HB 1799 — Developing a short form for death certificates.

H-1987.2SUBSTITUTEH-0286.2HOUSE HOUSE BILL 1799State of Washington66th Legislature2019 Regular SessionByHouseSessionByRepresentatives Health Care & Wellness (originally sponsored by Representatives Hoff, Wylie, Corry, Sutherland, Vick, Paul, Smith, and Goodman)READGoodmanRead FIRSTfirst TIMEtime 02/22/19.AN01/31/19.Referred to Committee on Health Care & Wellness.AN ACT Relating to developing a short form for death certificates;

RCW 70.58.082 and 2005 c 365 s 152 are each amended to read as follows:(1) No person may prepare or issue any vital record that purports to be an original, certified copy, or copy of a vital record except as authorized in this chapter.(2)(a)chapter.(2) The department shall adopt rules providing for the release of paper or electronic copies of vital records that include adequate standards for security and confidentiality, ensure the proper record is identified, and prevent fraudulent use of records.

All certified copies of vital records in the state must be on paper and in a format provided and approved by the department and must include security features to deter the alteration, counterfeiting, duplication, or simulation without ready detection.(b)detection.(a) The statedepartment ormust localestablish registrarrules mayregarding issuethe acontent shortand formrelease certification of deathan thatabbreviated doesdeath notcertificate displaythat informationmay relatingbe torequested causefrom anda mannerstate of death or sociallocal securityregistrar. numbers to a qualified applicant.

AThe qualifiedabbreviated applicant for a short form certification of death includescertificate anymust ofinclude theidentifying following:(i)information Theand decedent'sinformation spouserelated or domestic partner, child, parent, stepparent, stepchild, sibling, grandparent, great grandparent, grandchild, legal guardian immediately prior to death, legal representative, authorized representative, or next of kin as specified in RCW 11.28.120;(ii) A funeral director, the funeralfact establishment licensed pursuant to chapter 18.39 RCW, or the person having the right to control the disposition of thedeath, humanbut remainsnot underinclude RCW 68.50.160 named on the deathfollowing: record, within twelve months of the date of death;(iii) A title insurer or title insurance agent handling a transaction involving real property in which the decedent held some right, title, or interest;

or(iv)(i) AInformation person that demonstrates that the certified copy is necessary for a determination related to the deathcause or the protection of a personal or property right related to the death.(3)person's Federal,death; state, and local governmental agencies may, upon request and with submission of the appropriate fee, be furnished copies of vital records if the vital record will be used for the agencies' official duties.

(ii) social security numbers;

or (iii) names of the decedent's parents.(b) In any instance in which a death certificate must be provided to a government agency and the cause of death is not material to the filing, an abbreviated death certificate may be used and a government agency must recognize the abbreviated death certificate as having the full effect of a complete death certificate.(c) All paper and online forms for requesting the release of an abbreviated death certificate must include a notice stating that the certificate might not contain sufficient information for all purposes.(3) Federal, state, and local governmental agencies may, upon request and with submission of the appropriate fee, be furnished copies of vital records if the vital record will be used for the agencies' official duties.