Assemblyman Will Barclay (R,C,I—Pulaski) said today he is urging his colleagues in the Assembly to pass a bill that would enable parents of stillborn children to receive a stillbirth certificate. Parents are currently only issued a fetal death certificate in these cases in New York.

This bill would require registrars of vital statistics to issue a certificate of stillbirth when requested by the family. It would allow parents to record a name on the certificate.

Barclay is a sponsor of this legislation. He is urging his Assembly colleagues to bring this through the necessary committees quickly and to the floor of the Assembly for a vote before the end of session this year.

“Providing a stillbirth certificate seems the very least our Health Departments can do for grieving parents. Many who have suffered the agony of a stillbirth want a certificate acknowledging the process, with contractions, labor and delivery, that resulted in a stillbirth. I’ve heard from several constituents who feel strongly that this would help ease the pain and help in their healing process,” said Barclay.