This substitute amendment changes the process by which the parent or
guardian of a stillbirth, infant, or child may decide not to consent to the release of
the stillbirth's, infant's, or child's identifying information, to require that a physician
or physician's designee first inform the parent or guardian of the intent of the system
and to require signature of the parent or guardian on a DHFS form. Further, the
substitute amendment specifies a process by which, using the DHFS form, the
parent or guardian of a stillbirth, infant, or child may effect withdrawal of consent
to the release of identifying information about the stillbirth, infant, or child, and
requires that, if consent to the release is withdrawn, DHFS remove the information
from the system. DHFS must prescribe and periodically distribute to pediatric
specialty clinics, hospitals in which deliveries are performed, and local health
departments the form for these purposes, beginning July 1, 2009.
The substitute amendment requires the division of DHFS that deals with vital
statistics to report to the system, for use in the registry, information that is contained
in a vital record and is designated as being collected for statistical and medical use
or statistical use only, including this type of information that is available under an
interstate cooperation agreement, if this disclosure is agreed to by the other state.
However, if this information is not confirmed by another reporting entity, DHFS

must, before releasing the information to anyone who is proposing to conduct
research, remove from the registry all information that would identify the stillbirth,
infant, or child other than the address of the infant or child or place of delivery of the
stillbirth that DHFS has encoded to refer to the same geographical location. In
addition, the substitute amendment requires the entity that contracts with the
Department of Administration for collecting, analyzing, and disseminating health
care information of hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers to report to the system
concerning birth defects as recorded in public use data files of hospitals and
ambulatory surgery centers.
The substitute amendment requires that a person who is proposing to conduct
research, to whom DHFS releases certain confidential birth defect information,
agree in writing that the information will not be used by an insurer to limit or deny
health care coverage or a policy of life insurance to an individual.
The substitute amendment also permits the state registrar to record
information from reports of certain fetal deaths for use in research conducted under
the system.
Lastly, the substitute amendment includes stillbirths, as defined in the
substitute amendment, under the requirements of the system, expands the
definition of "birth defect" to include structural malformations, and makes other
minor changes.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
AB185-ASA2, s. 1 1Section 1. 69.03 (12) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB185-ASA2,3,62 69.03 (12) Accept fetal death reports under s. 69.18 (1) (e). The state registrar
3may record the information on the reports for use in medical research , including
4research conducted under s. 253.12 (5) (b),
and may use the information to compile
5statistics. After recording the information on a fetal death report, the state registrar
6shall destroy the report.
AB185-ASA2, s. 2 7Section 2. 69.20 (2) (a) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB185-ASA2,4,28 69.20 (2) (a) (intro.) Except as provided under sub. (3), information Information
9in the part of a certificate of birth or divorce or annulment or a marriage document
10that is designated on the form as being collected for statistical or medical and
11statistical use only and information in the part of a death certificate that is

1designated on the form as being collected as statistical-use-only information under
2s. 69.18 (1m) (c) may not be disclosed to any person except the following:
AB185-ASA2, s. 3 3Section 3. 69.20 (2) (a) 3. of the statutes is created to read:
AB185-ASA2,4,44 69.20 (2) (a) 3. As provided under sub. (3).
AB185-ASA2, s. 4 5Section 4. 69.20 (3) (b) 3. of the statutes is amended to read:
AB185-ASA2,4,156 69.20 (3) (b) 3. The information is from the vital record of a registrant who is
7a resident of another state or who was born in another state and is transmitted to
8the office responsible for keeping the vital statistics in such state under an interstate
9cooperation agreement which requires that the information be used for statistical
10and administrative purposes only and which provides for the retention and
11disposition of such copies. If under such an agreement the state registrar receives
12information from an office responsible for keeping the vital statistics in another
13state, the state registrar may not use the information for any purpose except for the
14compilation of statistics and, if agreed to by the other state, in meeting requirements
15for reporting under s. 253.12 (2) (a) 3
.
AB185-ASA2, s. 5 16Section 5. 69.20 (3) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB185-ASA2,4,2517 69.20 (3) (c) Notwithstanding sub. (2), a A local registrar may disclose
18information on a birth certificate or issue a copy of the certificate to a local health
19department, as defined in s. 250.01 (4), for health or demographic research or a public
20health program if the local health department pays the copying costs and if the birth
21of the registrant occurred within the boundaries of the political subdivision served
22by the local health department or the registrant is a resident of the political
23subdivision. The local health department may not disclose any information from any
24copy which it receives under this paragraph to any person and shall destroy the copy
25no later than one year after receipt.
AB185-ASA2, s. 6
1Section 6. 69.20 (3) (d) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB185-ASA2,5,62 69.20 (3) (d) Subject to par. (f), the state or a local registrar may disclose
3information from the vital record of a specified registrant, except information under
4sub. (2) (a),
to a federal agency, to any agency of the government of this state, or to
5any agency of a county, city, town, or village if the agency requests the information
6for use in the conduct of its official duties.
AB185-ASA2, s. 7 7Section 7. 253.12 (1) (a) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB185-ASA2,5,118 253.12 (1) (a) (intro.) "Birth defect" means any of the following conditions
9affecting a stillbirth or an infant or child that occurs prior to or at birth and that
10requires medical or surgical intervention or interferes with normal growth and
11development:
AB185-ASA2, s. 8 12Section 8. 253.12 (1) (a) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:
AB185-ASA2,5,1413 253.12 (1) (a) 1. A structural malformation, deformation, disruption, or
14dysplasia.
AB185-ASA2, s. 9 15Section 9. 253.12 (1) (b) of the statutes is renumbered 253.12 (1) (cm) and
16amended to read:
AB185-ASA2,5,2017 253.12 (1) (cm) "Pediatric specialty clinic" means a clinic that is located in a
18hospital or is a freestanding clinic,
the primary purpose of which is to provide
19pediatric specialty diagnostic, counseling and medical management services to
20persons with birth defects by a physician subspecialist.
AB185-ASA2, s. 10 21Section 10. 253.12 (1) (e) of the statutes is created to read:
AB185-ASA2,5,2422 253.12 (1) (e) "Research" means a systematic study through scientific inquiry
23for the purpose of expanding a field of knowledge, including environmental or
24epidemiological research or special studies.
AB185-ASA2, s. 11 25Section 11. 253.12 (2) (a) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB185-ASA2,6,3
1253.12 (2) (a) (intro.) Except as provided in par. (b), all of the following shall
2report in the manner prescribed by the department under sub. (3) (a) 3. a birth defect
3in a stillbirth or an infant or child:
AB185-ASA2, s. 12 4Section 12. 253.12 (2) (a) 3. of the statutes is created to read:
AB185-ASA2,6,125 253.12 (2) (a) 3. The division of the department that deals with vital statistics,
6with respect to the information received under s. 69.20 (3) (b) 3. or available under
7s. 69.20 (3) (d). If a report is made under this subdivision and the report is not
8confirmed by a report made by another reporting entity, the department shall remove
9from the registry under sub. (3) all information that would identify the stillbirth,
10infant, or child before releasing the information to another party under sub. (5) (b),
11other than the address of the infant or child or place of delivery of the stillbirth that
12the department has encoded to refer to the same geographical location.
AB185-ASA2, s. 13 13Section 13. 253.12 (2) (a) 4. of the statutes is created to read:
AB185-ASA2,6,1514 253.12 (2) (a) 4. The entity under contract under s. 153.05 (2m) (a), with respect
15to public use data files under s. 153.46 (1) (b).
AB185-ASA2, s. 14 16Section 14. 253.12 (2) (am) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB185-ASA2,6,1917 253.12 (2) (am) Any hospital in which a birth defect is diagnosed in a stillbirth
18or
an infant or child or treatment is provided to the infant or child may report the
19birth defect in the manner prescribed by the department under sub. (3) (a) 3.
AB185-ASA2, s. 15 20Section 15. 253.12 (2) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB185-ASA2,6,2421 253.12 (2) (b) No person specified under par. (a) need report under par. (a) if
22that person knows that another person specified under par. (a) or (am) has already
23reported to the department the required information with respect to the same birth
24defect of the same stillbirth or infant or child.
AB185-ASA2, s. 16 25Section 16. 253.12 (2) (d) of the statutes is repealed and recreated to read:
AB185-ASA2,7,7
1253.12 (2) (d) If the parent or guardian of a stillbirth or an infant or child for
2whom a report is made under par. (a) decides, after having been informed by a
3physician or a physician's designee of the intent of the system under this section, not
4to consent to the release of identifying information concerning the stillbirth or infant
5or child and signs the form specified in sub. (5) (c), the department may not require
6a person specified under par. (a) 1., 2., or 3. to report information identifying the
7stillbirth or infant or child.
AB185-ASA2, s. 17 8Section 17. 253.12 (2) (e) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB185-ASA2,7,119 253.12 (2) (e) If the address of an infant or child or the place of delivery of a
10stillbirth
for whom a report is made under par. (a) is included in the report, the
11department shall encode the address to refer to the same geographical location.
AB185-ASA2, s. 18 12Section 18. 253.12 (3) (a) 1. (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB185-ASA2,7,1713 253.12 (3) (a) 1. (intro.) Establish and maintain an up-to-date registry that
14documents the diagnosis in this state of any stillbirth or infant or child who has a
15birth defect, regardless of the residence of the infant or child or place of delivery of
16the stillbirth
. The department shall include in the registry information that will
17facilitate all of the following:
AB185-ASA2, s. 19 18Section 19. 253.12 (3) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB185-ASA2,7,2119 253.12 (3) (c) The department shall, not more than 10 years from the date of
20receipt of a report under sub. (2), delete from any file of the department the name of
21a stillbirth or an infant or child that is contained in the report.
AB185-ASA2, s. 20 22Section 20. 253.12 (4) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB185-ASA2,8,623 253.12 (4) (a) Make recommendations to the department regarding the
24establishment of a registry that documents the diagnosis in the state of a stillbirth
25or
an infant or child who has a birth defect, as required under sub. (3) (a) 1. and

1regarding the rules that the department is required to promulgate under sub. (3) (a)
22. and 3. on the birth defects to be reported under sub. (2) and on the general content
3and format of the report under sub. (2) and procedures for submitting the report. The
4council shall also make recommendations regarding the content of a report that,
5because of the application of sub. (2) (d), does not contain the name of the subject of
6the report.
AB185-ASA2, s. 21 7Section 21. 253.12 (5) (a) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:
AB185-ASA2,8,98 253.12 (5) (a) 1. The parent or guardian of a stillbirth or an infant or child for
9whom a report is made under sub. (2).
AB185-ASA2, s. 22 10Section 22. 253.12 (5) (a) 2. of the statutes is amended to read:
AB185-ASA2,8,1911 253.12 (5) (a) 2. A local health officer, a local birth-to-3 coordinator or an
12agency under contract with the department to administer the children with special
13health care needs program, upon receipt of a written request and informed written
14consent from the parent or guardian of the infant or child
under the requirements
15of subs. (2) (d) and (5m)
. The local health officer may disclose information received
16under this subdivision only to the extent necessary to render and coordinate services
17and follow-up care for the infant or child or to conduct a health, demographic or
18epidemiological investigation. The local health officer shall destroy all information
19received under this subdivision within one year after receiving it.
AB185-ASA2, s. 23 20Section 23. 253.12 (5) (a) 4. of the statutes is amended to read:
AB185-ASA2,9,621 253.12 (5) (a) 4. A representative of a federal or state agency upon written
22request and to the extent that the information is necessary to perform a legally
23authorized function of that agency, including investigation of causes, mortality,
24methods of prevention and early intervention, treatment or care of birth defects,
25associated diseases or disabilities. The information may not include the name or

1address of an infant or child or the place of delivery of a stillbirth with a condition
2reported under sub. (2). The department shall notify the parent or guardian of a
3stillbirth or
an infant or child about whom information is released under this
4subdivision, of the release. The representative of the federal or state agency may
5disclose information received under this paragraph only as necessary to perform the
6legally authorized function of that agency for which the information was requested.
AB185-ASA2, s. 24 7Section 24. 253.12 (5) (b) 5m. of the statutes is created to read:
AB185-ASA2,9,108 253.12 (5) (b) 5m. The person agrees in writing that the information provided
9will not be used by an insurer, as defined in s. 600.03 (27), to limit or deny health care
10coverage or a policy of life insurance to an individual.
AB185-ASA2, s. 25 11Section 25. 253.12 (5) (c) of the statutes is created to read:
AB185-ASA2,9,1612 253.12 (5) (c) By July 1, 2009, the department shall prescribe and distribute,
13and periodically distribute thereafter, to pediatric speciality clinics, hospitals in
14which deliveries are performed, and local health departments copies of a form to be
15used by the parent or guardian of a stillbirth or an infant or child for whom a report
16is made under sub. (2) (a) in indicating any of the following:
AB185-ASA2,9,1817 1. Refusal under sub. (2) (d) by the parent or guardian to consent to the release
18of identifying information concerning the stillbirth or infant or child.
AB185-ASA2,9,2019 2. The decision under sub. (5m) by the parent or guardian to remove from the
20system any identifying information entered for the stillbirth or infant or child.
AB185-ASA2, s. 26 21Section 26. 253.12 (5m) of the statutes is created to read:
AB185-ASA2,9,2522 253.12 (5m) Removal of identifying information. If the parent or guardian
23of a stillbirth or an infant or child for whom a report is made under sub. (2) (a) decides
24to withdraw consent to the release of identifying information concerning the
25stillbirth or infant or child, the parent or guardian may request from the local health

1department or the stillbirth's or infant's or child's physician the form specified in sub.
2(5) (c). If the parent or guardian decides, after having been informed by the
3stillbirth's or infant's or child's physician or physician's designee of the information
4contained in the system under this section, and signs the form, the local health
5department, physician, or physician's designee shall forward the form to the division
6of the department that deals with public health. On receipt of the signed form, the
7department shall remove from the system under this section any information
8identifying the stillbirth or infant or child.
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