Relating to the form of death certificates and fetal death certificates.
The bill's passage will have a considerable impact on the process of filing death certificates. By standardizing the form and the manner in which information is documented, HB3804 intends to facilitate the process for both the individual filing the certificate and the health officials processing these documents. The standardized formats may reduce errors in documentation, which can have implications for public health data collection and reporting. It may also enhance the overall quality and reliability of the data recorded in these important records.
House Bill 3804 aims to amend Section 193.001 of the Health and Safety Code, specifically regarding the formation and requirements of death certificates and fetal death certificates in the state of Texas. The bill outlines specific formatting instructions for these forms, which are intended to ensure clarity and consistency in the reporting of death records. Notably, the bill requires that the date is formatted as 'month, day, year' and mandates the spelling out of the month's name, along with other specified instructions related to the deceased's name and the expression of time of death in a military format.
While the bill aims to improve the clarity of death documentation, it could face some pushback regarding the additional responsibilities placed on the family members or individuals who are tasked with filling out these forms. Some may argue that the requirements could complicate an already difficult process of reporting a death, especially in emotionally taxing situations. Furthermore, the introduction of specific formatting may require additional resources or training for officials who handle these certificates, raising concerns about the implementation process and potential delays during its adoption.
The bill was referred to the Health & Human Services committee on May 19, 2009, indicating that it will undergo further examination and discussion in that setting before moving forward.