease their pain and help in their healing process."
Chapter 552 of 2011 provides that the registrar may charge a fee for
issuing a certificate of still birth that is equal to the fee for a
certificate of birth or a certificate of death, but there is no require-
ment that a mandatory fee be paid to obtain a certificate of still
birth.
Currently, it costs $30 to acquire a certificate of still birth from the
New York State Department of Health, per copy. While the initial copy of
a pregnancy loss certificate is free additional copies of this certif-
icate cost $30 each.
These fees may seem inexpensive, but it is important to remember why
these certificates exist, to ease the pain of parents and help families
in the healing process. Prohibiting any fees from being charged for a
certificate of still birth and a certificate of pregnancy loss guaran-
tees that no financial barrier will exist for New Yorkers to obtain
these invaluable certificates.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2023-2024: Reported, Referred to Ways and Means
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
To be determined
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.
