HOUSE BILL 1227

48th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2007

INTRODUCED BY

Keith J. Gardner

 

 

 

 

 

AN ACT

RELATING TO VITAL STATISTICS; REQUIRING REGISTRATION OF CERTIFICATES OF STILLBIRTH FOR CERTAIN SPONTANEOUS FETAL DEATHS; IMPOSING A FEE; MAKING AN APPROPRIATION.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

     Section 1. Section 24-14-22 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1961, Chapter 44, Section 20, as amended) is amended to read:

     "24-14-22. [REPORTS OF SPONTANEOUS FETAL DEATH] CERTIFICATES OF STILLBIRTH.--

          A. Each spontaneous fetal death that occurs in this state, where the fetus has a weight of five hundred grams or more [which occurs in this state] or that occurs after twenty complete weeks of gestation shall be reported to the state registrar by registration of a certificate of stillbirth with the vital statistics bureau of the public health division of the department or as directed by the state registrar. A certificate of stillbirth shall be completed and registered within ten days following the spontaneous fetal death.

          B. When a [dead fetus is delivered] spontaneous fetal death for which registration of a certificate of stillbirth is required occurs in an institution, the person in charge of the institution or [his] the designated representative of that person shall prepare and [file] register the [report] certificate of stillbirth.

          C. When [the] a spontaneous fetal death for which registration of a certificate of stillbirth is required occurs on a moving conveyance and the fetus is first removed from the conveyance in this state [or when a dead fetus is found in this state and the place of fetal death is unknown, the fetal death shall be reported in this state], a certificate of stillbirth shall be registered with the state registrar. The place where the fetus was first removed from the conveyance [or the dead fetus was found] shall be considered the place of fetal death.

          D. When a spontaneous fetal death for which registration of a certificate of stillbirth is required occurs and the place of spontaneous fetal death is unknown, the place where the dead fetus was found shall be considered the place of spontaneous fetal death.

          [D.] E. When a spontaneous fetal death [required to be reported by this section] for which registration of a certificate of stillbirth is required occurs without medical attendance at or immediately after the delivery or when inquiry is required by law, the state medical investigator shall investigate the cause of fetal death and shall prepare and file [the report] a certificate of stillbirth.

          [E.] F. The names of the parents, if known, shall be entered on the [spontaneous fetal death report] certificate of stillbirth in accordance with the provisions of Section 24-14-13 NMSA 1978.

          [F. Except as otherwise provided in this section, all spontaneous fetal death reports shall be completed and filed with the state registrar within ten days following the spontaneous fetal death.]"

    Section 2. Section 24-14-29 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1961, Chapter 44, Section 27, as amended) is amended to read:

    "24-14-29. FEES FOR COPIES AND SEARCHES.--

         A. The fee for each search of a vital record to produce a certified copy of a birth certificate shall be ten dollars ($10.00) and shall include one certified copy of the record, if available.

         B. The fee for the establishment of a delayed record or for the revision or amendment of a vital record, as a result of an adoption, a legitimation, a correction or other court-ordered change to a vital record, shall be ten dollars ($10.00). The fee shall include one certified copy of the delayed record.

         C. The fee for each search of a vital record to produce a certified copy of a certificate of stillbirth shall be five dollars ($5.00) and shall include one certified copy of the record, if available.

         [C.] D. The fee for each search of a vital record to produce a certified copy of a death certificate shall be five dollars ($5.00) and shall include one certified copy of the record, if available.

         [D.] E. Revenue from the fees imposed in this section shall be distributed as follows:

             (1) an amount equal to three-fifths of the revenue from the fee imposed by Subsection A of this section, an amount equal to one-half of the revenue from the fee imposed by Subsection B of this section and an amount equal to one-fifth of the revenue from the fee imposed by Subsection [C] D of this section shall be distributed to the day-care fund; and

             (2) the remainder of the revenue from the fees imposed by Subsections A, B [and], C and D of this section shall be deposited in the state general fund."

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