BILL NUMBER: S1807A
SPONSOR: FERNANDEZ
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the public health law, in relation to prohibiting charg-
es for the issuance of a certificate of still birth or pregnancy loss
 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
This bill prohibits fees associated with obtaining a certificate of
stillbirth or pregnancy loss.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1. Subdivision 9 of § 4160-a of the public health law is amended
to prohibit the registrar from charging any fee for the issuance of a
certificate of still birth.
Section 2. § 4160-a of the public health law is amended to add Subdivi-
sion 6 to read that a local registrar shall not charge a fee for the
issuance of a certificate of pregnancy loss.
Section 3. Sets the effective date
 
JUSTIFICATION:
A certificate of still birth is a document that no parent ever desires
to receive, yet this piece of paper provides grieving parents with some
degree of remembrance of their child. Certificates of still birth and
pregnancy loss are issued by a respective state's office of vital
records, according to the Star Legacy Foundation, and the Foundation
notes that prior to certificates of still birth and pregnancy loss
existing, stillborn babies did not receive any recognition of life.
On March 21, 2012, Chapter 552 of 2011 went into effect which required
the issuance of certificates of still birth to New York parents. The
justification for this law read, in part, "Many families who have
suffered the agony of a stillbirth want a certificate acknowledging the
process, with contractions, labor and delivery, that resulted in a
stillbirth. They feel it would ease their pain and help in their healing
process."
Chapter 552 of 2011 provides that the registrar may charge a fee for
issuing a certificate of still birth that is equal to the fee for a
certificate of birth or a certificate of death, but there is no require-
ment that a mandatory fee be paid to obtain a certificate of still
birth.
Currently, it costs $30 to acquire a certificate of still birth from the
New York State Department of Health, per copy. While the initial copy of
a pregnancy loss certificate is free additional copies of this certif-
icate cost $30 each.
These fees may seem inexpensive but it is important to remember why
these certificates exist, to ease the pain of parents and help families
in the healing process. Prohibiting any fees from being charged for a
certificate of still birth and a certificate of pregnancy loss guaran-
tees that no financial barrier will exist for New Yorkers to obtain
these invaluable certificates.
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2023-2024: S9149a / A9896a
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
To be determined
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.

Statutes affected:
S1807: 4160-a public health law, 4160-a(9) public health law, 4160 public health law
S1807A: 4160-a public health law, 4160-a(9) public health law, 4160 public health law