REPORT TITLE:
Birth Certificate


DESCRIPTION:
Creates a commemorative birth certificate whereby funds to
purchase the commemorative birth certificate would go toward a
newly established Perinatal Care and Support Services Special
Fund.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                        
THE SENATE                              S.B. NO.           190
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 1999                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                   A  BILL  FOR  AN  ACT

RELATING TO PREGNANT WOMEN AND INFANTS.



BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 1      SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that many factors are
 
 2 essential to the birth and early care of a healthy baby,
 
 3 including:
 
 4      (1)  An informed and wanted pregnancy;
 
 5      (2)  Good prenatal care;
 
 6      (3)  A healthy, substance abuse-free lifestyle; and
 
 7      (4)  The availability of parenting information and
 
 8           resources.
 
 9      This foundation for healthy development is part of the good
 
10 beginnings master plan to ensure that every child will be born
 
11 healthy and ready to learn.  Of the approximately 18,500 births
 
12 annually, 2,400 pregnant women and teens are in need of high
 
13 risk, supportive prenatal care, but only 1,200 are currently
 
14 being served.  Over 2,500 pregnancies are estimated to be
 
15 complicated by substance abuse, but only 200 to 800 are currently
 
16 receiving help.
 
17      The legislature further finds that ensuring prenatal care
 
18 and coordinated services for all pregnant women and teens can
 
19 improve the health of mothers and babies, averting many health
 
20 problems that are very costly for families and for the State.
 

 
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 1 This is of particular concern because low birth weight is a key
 
 2 indicator associated with a wide range of disorders, including
 
 3 neuro-developmental conditions, learning disorders, and
 
 4 behavioral problems.  A preventable premature or low birth weight
 
 5 infant may average $500,000 in neonatal intensive care unit
 
 6 costs.
 
 7      The legislature finds that prenatal care and support
 
 8 services for pregnant women of all socio-economic levels is
 
 9 essential to the health of Hawaii's communities.  Support for
 
10 prenatal programs will relieve future burden on Hawaii's ailing
 
11 state economy and help its most vulnerable families to fulfill
 
12 their potential and participate in building healthy communities
 
13 for years to come.
 
14      The purpose of this Act is to create a commemorative birth
 
15 certificate whereby funds to purchase the commemorative birth
 
16 certificate would go toward a newly established perinatal care
 
17 and support services special fund.
 
18      SECTION 2.  Chapter 338, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended
 
19 by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to
 
20 read as follows:
 
21      "§338-    Perinatal care and support services special fund.
 
22 (a)  There is established within the state treasury a special
 
23 fund to be known as the perinatal care and support services
 

 
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                                     S.B. NO.           190
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1 special fund.  The fund shall be administered, and the moneys in
 
 2 the fund expended, by the department of health.
 
 3      (b)  The moneys in the fund shall be used by the department
 
 4 of health to:
 
 5      (1)  Benefit newborns through programs focusing on improving
 
 6           access to health insurance; and
 
 7      (2)  Support the health of pregnant women and infants.
 
 8      (c)  The fund shall consist of fees remitted pursuant to
 
 9 section 338-14.5.  All realizations of the fund shall be subject
 
10 to the conditions specified in subsection (b)."
 
11      SECTION 3.  Section 338-11, Hawaii Revised Statues, is
 
12 amended to read as follows:
 
13      "§338-11  Form of certificates.  (a)  The forms of
 
14 certificates shall include as a minimum the items required by the
 
15 respective standard certificates as recommended by the Public
 
16 Health Service, National Center for Health Statistics, subject to
 
17 approval of and modification by the department of health.  In
 
18 addition, the forms of death certificates shall require the
 
19 individual's social security number.  The form and use of the
 
20 certificates shall be subject to sections 338-16 to 338-18.
 
21      (b)  The department shall create a special commemorative
 
22 birth certificate in accordance with subsection (a) for optional
 
23 purchase."
 

 
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                                     S.B. NO.           190
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1      SECTION 4.  Section 338-14, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
 
 2 amended by amending subsection (c) to read as follows:
 
 3      "(c)  The department shall keep an account of all fees
 
 4 collected and shall deposit them to the general fund of the
 
 5 State[.] except as provided in section 338-   ."
 
 6      SECTION 5.  Section 338-14.5, Hawaii Revised Statues, is
 
 7 amended to read as follows:
 
 8      "[[]§338-14.5[]]  Copies of certificate; fees.  (a)  All
 
 9 fees received for the issuance of certified copies of birth,
 
10 marriage, or death certificates shall be remitted to the director
 
11 of health.  Upon the receipt of remittances under this section,
 
12 the director of health shall deposit:
 
13      (1)  $1.50 for each certified copy to the credit of the
 
14           spouse and child abuse special account established
 
15           under section 346-7.5[, shall deposit];
 
16      (2)  $1.50 for each certified copy to the credit of the
 
17           spouse and child abuse special account established
 
18           under section 601-3.6[, and shall deposit the]; and
 
19      (3)  The remainder of the fee for each certified copy to the
 
20           credit of the state general fund.
 
21      (b)  The fees for certified copies of a commemorative birth
 
22 certificate issued by the department of health shall consist of
 
23 $      for the first copy issued and $   for each copy issued
 

 
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                                     S.B. NO.           190
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1 thereafter.  All fees received for the issuance of certified
 
 2 copies of commemorative birth certificates shall be remitted to
 
 3 the director of health.  Upon the receipt of remittances under
 
 4 this section, the director of health shall deposit:
 
 5      (1)  $   for each certified copy of the commemorative birth
 
 6           certificate to the credit of the perinatal care and
 
 7           support services special fund established under section
 
 8           338-   ; and
 
 9      (2)  The remainder of the fee to the credit of the state
 
10           general fund."
 
11      SECTION 6.  Section 5, act 216, Session Laws of Hawaii 1997,
 
12 is amended by amending subsection (c) of section 338-14, Hawaii
 
13 Revised Statutes, to read as follows:
 
14      "(c)  The department shall keep an account of all fees
 
15 collected and shall deposit them to the general fund of the State
 
16 except as provided in sections 321-1.3, 338-14.5, 338-14.6, 338-
 
17     , 346-7.5, and 601-3.6."
 
18      SECTION 7.  Act 216, Session Laws of Hawaii 1997, is amended
 
19 by amending section 6 to read as follows:
 
20      "§338-14.5  Copies of certificate; fees.  The fees for
 
21 certified copies of birth, marriage, divorce, or death
 
22 certificates issued by the department of health shall consist of
 
23 $10 for the first copy issued and $4 for each copy issued
 

 
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                                     S.B. NO.           190
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1 thereafter.  The fees for certified copies of a commemorative
 
 2 birth certificate issued by the department of health shall
 
 3 consist of $   for the first copy issued and $   for each copy
 
 4 issued thereafter.  These fees shall be collected for each single
 
 5 request for certified copies.  All fees received for the issuance
 
 6 of certified copies of birth, commemorative birth, marriage,
 
 7 divorce, or death certificates shall be remitted to the director
 
 8 of health.  Upon the receipt of remittances under this section,
 
 9 the director of health shall deposit:
 
10      (1)  $1 for each certified copy to the credit of the spouse
 
11           and child abuse special account established under
 
12           section 346-7.5;
 
13      (2)  $1 for each certified copy to the credit of the spouse
 
14           and child abuse special account established under
 
15           section 601-3.6;
 
16      (3)  $1 for each certified copy to the credit of the
 
17           domestic violence prevention special fund established
 
18           under section 321-1.3;
 
19      (4)  $1 for each certified copy to the credit of the vital
 
20           statistics improvement special fund established under
 
21           section 338-14.6; [and]
 
22      (5)  $  for each certified copy of the commemorative birth
 
23           certificate to the credit of the perinatal care and
 

 
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                                     S.B. NO.           190
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1           support services special fund established under section
 
 2           338-    ; and
 
 3     [(5)] (6)  The remainder of the fee for each certified copy
 
 4           to the credit of the state general fund."
 
 5     SECTION 8.  There is appropriated out of the perinatal care
 
 6 and support services special fund the sum of $    or so much
 
 7 thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 1999-2000 and the sum
 
 8 of $   or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year
 
 9 2000-2001 to carry out this purposes of the special fund.
 
10     SECTION 9.  The sums appropriated shall be expended by the
 
11 department of health.
 
12     SECTION 10.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed.
 
13 New statutory material is underscored.
 
14     SECTION 11.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 1999;
 
15 provided that sections 3 and 4 shall take effect on July 1, 2000.
 
16 
 
17                           INTRODUCED BY:  _______________________