House Bill 111

Chair's Name: Wendell Willard

Committee:   Judiciary Civil           

House Sponsor: Austin Scott

Chairman Willard’s opinion of the legislation:

HB 111 would allow a petition for the issuance of a birth certificate to be filed in probate court, when a delayed certificate of birth is rejected.  Currently, the petition must be filed in superior court, and this bill would allow the petitions to be filed in either superior or probate court.

Typically, petitioners for a delayed birth certificate are pro se, low income litigants in rural counties.  There is a belief that probate court, which handles many pro se litigants using forms, should be an additional choice for the filing of delayed birth certificate petitions.

This Legislation:

• Reduces the Size of Government by possibly decreasing the caseload of superior courts
• Strengthens our Traditional Family Structureby providing parents with a second forum to obtain a delayed birth certificate for their child.
• Increases Personal Responsibility by helping parents take responsibility by obtaining a delayed birth certificate for their child.

This bill comes to the House Floor under the Modified Structured Rule.