04/06/2009 01:30 PM Senate HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES

            HB   2-BIRTH CERTIFICATE FOR STILLBIRTH                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
1:33:17 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR DAVIS  announced consideration  of HB  2. [CSHB  2(HSS) was                                                               
before the committee.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
SANDRA WILSON,  aide to  Representative Gatto,  sponsor of  HB 2,                                                               
presented  the sponsor  statement. It  allows parents  who had  a                                                               
still  born child  to get  a  birth certificate  for that  child.                                                               
Currently,  all  they  receive  is  a  fetal  death  certificate.                                                               
Parents who have stillborn children  go through the same labor as                                                               
parents whose child  takes their first breath. Being  able to get                                                               
a birth certificate  for their child will validate  that they had                                                               
a child;  the certificate  is completely optional  and has  to be                                                               
requested  by the  parent. Twenty-six  other  states have  passed                                                               
similar legislation. This will bring  some closure to parents who                                                               
are suffering through their loss.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
1:35:12 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR DYSON  asked how long a  child may live outside  the womb                                                               
before  parents  can claim  a  tax  deduction or  Permanent  Fund                                                               
Dividend (PFD).                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
MS. WILSON said  she was not sure, but this  particular bill does                                                               
not provide  any rights to  claim a tax  deduction or a  PFD. The                                                               
birth certificate does not claim a live birth.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR DAVIS asked how the House voted on this.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
MS. WILSON replied it passed the House by a vote of 29 to 1.                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
1:37:33 PM                                                                                                                    
MICHELLE WHITE,  representing herself,  supported HB 2.  She said                                                               
her daughter was stillborn on March  30, 2004. She went through a                                                               
natural  birth  process,  but  was   not  able  to  get  a  birth                                                               
certificate. She  had to  go through the  grieving process  - the                                                               
depression,   the  going   home  with   no  child,   the  funeral                                                               
arrangements, along  with the hospital  bills of having  a child.                                                               
This bill will bring closure to many grieving parents.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR DAVIS noted a zero fiscal note.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
1:38:33 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR PASKVAN moved  to report CSHB 2(HSS)  from committee with                                                               
individual  recommendations and  attached  fiscal note(s).  There                                                               
being no objection, the motion carried.