| 1 | 1 | | 87R9037 JG-F |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Taylor S.B. No. 1558 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 7 | | relating to the creation and optional filing of a record of life for |
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| 8 | 8 | | an unborn child and the use of a certificate of stillbirth; |
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| 9 | 9 | | authorizing fees. |
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| 10 | 10 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 11 | 11 | | SECTION 1. The heading to Chapter 192, Health and Safety |
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| 12 | 12 | | Code, is amended to read as follows: |
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| 13 | 13 | | CHAPTER 192. BIRTH AND LIFE RECORDS |
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| 14 | 14 | | SECTION 2. Subchapter A, Chapter 192, Health and Safety |
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| 15 | 15 | | Code, is amended by adding Section 192.0023 to read as follows: |
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| 16 | 16 | | Sec. 192.0023. OPTIONAL REGISTRATION OF LIFE; LIFE |
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| 17 | 17 | | CERTIFICATE. (a) In this section, "unborn child" has the meaning |
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| 18 | 18 | | assigned by Section 171.061. |
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| 19 | 19 | | (b) An unborn child's parent at the parent's discretion may |
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| 20 | 20 | | request a life certificate for the unborn child under this section |
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| 21 | 21 | | before the unborn child's birth. |
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| 22 | 22 | | (c) The department shall prescribe the form and content of |
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| 23 | 23 | | the life certificate and shall specify the information necessary to |
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| 24 | 24 | | prepare the certificate. The form must include separate spaces for |
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| 25 | 25 | | recording: |
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| 26 | 26 | | (1) the name of the unborn child; |
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| 27 | 27 | | (2) the date the unborn child's life is acknowledged; |
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| 28 | 28 | | and |
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| 29 | 29 | | (3) the date the unborn child is born. |
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| 30 | 30 | | (d) The parent who requests the life certificate may provide |
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| 31 | 31 | | a name for the unborn child to be listed on the life certificate. If |
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| 32 | 32 | | the parent does not wish to provide a name, the vital statistics |
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| 33 | 33 | | unit shall fill in the certificate with the name "baby boy" or "baby |
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| 34 | 34 | | girl" and the last name of the parent. |
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| 35 | 35 | | (e) On request of an unborn child's parent, a physician or |
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| 36 | 36 | | advanced practice registered nurse shall file the life certificate |
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| 37 | 37 | | with the local registrar of the registration district in which the |
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| 38 | 38 | | parent resides. The life certificate must be accompanied by an |
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| 39 | 39 | | affidavit signed by the physician or nurse attesting to the life of |
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| 40 | 40 | | the unborn child based on a sonogram or other appropriate physical |
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| 41 | 41 | | examination of the unborn child's mother. |
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| 42 | 42 | | (f) A parent may request an amendment to the life |
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| 43 | 43 | | certificate after the unborn child's birth to add the child's date |
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| 44 | 44 | | of birth or add or amend the child's name. |
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| 45 | 45 | | (g) A local registrar shall collect, record, preserve, |
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| 46 | 46 | | search for, issue copies of, and assess copy fees for a life |
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| 47 | 47 | | certificate in the same manner as provided for birth certificates |
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| 48 | 48 | | and in accordance with department rules. |
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| 49 | 49 | | (h) The parents of an unborn child may use the life |
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| 50 | 50 | | certificate of an unborn child filed under this section in the same |
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| 51 | 51 | | manner and for the same purposes provided for birth certificates |
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| 52 | 52 | | under law and as provided by department rules. |
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| 53 | 53 | | (i) The executive commissioner shall adopt rules to |
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| 54 | 54 | | implement this section. |
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| 55 | 55 | | SECTION 3. Section 192.0022(f), Health and Safety Code, is |
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| 56 | 56 | | repealed. |
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| 57 | 57 | | SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |
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