Illinois General Assembly - Illinois Compiled Statutes

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410 ILCS 535/20.5

    (410 ILCS 535/20.5)
    (Text of Section before amendment by P.A. 103-948)
    Sec. 20.5. Certificate of stillbirth.

(a) The State Registrar shall prescribe and distribute a form for a
certificate of stillbirth. The certificate shall be in the
same format as a certificate of live birth prepared under Section 12 and shall
be filed in the same manner as a certificate of live birth.

(b) After each fetal death that occurs in this State after a gestation
period of at least 26 completed weeks, the person who files a fetal death
certificate in connection with that death as required under Section 20 shall,
only upon request by the woman who delivered the stillborn fetus,
also prepare a certificate of
stillbirth.  The person shall
prepare the certificate on the form prescribed and furnished by the State
Registrar and in accordance with the rules adopted by the State Registrar.

(c) If the stillborn's parent or parents do not wish to provide a name
for the stillborn, the person who prepares the certificate of
stillbirth shall leave blank any references to the stillborn's
name.

(d) When a stillbirth occurs in this State and the stillbirth has not
been registered within one year after the delivery, a certificate marked
"delayed" may be filed and registered in accordance with regulations adopted by
the State Registrar.  The certificate must show on its face the date of
registration.

(e) In the case of a fetal death that occurred in this State after a
gestation period of at least 26 completed weeks and before the effective date
of this amendatory Act of the 93rd General Assembly, a parent of the stillborn
child may request that the person who filed a fetal death certificate in
connection with that death as required under Section 20 shall also prepare a
certificate of stillbirth with respect to the fetus.  If a
parent of a stillborn makes such a request under this subsection (e), the
person who filed a fetal death certificate shall prepare the certificate of
stillbirth and file it with the designated registrar within
30 days after the request by the parent.

(Source: P.A. 93-578, eff. 8-21-03.)

    (Text of Section after amendment by P.A. 103-948)
    Sec. 20.5. Certificate of birth resulting in stillbirth.

(a) The State Registrar shall prescribe and distribute a form for a certificate of birth resulting in stillbirth. The certificate shall be in the same format as a certificate of live birth prepared under Section 12 and shall be filed in the same manner as a certificate of live birth.

(b) After each fetal death that occurs in this State after a gestation period of at least 20 completed weeks, the State Registrar of Vital Records shall, only upon request by a parent named on the fetal death certificate, prepare and issue a certificate of birth resulting in stillbirth.

(b-5) A person who files a fetal death certificate as described under subsection (b) shall notify the gestational parent of the stillborn of that parent's right to request and receive a certificate of birth resulting in stillbirth under subsection (b). The Department shall develop language for notification under this subsection. This language shall be titled and known as a "Liam's Law notice".

(c) If the stillborn's parent or parents do not wish to provide a name for the stillborn, the person who prepares the certificate of birth resulting in stillbirth shall leave blank any references to the stillborn's name.

(d) When a stillbirth occurs in this State and the stillbirth has not been registered within one year after the delivery, a certificate marked "delayed" may be filed and registered in accordance with regulations adopted by the State Registrar. The certificate must show on its face the date of registration.

(e) In the case of a fetal death that occurred in this State after a gestation period of at least 20 completed weeks and before the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 103rd General Assembly, a parent of the stillborn child may request that the person who filed a fetal death certificate in connection with that death as required under Section 20 shall also prepare a certificate of birth resulting in stillbirth with respect to the fetus. If a parent of a stillborn makes such a request under this subsection (e), the person who filed a fetal death certificate shall prepare the certificate of birth resulting in stillbirth and file it with the designated registrar within 30 days after the request by the parent.

(Source: P.A. 103-948, eff. 7-1-25.)