Providing birth certificate copies to homeless individuals under 18
Summary
SB947 amends West Virginia’s vital statistics law to require the State Registrar to provide, free of charge, a certified copy of a West Virginia birth certificate to an applicant who is under 18 and submits a written affirmation of homelessness. The bill defines homelessness broadly, covering youth without a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence, including those staying in shelters, transitional housing, institutions used as temporary residences, or places not intended for human habitation.
The measure also preserves the existing fee structure for certified copies and searches, including the current authority to charge for copies, searches, priority production, and express delivery. It continues the Vital Statistics Account and the Vital Statistics Improvement Fund, and it maintains the existing requirement that certain fee revenues be deposited into those accounts and the General Revenue Fund. The bill takes effect 90 days after passage.
Impact
The bill creates a new statutory entitlement for homeless minors to obtain a birth certificate without paying the usual certified-copy fee, which may reduce a financial barrier to accessing identification, school enrollment, public benefits, housing services, and other supports. It does not change the underlying rules for issuing birth certificates generally, but it adds a specific free-copy exception within §16-5-29 and requires the State Registrar to keep a record of certificates issued under this provision.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have been broadly supported and noncontroversial in the Legislature. It passed the Senate 31-0, the House 89-0, and then the Senate again 31-0 on concurrence, indicating unanimous approval in both chambers. The lack of committee transcript material also suggests there was little recorded debate or opposition.
Contention
There is little visible contention in the available record. The main policy issue is whether the state should waive birth-certificate fees for homeless individuals under 18, balancing administrative costs and revenue distribution against the need to help vulnerable youth obtain essential identity documents. Any concerns would likely center on verifying homelessness through a written affirmation, the administrative burden on the State Registrar, and the effect on fee revenue, but no recorded opposition appears in the voting history.