New York – Today, Assemblywoman Nily Rozic (D,WF-Fresh Meadows) announced that legislation (A10200A/S7853A) she sponsored with State Senator Patrick Gallivan (R,C,I-Elma) to prohibit the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS) from being charged a fee when requesting a death certificate for an inmate who has died under custody has been signed into law.

“This new law cuts bureaucratic red tape and expands an existing practice DOCCS and local correctional facilities follow when requesting birth certificates. Moving forward, a single death certificate will be provided at no cost, terminating an inmate’s file with the agency and the State Division of Criminal Justice Services,” said Rozic, who sits on the Assembly’s Committee on Correction.

“This is common sense legislation that will help streamline the process of issuing necessary documents by eliminating burdensome regulations on state and municipal agencies,” said Gallivan, Chair of the Senate’s Committee on Crime Victims, Crime and Correction. “I thank Assemblymember Rozic for working to get this important bill passed.” In 2010, the State Legislature passed legislation to provide birth certificates from the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) to DOCCS at no cost. The Rozic/Gallivan bill amended this existing law to include the acquisition of death certificates from DOHMH, or a county health department, when requested by DOCCS and local correctional facilities.

“I am proud of the work my colleagues in the Assembly and Senate did to pass this bill. Now, with the Governor’s signature, obtaining death certificates of inmates will no longer require state and local correctional facilities or the NYC Department of Correction to pay a fee. In the past, these fees have created delays and setbacks within these agencies. I look forward to seeing this process expedited as a result of this new law,” said Assemblyman Daniel O’Donnell, Chair of the State Assembly’s Committee on Correction.

The new law takes effect immediately. Death certificates provided will be used for administrative purposes only. Correctional facilities and municipalities will benefit from the streamlined process eliminating intergovernmental fees, purchase orders, and paperwork.