Legislative budget analysts are recommending the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene double the price of birth and death certificates from $12 to $24 a piece as a way to raise $7.9 million for fiscal 2012.
Maryland currently charges $12 for each copy of a vital record, including birth certificates, death certificates, and marriage certificates. In 2003, the last time the Department of Legislative Services analyzed vital record fees, Maryland ranked among the lowest and have remained comparatively low, according to the budget report that analyst Simon Powell presented to the Health and Human Resources Appropriations subcommittee.
Powell recommended doubling the cost for a copy of each record to $24.
The Department of Legislative Services also recommended local health departments increase the fee they collect for processing and issuing birth certificates from $10 to $20.
While he agreed the budget is “pretty frugal,” Health Secretary Joshua Sharfstein said he had some concerns about raising the cost of death certificates.
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4 comments:
I think this is great idea!
I think there is an error in the article. I just my birth certificate in Wicomico County and they charged me $20. Something is fishy here.
Yes, the charge is $20, which is $12 for the certificate + a $8 fee which goes to the facility for processing/issuing.
Tax (fee) and spend! Whoeeeee! Lets go at all the rest!
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