HB 2748 amends Virginia law governing fees for certified copies of vital records to ensure that veterans and certain survivors can obtain records needed to claim service-connected benefits without charge. When a veteran or survivor needs a certified copy of a vital record for those benefits, the bill requires that one copy be provided directly to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs upon request, one copy be provided to the Department of Veterans Services upon request, and one copy be provided to the veteran or surviving spouse upon request. It also allows a funeral director or funeral service licensee, at the request of a surviving spouse, to obtain one certified copy of a veteran’s death certificate for service-connected benefits.
The bill preserves the existing fee structure for other vital record requests and clarifies how fees collected by the State Registrar, DMV, and local registrars are deposited and distributed. It also keeps in place the separate processing fee charged by DMV and the quarterly billing arrangement for local departments of social services that need vital records to administer public assistance programs. In practical terms, the measure creates a targeted fee waiver and records-access process for veterans’ benefits claims while leaving the broader vital records system intact.
Impact
The bill modifies Section 32.1-273 of the Code of Virginia by creating an explicit no-charge entitlement for veterans and survivors seeking certified vital records for service-connected benefits and by directing agencies to furnish copies to the VA and the Department of Veterans Services. It affects the Department of Health’s vital records system, the Department of Veterans Services, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, funeral directors, DMV offices that issue vital records, and local registrars and social services agencies that handle record fees and reimbursements.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have been strongly supported and noncontroversial. It advanced unanimously through House and Senate committees and passed both chambers with no recorded opposition, indicating broad bipartisan agreement on easing administrative burdens for veterans and their families. The voting history suggests the measure was viewed as a straightforward veterans’ services improvement rather than a contested policy change.
Contention
There is little evidence of substantive contention in the available record. The only likely policy consideration is the fiscal and administrative effect of waiving fees and requiring agencies to provide copies directly to benefit administrators, but the unanimous votes suggest lawmakers did not view these costs as significant or disputed. The bill’s focus on veterans, survivors, and funeral service providers indicates the main support came from those seeking easier access to records for benefits claims, with no identified organized opposition in the transcripts or votes.