Ch. 203                                    2003 LAWS OF MARYLAND

Article - Health - General

4-217.

(c) (1) Except as otherwise provided by law, the Department shall collect a
[$6] $12 fee [for]:

(I)      FOR each certified or abridged copy of a birth, death, fetal
death, [or] marriage, ADOPTION, FOREIGN ADOPTION, LEGITIMATION,
ADJUDICATION OF PATERNITY, AFFIDAVIT OF PARENTAGE, OR DIVORCE
VERIFICATION certificate [or for];

(II)     FOR a report that a search of the files was made and the
requested record is not on file; OR

(III)   FOR EACH CHANGE TO A CERTIFICATE MADE LATER THAN ONE
YEAR AFTER THE ORIGINAL REQUEST FOR THE CERTIFICATE HAS BEEN
REGISTERED WITH THE DEPARTMENT; OR

(IV)    TO PROCESS AN ADOPTION, FOREIGN ADOPTION,
LEGITIMATION, OR ADJUDICATION OF PATERNITY.

(2)     From the fee the Department collects under paragraph (1) of this
subsection, the Department shall transfer the entire fee to the General Fund.

(3)     (i) Any local health department may set and collect a fee for
processing and issuing a birth certificate, or for a report that a search of the files was
made and the requested record is not on file, that covers:

1. The administrative costs of providing this service; and

2. The requirements of subparagraph (iii) of this paragraph.

(ii) The fee set by the local health department for processing and
issuing a birth certificate or for a report under subparagraph (i) of this paragraph
may not exceed the actual costs to the local health department for processing and
issuing a birth certificate or a report.

(iii) From the fee the local health department collects under
subparagraph (i) of this paragraph, [$4] $10 shall be transferred to the General
Fund.

(iv) Prior to setting and collecting a fee for processing and issuing a
birth certificate or for a report under subparagraph (i) of this paragraph, the local
health department shall enter into a memorandum of understanding with the
Department of Health and Mental Hygiene that outlines the local health
department's fee structure.

(4)     The Department or a local health department may collect a fee for a
certificate requested by an agency of the State or any of its political subdivisions.

(5)     The Secretary may waive all or part of a fee if chargeable to an
agency of the United States.

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