02/26/2009 03:00 PM House HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES

HB 2-BIRTH CERTIFICATE FOR STILLBIRTH                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
3:57:40 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR KELLER announced  that the next order  of business would                                                               
be  HOUSE BILL  NO. 2,  "An  Act relating  to the  issuance of  a                                                               
certificate of birth resulting in a stillbirth."                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
SANDRA  WILSON,  Staff  to  Representative  Gatto,  Alaska  State                                                               
Legislature, explained that HB 2  allowed the issuance of a birth                                                               
certificate to the parents of a stillborn child.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
3:58:26 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  LYNN  moved  to   adopt  the  proposed  committee                                                               
substitute (CS) for HB 2,  Version 26-LS0003\R, Mischel, 1/29/09,                                                               
as the working document.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
3:58:39 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR KELLER objected for the purpose of explanation.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
3:58:47 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MS. WILSON explained that the  difference between the original HB
 and  Version R was  a removal  for the duplication  of records,                                                               
which  was requested  by  the Division  of  Public Health,  Vital                                                               
Statistics.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
3:59:51 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR KELLER removed his objection.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
4:00:03 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MS. WILSON said that the purpose of  HB 2 was to bring closure to                                                               
the parents  of stillborn children.   She said that  currently, a                                                               
fetal death  certificate was  distributed.   She reported  that a                                                               
birth certificate would validate that  a child was born and would                                                               
allow  closure  for  the  parents.    She  said  that  the  birth                                                               
certificate was optional.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
4:00:51 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR KELLER opened the discussion to public testimony.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
4:01:20 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
RHONDA CRAWFORD  shared her  experience with  the still  birth of                                                               
her child.   She said that having a birth  certificate would mean                                                               
a lot to her family.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
4:03:49 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MS. CRAWFORD,  in response to  Representative Lynn, said  that it                                                               
had been five years.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
4:04:10 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MICHELLE HOYT related her experience  with the still birth of her                                                               
child.  She said that HB  2 would bring closure for the families,                                                               
and would acknowledge that the child was born.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
4:05:24 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
DR. JOANNE  CACCIATORE, CEO, M.I.S.S. Foundation,  explained that                                                               
she represented 76  state chapters of the  MISS Foundation, which                                                               
helped  families whose  children  died.   She  informed that  the                                                               
effect of  still birth was  devastating on families.   She stated                                                               
her support for  HB 2 and noted that 26  other states had similar                                                               
legislation.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
4:07:40 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
DEBBIE  JOSLIN,   President,  Eagle  Forum  Alaska,   shared  her                                                               
experiences and encouraged support for HB 2.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
4:09:55 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MAYME OHNEMUS  said that she  was the grandmother of  a stillborn                                                               
child.    She  shared  the  history  of  her  daughter  in  law's                                                               
pregnancy, and the  devastation from the death of the  baby.  She                                                               
recounted  the pain  felt with  a  death certificate  and that  a                                                               
still birth certificate would have  been much more respectful and                                                               
comforting.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
4:13:40 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
PHILLIP  MITCHELL, Chief,  Vital Statistics,  Division of  Public                                                               
Health,  Department   of  Health  and  Social   Services  (DHSS),                                                               
explained  that  sub-section (f),  HB  2,  should be  removed  to                                                               
minimize  any fiscal  impact to  the  state.   He explained  that                                                               
Vital Statistics already had the  information, and it only needed                                                               
the  authority to  issue  the  certificate.   He  noted that  the                                                               
certificates needed to come to Juneau  for the gold state seal to                                                               
be affixed.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
4:15:14 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR  KELLER said  that HB  2 would  be held  until the  next                                                               
meeting.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
4:15:48 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE HOLMES shared that she had family friends who                                                                    
still mourned.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
4:16:18 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR HERRON extended his sympathy to the testifiers.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
4:17:11 PM