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                                                                  H.B. No. 1604




AN ACT

relating to the period in which a birth certificate must be filed or 
a birth reported.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Section 192.003, Health and Safety Code, is 
amended by amending Subsection (d) and adding Subsection (e) to 
read as follows:
	(d)  Except as provided by Subsection (e), a [A] person 
required to file a birth certificate or report a birth shall file 
the certificate or make the report not later than the fifth day 
after the date of the birth.
	(e)  Based on a parent's religious beliefs, a parent may 
request that a person required to file a birth certificate or report 
a birth delay filing the certificate or making the report until the 
parent contacts the person with the child's name.  If a parent does 
not name the child before the fifth day after the date of the birth 
due to the parent's religious beliefs, the parent must contact the 
person required to file the birth certificate or report the birth 
with the name of the child as soon as the child is named.  A person 
required to file the birth certificate or report the birth who 
delays filing the certificate or making the report in accordance 
with the parent's request shall file the certificate or make the 
report not later than the 15th day after the date of the child's 
birth.
	SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives 
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as 
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this 
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this 
Act takes effect on the 91st day after the last day of the 
legislative session.




______________________________              ______________________________
 
   President of the Senate                               Speaker of the House      

	I certify that H.B. No. 1604 was passed by the House on April 
14, 2005, by the following vote:  Yeas 140, Nays 0, 1 present, not 
voting.

                                                  ______________________________
                                                     Chief Clerk of the House   

	I certify that H.B. No. 1604 was passed by the Senate on May 
5, 2005, by the following vote:  Yeas 31, Nays 0.

                                                  ______________________________
                                                     Secretary of the Senate    



APPROVED:  _____________________                                            
 
                   Date                                                      




 
          _____________________                                          
 
                 Governor