Colorado birth certificate

Bill backs birth certificate for stillborns

DENVER - A measure that would help provide closure to parents of stillborn children sailed through a Senate panel Wednesday.

Senate Bill 95, which passed 6-1 in the Senate Health, Welfare and Institutions Committee, would require a certificate of birth be offered to parents of stillborns within three days of the birth. Parents now can receive only a certificate of death in the case of stillborns, said bill sponsor Sen. Jennifer Veiga, D-Denver.

"It would provide some sort of closure to the parents," Veiga said. "It would also assist in recording the statistics in these types of deaths to better understand it."

Caprice Bass of Aurora learned her daughter died in her uterus two days before her due date in June 2002. Bass, 30, still had to deliver the baby but did not receive any proof her daughter existed before she died. "There needs to be recognition of the birth and death of a stillborn child," she said, choking on her words.

Jennifer Roger-Flynn of Parker had a similar experience when she learned her son died in her uterus 8 1/2 months into the pregnancy. She also had to deliver her son.

"The only difference between me and the other mothers delivering that day was that I already knew what my outcome would be," Roger- Flynn said, crying before the committee. "We're not looking for a piece of paper, we're looking for proof."

Eleven states have laws in place similar to Veiga's bill. If it becomes law, the bill would not affect the state's revenue or expenses.

The Department of Public Health and Environment is pilot-testing a certificate of stillbirth for sale to parents. The certificate contains the stillborn's death report in a less technical form that is appropriate for family scrapbooks and genealogies.

CONTACT THE WRITER: 1-303-837-0613 or knguyen@gazette.com

SENATE BILL 95

What it does: Requires a certificate of birth to be offered to parents of a stillborn child.

Bill sponsor: Sen. Jennifer Veiga, D-Denver

Legislative action: The bill was approved 6-1 by members of the Senate Health, Environment, Welfare and Institutions Committee.

It will move to the Senate floor.

For more information: Visit www.leg.state.co.us