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*hb0939*
HOUSE BILL 939
J1 (6lr3467)
ENROLLED BILL
— Health/Finance —
Introduced by Delegate Rosenberg Delegates Rosenberg, Alston, Bagnall, Cullison,
Guzzone, Hill, Hutchinson, S. Johnson, Kaufman, Kipke, Lopez, Martinez,
M. Morgan, Reilly, Ross, Szeliga, Taveras, White Holland, and Woorman
Read and Examined by Proofreaders:
_______________________________________________
Proofreader.
_______________________________________________
Proofreader.
Sealed with the Great Seal and presented to the Governor, for his approval this
_______ day of _______________ at ________________________ o’clock, ________M.
______________________________________________
Speaker.
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Certificates of Birth – Filing – Time Period 2
FOR the purpose of altering, under certain circumstances, the period of time within which 3
a certificate of birth is to be completed and filed with the Maryland Department of 4
Health following a birth; and generally relating to certificates of birth. 5
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 6
Article – Health – General 7
Section 4–208(b)(1) and (2), (c)(1), and (d) 8
Annotated Code of Maryland 9
(2023 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 10
BY adding to 11
2 HOUSE BILL 939
Article – Health – General 1
Section 4–208(g) 2
Annotated Code of Maryland 3
(2023 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 4
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 5
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 6
Article – Health – General 7
4–208. 8
(b) (1) Within EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN SUBSECTION (G) OF THIS 9
SECTION, WITHIN [5] 12 calendar days after a birth occurs in an institution, or en route 10
to the institution, or outside an institution with an attending clinician, the administrative 11
head of the institution or a designee of the administrative head, or the attending clinician 12
or a designee of the attending clinician, shall: 13
(i) Prepare, on the form that the Secretary provides, a certificate of 14
birth; 15
(ii) Secure each signature that is required on the certificate; 16
(iii) File the certificate; and 17
(iv) If applicable, attach a copy of the order of the court establishing 18
parentage. 19
(2) The EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN SUBSECTION (G) OF THIS SECTION, 20
THE attending physician, physician assistant, nurse practitioner, nurse midwife, or 21
attending clinician shall provide the date of birth and medical information that are required 22
on the certificate within [5] 12 calendar days after the birth. 23
(c) (1) Within EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN SUBSECTION (G) OF THIS 24
SECTION, WITHIN [5] 12 calendar days after a birth occurs outside an institution without 25
an attending clinician, the birth shall be verified by the Secretary and a certificate of birth 26
shall be prepared, on the form that the Secretary provides, and filed by one of the following, 27
in the indicated order of priority: 28
(i) The attending individual. 29
(ii) In the absence of an attending individual, either parent of the 30
child. 31
(iii) In the absence or inability of either parent, the individual in 32
charge of the premises where the birth occurred. 33
HOUSE BILL 939 3
(d) (1) When a birth occurs on a common carrier within the United States and 1
the child is first removed from the carrier in this State, the birth shall be registered in this 2
State, and the place where the child is first removed shall be considered the place of birth. 3
(2) When a birth occurs on a common carrier while in international waters, 4
air space, or in a foreign country and the child is first removed from the carrier in this 5
State, the birth shall be registered in this State but the certificate shall show the actual 6
place of birth insofar as can be determined. 7
(3) The EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN SUBSECTION (G) OF THIS SECTION, 8
THE certificate shall be filed within [5] 12 calendar days after the child is removed from 9
the carrier. 10
(G) A CERTIFICATE OF BIRTH MAY BE FILED WITHIN 10 DAYS AFTER THE 11
BIRTH OCCURRED IF A PARENT OF THE CHILD NOTIFIES THE DIVISION OF VITAL 12
RECORDS IN A MANNER REQUIRED PERSON REQUIRED TO FILE THE CERTIFICATE OF 13
BIRTH ON A FORM PROVIDED BY THE SECRETARY AS SOON AS PRACTICABLE AFTER 14
BIRTH, BUT NOT LATER THAN 5 DAYS AFTER THE BIRTH OCCURS. 15
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 16
October 1, 2026. 17
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.