VITAL RECORD FEE EXEMPTION                                                                   H.B. 4853:

                                                                                                    SUMMARY OF BILL

                                                                                     REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE

House Bill 4853 (as reported without amendment)

Sponsor:  Representative Tommy Brann

House Committee:  Appropriations

Senate Committee:  Appropriations

CONTENT

The bill would amend the Public Health Code to exempt certain individuals from vital records fees.

The Michigan Department of Health and Humans Services (DHHS) Vital Records Office retains copies of vital records, including births, deaths, marriages, and divorces. The State charges fees to individuals for searches for vital records, creation of new authenticated copies of vital records, and amendments to correct vital records, among other services.

The bill would allow for the State registrar to waive the $34 fee listed in statute to provide the individual with one certified copy of the individual's vital records. The bill would require the individual to provide a formal application for the copy of the vital record that includes a homeless verification letter, on official public service agency letterhead, stating the individual meets the definition of category 1 homeless (as that term is defined by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)), a photographic identification card generated by the HUD homeless management information system, and verification of his or her identity if eligibility for the record were restricted. 

MCL 333.2891

FISCAL IMPACT

The fiscal impact of the bill is estimated at $226,000 General Fund/General Purpose (GF/GP) annually. Since records for Michigan residents born before 1978, and who were adopted or whose parents were unmarried, can be retrieved only through the DHHS Vital Records Office, $136,000 GF/GP of the cost would be allocated to the DHHS Vital Records Office to compensate for the exempted individuals' records. The remaining $90,000 GF/GP would be dedicated for reimbursing local homeless service provider organizations who obtained records from local records agencies on behalf of their homeless clients. The funding for this initiative was included in the fiscal year (FY) 2019-20 Governor's Budget Recommendation, as well as the Senate- and House-passed versions of the FY 2019-20 DHHS budget. There would be no fiscal impact on local government.

Date Completed:  9-18-19                                               Fiscal Analyst:  John P. Maxwell

This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.