House Bill 0003
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida House of Representatives - 1999 HB 3
By Representative Starks
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to child identification;
3 providing a short title; providing legislative
4 intent; requiring hospitals and birthing
5 centers to notify parents of the availability
6 of the Child Identification Program; requiring
7 hospitals and birthing centers to provide
8 identification services to the parent upon
9 payment of a fee; encouraging physicians to
10 participate in the Child Identification
11 Program; prohibiting the creation or
12 maintenance of certain records; providing an
13 effective date.
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15 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
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17 Section 1. (1) Short title.--This act may be cited as
18 the "Child Identification Program" or "ChIP" act of 1999.
19 (2) Legislative findings and intent.--The Legislature
20 finds that the new technology of DNA testing is of great
21 potential benefit to the citizens of this state. Having a
22 child's DNA sample available will enable parents to better
23 assist law enforcement in finding and identifying a child in
24 the unfortunate event of a child's disappearance or abduction,
25 as well as identifying children who may be victims in an
26 accident or natural disaster. Obtaining a DNA sample simply
27 requires the placement of a drop of blood on specially treated
28 paper for long term storage by the parent. It is the intent of
29 the Legislature that all health care providers, including
30 hospitals, birthing centers, and physicians assist parents in
31 obtaining the sample for safekeeping by the parent.
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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida House of Representatives - 1999 HB 3
204-188A-99
1 (3) Requirement on hospitals and birthing centers to
2 assist parents in ChIP.--Every licensed hospital and every
3 licensed birthing center shall, upon admission for a labor and
4 delivery, notify the parent as part of the admission process
5 that the hospital or birthing center is a participant in the
6 ChIP program and will provide a DNA sample for identification
7 purposes to the parent upon request and upon payment of a fee
8 to be determined by the hospital or birthing center. The fee
9 shall not exceed the reasonable cost of obtaining the sample
10 and necessary materials. If the parent elects to participate
11 and pays the fee, the hospital or birthing center shall obtain
12 the DNA sample and provide the sample to the parent for
13 safekeeping. Nothing in this section shall be considered as a
14 health service under the Medicaid program and the fee paid
15 shall not be subject to the copayment limitations set forth in
16 s. 409.9081. No copy or record of any DNA samples provided to
17 a parent shall be created or maintained by any entity
18 participating in the ChIP program.
19 (4) Participation by physicians.--The Legislature
20 hereby encourages all physicians who provide primary care to
21 children born prior to the implementation of ChIP to
22 voluntarily participate and offer ChIP to their patients. The
23 Board of Medicine is encouraged to assist licensed physicians
24 in learning about and participating in ChIP.
25 Section 2. This act shall take effect upon becoming a
26 law.
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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida House of Representatives - 1999 HB 3
204-188A-99
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2 HOUSE SUMMARY
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Creates the Child Identification Program to encourage all
4 health care providers, including hospitals, birthing
centers, and physicians to assist parents in obtaining a
5 DNA sample for safekeeping by the parent for
identification purposes. See bill for details.
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