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A02208 Summary:

A02208 Actions:

A02208 Memo:

NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY
MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION
 submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)



 
BILL NUMBER: A2208
 
SPONSOR: Cahill (MS)

 
TITLE OF BILL:  An act to amend the public health law, in relation to
issuance of a record of death for genealogical or research purposes
 
 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
 
To allow the commissioner of health to issue copies of abridged death
certificates for purposes of genealogical studies.
 
 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
 
Subdivision 1 of section 4174 of the public health law is amended to add
a new paragraph a-1 that would authorize the health department to issue

an applicant performing a genealogical study a copy of a death certif-
icate that would not include information relating to the cause of death
or medical history of the decedent.
 
 
JUSTIFICATION:
 
Under current law, only the spouse, children, parents of the deceased or
the lawful representative of the deceased can apply for and receive the
death certificate of a family member. There are many "family members"
who do not fit into the above categories of consanguinity who would like
to perform a complete genealogical survey of their extended families but
are unable to do so in New York. This legislation will allow indirect
family members the ability to research the history of their family. It
would make available a "generic" death certificate giving basic informa-
tion which excludes all sensitive medical records thus providing the
families with privacy.
 
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
 
2013-2014 A1143 - Referred to Health

2011-2012 A173 - Referred to Health
2009-2010 A575 - Referred to Health
2007-2008 A7675 - Referred to Health
2005-2006 A5641 - Referred to Health
2003-2004 A260 -  Referred to Health
2001-2002 - Referred to Health
1999-2000 - Referred to Health
 
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
 
To be determined.
 
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Immediately.

A02208 Text:

 
                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                          2208
 
                               2015-2016 Regular Sessions
 
                   IN ASSEMBLY
 
                                    January 15, 2015
                                       ___________
 
        Introduced  by  M. of A. CAHILL -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. SCHIM-
          MINGER -- read once and referred to the Committee on Health
 
        AN ACT to amend the public health law, in  relation  to  issuance  of  a
          record of death for genealogical or research purposes
 
          The  People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:
 
     1    Section 1. Subdivision 1 of section 4174 of the public health  law  is
     2  amended by adding a new paragraph (a-1) to read as follows:
     3    (a-1)  upon  request,  issue  to  any  applicant,  for genealogical or
     4  research purposes, a copy or transcript  of  the  record  of  any  death
     5  registered under the provisions of this chapter, which shall not include
     6  therein the cause of death of the decedent nor the medical certificate;
     7    § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD06162-01-5