Certificate of Birth Resulting in Stillbirth Bill: July 2009

Thursday, July 16, 2009

CBRS - Fight not over

The legislative session this year was the most frustrating and oddest we have experienced to date.

As soon as it begun in January, the door was closed. Even through the hard work of parents across NY, who were able to secure more Assembly sponsors and yes votes - for a total of 123 out of 150 members. It was clear the bill would not be moving out of the Assembly Ways & Means committee. In addition, the lack of movement in Senate House was unexpected and given the recent unstable climate in there, 2009 just wasn't our year.

We will be working on a new approach for the 2010 legislative session. We hope all of you will join us and help to pass the CBRS bill.

If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact me at anytime. We welcome suggestions, ideas or contacts you may have made.

We will continue to update everyone. Thank you for your support!

Legislation from First Candle

Important Stillbirth legislation has been introduced on July 14, 2009.

The Stillbirth and SUID Prevention, Education and Awareness Act of 2009 was filed by US Senator Lautenberg (NJ) and US House Representative Pallone (NJ).

This bill would help reduce the number of unexpected infant deaths in America by calling for new research and education on stillbirths and Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SUID).

With your help, the passing of this new law would expand current data collection activities and create a public awareness and education campaign. Both items will have a compounding effect on medical advances and how Stillbirth is viewed by the public.

How can you help?

Contact New York State's US House Representative: www.house.gov. BILL HR3212

There are 29 members in the House. One member represents the district you reside in. Look up your zip+4 and enter it in the upper left corner.
Contact New York State's TWO US Senators: BILL S1445

Kirsten Gillibrand -- http://gillibrand.senate.gov/contact/
Charles Schumer -- http://schumer.senate.gov/new_website/contact.cfm

Email, mail or call them. Visit www.firstcandle.com for a sample letter or simply relay this brief message:

I am writing to ask for your support and co-sponsorship of the Stillbirth and SUID Prevention, Education, and Awareness Act of 2009 (Lautenberg/Pallone). Bills HR3212 and S1445 would help reduce the number of unexpected infant deaths in America by calling for new research and education on stillbirths and Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SUID). Every year, there are more than 25,000 stillbirths and more than 4,600 sudden unexpected infant deaths in the United States.

This bill is important to me [include brief personal story].

Please support New York State parents and co-sponsor this important piece of legislature.

Sincerely,
Name, Address, Phone, Email

When you receive a response, contact First Candle or Email Me and I will gladly relay the message to First Candle.

It is our hope that this US Legislation will help further the passage of the Certificate of Birth Resulting in Stillbirth bill here in NY.

Senate Bill #S1445

House Bill #HR3212

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Quick Reference: How Can You Help?

1. Write to Assemblywoman Helene Weinstein.

She was the one assembly member who prevented the bill from being voted on at the end of session in 2009 & 2010.

Write to Weinstein. Tell her to allow the legislative procedure to work as it is suppose to. The CBRS bill deserves to have a vote.

2. Write to Senate Health Chair Thomas Duane. He is in charge of the Senate committee that failed to move this bill in 2009. As a newly appointed Health Chairman (2009), it never made it out of his committee. In 2007 & 2008, the full Senate passed the CBRS bill. Write to Duane. Tell him to move the bill out of his committee.

3. Write to your Senate & Assembly members. Continue to ask your Senate and Assembly members to support the bill. See sample letters below.

4. Ask your family & friends to write letters by forwarding this site:

Many letters, phone calls and emails are needed now to help pass this Bill in the 2010 Legislative session.

Legislators will only know this Bill is important if you let them know it is.

Sample Letter to Senator Thomas Duane

Senator Thomas Duane failed to move the CBRS Bill out of the health committee as Chair, during the 2009 & 2010 Legislative Session. In 2007 & 2008, the full Senate voted and PASSED the bill. His voting record was "NO" and "Excused".

Send an email/letter or call his office ~ ask him to allow the CBRS bill to be voted on in his Health committee.

[SAMPLE LETTER]

Senator Thomas Duane
430 Capital State Building
Albany, NY 12247

Re: Certificate of Birth Resulting in Stillbirth Bill [SUPPORT]

Dear Senator Duane,

As a supporter of women, I ask that you support the Certificate of Birth Resulting in Stillbirth bill.

The CBRS Bill was redrafted in 2007 by Assemblyman Richard Gottfried, a dedicated supporter of women’s rights. The bill’s language is consistent with current laws and introduces no new language regarding birth and death (NYS public health law already describes a fetal demise as both a birth and a death). It simply gives bereaved parents the option of requesting a CBRS to acknowledge the childbirth they have endured when the unintended fetal demise occurs after 20 weeks’ gestation. The CBRS Bill does not threaten women’s rights in any way; the bill pertains only to stillbirth.

The childbirth endured is not recognized by the state but the death is. NYS requires a Certificate of Fetal Death to be filed and final disposition of a stillborn child’s body while simultaneously refusing to acknowledge the process of childbirth.

There is a lack awareness for this public health crisis and its devasting impact on grieving families. Nearly ten times more babies are stillborn every year than die of SIDS in New York State. Despite this, stillbirth remains where SIDS was 30 years ago – not well understood and lacking research. The CBRS will help increase awareness of this public health crisis and influence allocation of research dollars. Ignore the problem, fail to support the CBRS Bill, and you are contributing to the tragedy of stillbirth.

I urge you to support the CBRS Bill and allow it to come to a vote in the Health committee.

Sincerely,

NAME
Address & Phone

Sample Letter to send to your Representatives

Who is your Senate & Assembly member?

Contact them now. Ask them to support the Certificate of Birth Resulting in Stillbirth (CBRS) Bill. Your representatives need to hear from you. They want to hear from you on this issue.

[SAMPLE LETTER]

Name of Representative

Legislative Office Building

Albany, NY 12248

Re: Certificate of Birth Resulting in Stillbirth Bill [SUPPORT]

Dear _____:

I am writing to ask for your support of the Certificate of Birth Resulting in Stillbirth Bill (Hyer-Spencer). This legislation would allow parents whose children are stillborn the option to receive a Certificate of Birth Resulting in Stillbirth to acknowledge the birth process.

Your support of this legislation will send a message of hope and compassion to bereaved parents who suffer the devastation of a stillbirth.

[Include personal story, if you choose to]

Nearly 30,000 babies are stillborn in the US every year, making it the leading cause of infant death. In half of all cases there is no medically discernible reason, causing many to liken it to an intrauterine SIDS. In fact, stillbirth kills more than tens times as many babies as SIDS every year.

Approximately 2,000 babies are stillborn in New York State annually, and for every stillborn a minimum of 10-20 people are affected. Thus, this issue impacts 20,000 - 50,000 individuals every year in New York State.

These certificates will bring much needed attention to this issue and may be instrumental in uncovering stillbirth's mysteries, thereby saving precious lives. You have the opportunity to enact legislation that has the potential to save lives and has zero cost implications.

Your community trust you to represent it. I urge your enthusiastic support of the Certificate of Birth Resulting in Stillbirth bill and will be following it closely.

Respectfully,

NAME Address & Phone

Why the CBRS Bill is important

In New York, if you have a stillbirth there is no acknowledgement of the birth process. Fetal death certificates are filed but not issued to the parents unless requested.

This legislation would allow parents whose children are stillborn the option to receive a Certificate of Birth Resulting in Stillbirth to acknowledge the birth process.

Nearly 30,000 babies are stillborn in the US every year, making it the leading cause of infant death. In NYS, the number of deaths is reaching 2000. These certificates will bring much needed attention to this public health crisis.

We, Still Parents NY, are working to pass the Certificate of Birth Resulting in Stillbirth (CBRS) bill to honor the birth process for our families and the families listed.