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Committee advances bill to limit federal sharing of identifying data for fetal deaths
Summary
The committee recommended SB 530, a privacy-focused measure that would stop the state from sending parent names, full dates of birth, medical record numbers and street addresses to federal authorities for fetal deaths after about 20 weeks, while still providing year-of-birth, town/county and delivery date for public-health surveillance. HHS supported the narrower de-identification and the committee voted unanimously to place the bill on the consent calendar.
Senator Sydney Rosenwald introduced SB 530 as a measure to align state law with prior changes to live-birth reporting and to protect parental privacy in tragic late miscarriages. The bill directs DHHS to refrain from sending certain identifying items—names, full dates of birth, medical-record numbers and street addresses—to federal partners while still providing limited geography (town, county, state) and year-of-birth for surveillance.
Rosenwald said the measure does not change the health information collected for public-health purposes but simply strips a few direct identifiers before data leave the state. She said HHS and vital-records staff were consulted and had been comfortable with the approach; the department did not believe the change would jeopardize federal grant funding.
Representative DeVries and others asked whether removing ZIP codes but keeping town data might allow re-identification in small communities. Rosenwald and HHS witnesses said they had discussed those trade-offs and concluded the proposed level of de-identification struck a reasonable balance.
In executive session the committee moved 'ought to pass' and, after a roll call, approved the recommendation unanimously and placed SB 530 on the consent calendar.
What happens next: SB 530 proceeds to the House floor on the consent calendar and, if enacted, would change what identifying elements the state includes in fetal-death reports it shares externally.
