Print
Senate File 441 - IntroducedA Bill ForAn Act 1relating to the issuance of birth certificates and
2providing for a repeal.
3BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1 Section 1. Section 144.13A, subsections 1 and 2, Code 2017,
2are amended to read as follows:
31. The state registrar shall charge the parent a fee of
4twenty dollars for the registration of a certificate of birth
5as follows:
6a. Beginning July 1, 2003, and ending June 30, 2005, a fee
7of fifteen dollars.
8b. Beginning July 1, 2005, a fee of twenty dollars.
92. The state registrar shall charge the parent a separate
10fee established under section 144.46 for a certified copy of
11the certificate. The certified copy shall include all of the
12information included in the original certificate of birth and
13shall be letter-sized. The certified copy shall be mailed to
14the parent by the state registrar. The mailing of a certified
15copy of the certificate to a biological parent shall not be
16precluded by the execution of a release of custody under
17chapter 600A, and, upon request, a biological parent shall be
18provided with a certified copy of the certificate unless the
19parental rights of the biological parent are terminated.
20 Sec. 2. Section 144.13A, Code 2017, is amended by adding the
21following new subsection:
22 NEW SUBSECTION. 2A. a. If, during the period between
23May 1993 and October 2009, a parent was issued a smaller than
24letter-sized certified copy of the certificate of birth under
25this section, which did not include all of the information
26included in the original certificate of birth, upon request
27of a parent, the department shall mail to the parent a single
28letter-sized certified copy replacement that includes all
29of the information provided in the original certificate of
30birth. A parent shall not be required to exchange the smaller
31certified copy for the larger certified copy replacement, but
32may retain the smaller certified copy.
33b. Notwithstanding the amount of the fee charged under
34subsection 2, the state registrar shall not charge a fee
35for the issuance of a single letter-sized certified copy of
-1-1the certificate of birth requested by a parent under this
2subsection.
3c. This subsection shall not apply if a new certificate of
4birth was substituted for the original certificate of birth
5pursuant to section 144.24.
6d. The department shall post the application form and
7instructions for requesting a letter-sized certified copy
8replacement as specified in this subsection on the department’s
9internet site. This paragraph is repealed June 30, 2022.
10EXPLANATION
11The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
12the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
13This bill relates to the certified copy of a certificate
14of birth mailed to a parent by the state registrar following
15registration of the certificate of birth.
16The bill updates outdated language relating to the fee
17charged a parent for registration of a certificate of birth by
18eliminating the reference to the fee charged during the period
19ending June 30, 2005, and retaining the current fee which is
20$20.
21The bill provides that the certified copy of a certificate of
22birth sent to a parent shall include all information included
23in the original certificate of birth and be letter-sized.
24Additionally, if a parent was issued a certified copy of the
25certificate of birth that is smaller than letter-sized and does
26not include all of the information provided in the original
27certificate of birth during the period between May 1993 and
28October 2009, upon request of the parent, the state registrar
29shall mail to the parent one letter-sized certified copy that
30includes all of the information provided in the original
31certificate of birth. Notwithstanding the amount of the fee
32regularly charged for the certificate of birth issued to a
33parent, the bill directs that the state registrar shall not
34charge the parent a fee for the certified copy requested by and
35mailed to the parent under the bill.
-2- 1The bill directs the department of public health to post
2the application form and the instructions for requesting the
3replacement certified copy on the department’s internet site.
4This provision is repealed June 30, 2022.
-3-pf/nh
2providing for a repeal.
3BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1 Section 1. Section 144.13A, subsections 1 and 2, Code 2017,
2are amended to read as follows:
31. The state registrar shall charge the parent a fee of
4twenty dollars for the registration of a certificate of birth
5as follows:
6a. Beginning July 1, 2003, and ending June 30, 2005, a fee
7of fifteen dollars.
8b. Beginning July 1, 2005, a fee of twenty dollars.
92. The state registrar shall charge the parent a separate
10fee established under section 144.46 for a certified copy of
11the certificate. The certified copy shall include all of the
12information included in the original certificate of birth and
13shall be letter-sized. The certified copy shall be mailed to
14the parent by the state registrar. The mailing of a certified
15copy of the certificate to a biological parent shall not be
16precluded by the execution of a release of custody under
17chapter 600A, and, upon request, a biological parent shall be
18provided with a certified copy of the certificate unless the
19parental rights of the biological parent are terminated.
20 Sec. 2. Section 144.13A, Code 2017, is amended by adding the
21following new subsection:
22 NEW SUBSECTION. 2A. a. If, during the period between
23May 1993 and October 2009, a parent was issued a smaller than
24letter-sized certified copy of the certificate of birth under
25this section, which did not include all of the information
26included in the original certificate of birth, upon request
27of a parent, the department shall mail to the parent a single
28letter-sized certified copy replacement that includes all
29of the information provided in the original certificate of
30birth. A parent shall not be required to exchange the smaller
31certified copy for the larger certified copy replacement, but
32may retain the smaller certified copy.
33b. Notwithstanding the amount of the fee charged under
34subsection 2, the state registrar shall not charge a fee
35for the issuance of a single letter-sized certified copy of
-1-1the certificate of birth requested by a parent under this
2subsection.
3c. This subsection shall not apply if a new certificate of
4birth was substituted for the original certificate of birth
5pursuant to section 144.24.
6d. The department shall post the application form and
7instructions for requesting a letter-sized certified copy
8replacement as specified in this subsection on the department’s
9internet site. This paragraph is repealed June 30, 2022.
10EXPLANATION
11The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
12the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
13This bill relates to the certified copy of a certificate
14of birth mailed to a parent by the state registrar following
15registration of the certificate of birth.
16The bill updates outdated language relating to the fee
17charged a parent for registration of a certificate of birth by
18eliminating the reference to the fee charged during the period
19ending June 30, 2005, and retaining the current fee which is
20$20.
21The bill provides that the certified copy of a certificate of
22birth sent to a parent shall include all information included
23in the original certificate of birth and be letter-sized.
24Additionally, if a parent was issued a certified copy of the
25certificate of birth that is smaller than letter-sized and does
26not include all of the information provided in the original
27certificate of birth during the period between May 1993 and
28October 2009, upon request of the parent, the state registrar
29shall mail to the parent one letter-sized certified copy that
30includes all of the information provided in the original
31certificate of birth. Notwithstanding the amount of the fee
32regularly charged for the certificate of birth issued to a
33parent, the bill directs that the state registrar shall not
34charge the parent a fee for the certified copy requested by and
35mailed to the parent under the bill.
-2- 1The bill directs the department of public health to post
2the application form and the instructions for requesting the
3replacement certified copy on the department’s internet site.
4This provision is repealed June 30, 2022.
-3-pf/nh