(1) For any stillborn child in this state, the department shall, within 60 days, issue a certificate of birth resulting in stillbirth upon the request of a parent named on a fetal death certificate.

(2) The person who is required to file a fetal death certificate under this chapter shall advise the parent of a stillborn child:

(a) That the parent may request the preparation of a certificate of birth resulting in stillbirth in addition to the fetal death certificate;

(b) That the parent may obtain a certificate of birth resulting in stillbirth by contacting the Office of Vital Statistics;

(c) How the parent may contact the Office of Vital Statistics to request a certificate of birth resulting in stillbirth; and

(d) That a copy of the original certificate of birth resulting in stillbirth is a document that is available as a public record when held by an agency as defined under s. 119.011(2).

(3) The request for a certificate of birth resulting in stillbirth must be on a form prescribed by the department by rule and include the date of the stillbirth and the county in which the stillbirth occurred. The request shall normally include the state file number of the fetal death report pursuant to s. 382.008.

(4) The certificate of birth resulting in stillbirth must contain:

(a) The date of the stillbirth.

(b) The county in which the stillbirth occurred.

(c) The name of the stillborn child as provided on the original or amended certificate of the fetal death report pursuant to s. 382.008. If a name does not appear on the original or amended fetal death certificate and the requesting parent does not wish to provide a name, the Office of Vital Statistics shall fill in the certificate of birth resulting in stillbirth with the name “baby boy” or “baby girl” and the last name of the parents as provided in s. 382.013(3).

(d) The state file number of the corresponding certificate of fetal death.

(e) The following statement: “This certificate is not proof of live birth.”

(5) A certificate of birth resulting in stillbirth shall be a public record when held by an agency as defined under s. 119.011(2). The Office of Vital Statistics must inform any parent who requests a certificate of birth resulting in stillbirth that a copy of the document is available as a public record.

(6) A parent may request that the Office of Vital Statistics issue a certificate of birth resulting in stillbirth regardless of the date on which the certificate of fetal death was issued.

(7) It is final agency action, not subject to review under chapter 120, for the Office of Vital Statistics to refuse to issue a certificate to a person who is not a parent named on the fetal death certificate and who is not entitled to a certificate of birth resulting in stillbirth.

(8) The Office of Vital Statistics may not use a certificate of birth resulting in stillbirth to calculate live birth statistics.

(9) This section or s. 382.002(17) may not be used to establish, bring, or support a civil cause of action seeking damages against any person or entity for bodily injury, personal injury, or wrongful death for a stillbirth.

(10) The department shall prescribe by rules adopted pursuant to ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 the form, content, and process for the certificate of birth resulting in stillbirth.

History.—s. 4, ch. 2006-118; s. 2, ch. 2012-186; s. 6, ch. 2015-105; s. 4, ch. 2017-38.