Washington SB 5332: Concerning vital statistics.

Bill Text

ENGROSSED SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5332

State of Washington

66th Legislature

2019 Regular Session

BySenate Law & Justice (originally sponsored by Senators Pedersen, Rivers, Wilson, C., Walsh, Randall, Cleveland, and Liias; by request of Department of Health)

READ FIRST TIME 02/08/19.

AN ACT Relating to vital statistics; amending RCW 18.39.525, 19.182.220, 26.04.090, 26.04.165, 26.09.150, 35A.70.070, 43.79.445, 43.121.100, 68.50.300, and 74.20A.056; adding a new section to chapter 42.56 RCW; adding a new chapter to Title 70 RCW; creating a new section; repealing RCW 43.70.160, 70.58.005, 70.58.010, 70.58.020, 70.58.030, 70.58.040, 70.58.050, 70.58.055, 70.58.061, 70.58.065, 70.58.070, 70.58.080, 70.58.082, 70.58.085, 70.58.095, 70.58.098, 70.58.100, 70.58.104, 70.58.107, 70.58.110, 70.58.120, 70.58.130, 70.58.145, 70.58.150, 70.58.160, 70.58.170, 70.58.175, 70.58.180, 70.58.190, 70.58.210, 70.58.230, 70.58.240, 70.58.250, 70.58.260, 70.58.270, 70.58.280, 70.58.380, 70.58.390, 70.58.400, and 70.58.900; prescribing penalties; and providing an effective date.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. INTENT AND PURPOSE.(1) Protection of public health requires a vital records system that provides proof of vital life events and gathers population health data for assessment, evaluation, research, and other public health purposes. An efficient and effective vital records system is a foundational public health service to support a healthy and productive population.

(2) The purpose of this chapter is to provide a framework for ongoing administration of a single comprehensive vital records system in the state that is operated and maintained by the department, under the supervision of the state registrar, to preserve the security, integrity, and confidentiality of state vital records and vital statistics, established under RCW 43.70.130 and this chapter.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. DEFINITIONS.The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise.

(1) "Adult" means a person who is at least eighteen years of age, or an emancipated minor under chapter 13.64 RCW.

(2) "Amendment" means a change to a certification item on the vital record.

(3) "Authorized representative" means a person permitted to receive a certification who is:

(a) Identified in a notarized statement signed by a qualified applicant; or

(b) An agent identified in a power of attorney as defined in chapter 11.125 RCW.

(4) "Certification" means the document, in either paper or electronic format, containing all or part of the information contained in the original vital record from which the document is derived, and is issued from the central vital records system. A certification includes an attestation by the state or local registrar to the accuracy of information, and has the full force and effect of the original vital record.

(5) "Certification item" means any item of information that appears on certifications.

(6) "Coroner" means the person elected or appointed in a county under chapter 36.16 RCW to serve as the county coroner and fulfill the responsibilities established under chapter 36.24 RCW.

(7) "Cremated remains" has the same meaning as "cremated human remains" in chapter 68.04 RCW.

(8) "Delayed report of live birth" means the report submitted to the department for the purpose of registering the live birth of a person born in state that was not registered within one year of the date of live birth.

(9) "Department" means the department of health.

(10) "Domestic partner" means a party to a state registered domestic partnership established under chapter 26.60 RCW.

(11) "Facility" means any licensed establishment, public or private, located in state, which provides inpatient or outpatient medical, surgical, or diagnostic care or treatment; or nursing, custodial, or domiciliary care. The term also includes establishments to which persons are committed by law including, but not limited to:

(a) Mental illness detention facilities designated to assess, diagnose, and treat individuals detained or committed, under chapter 71.05 RCW;

(b) City and county jails;

(c) State department of corrections facilities; and

(d) Juvenile correction centers governed by Title 72 RCW.

(12) "Fetal death" means any product of conception that shows no evidence of life, such as breathing, beating of the heart, pulsation of the umbilical cord, or definite movement of voluntary muscles after complete expulsion or extraction from the individual who gave birth that is not an induced termination of pregnancy and:

(a) Has completed twenty or more weeks of gestation as calculated from the date the last menstrual period of the individual who gave birth began, to the date of expulsion or extraction; or

(b) Weighs three hundred fifty grams or more, if weeks of gestation are not known.

(13) "Final disposition" means the burial, interment, entombment, cremation, removal from the st