Preponderance of the evidence on identity and place of birth.
The bill stops the state registrar from rejecting a delayed birth certificate application just because some supporting documents conflict, as long as the application as a whole shows the person's identity and place of birth by a preponderance of the evidence. It reaches mostly people born outside hospitals who never got a birth certificate, and for people born before 1971 it lets the certificate be registered with only one parent's name when that parent's identity is established. Starting September 1, 2025, the registrar must weigh any evidence that doubts the place of birth, a valid driver's license or ID card, and sworn affidavits from people who know the applicant.
Labels
Labels: DO-OVER. Reworked text of a bill filed before that died: 88R SB 1341 (Did not pass). Filed in 2 sessions, counting this one. Checked against 88R only.TRY NO. 2. Filed in 2 sessions: 88R and 89R. Checked against 88R only.
relating to the application review process for certain delayed
birth certificates.
WHAT IT DOES
Preponderance of the evidence on identity and place of birth.
The bill stops the state registrar from rejecting a delayed birth certificate application just because some supporting documents conflict, as long as the application as a whole shows the person's identity and place of birth by a preponderance of the evidence. It reaches mostly people born outside hospitals who never got a birth certificate, and for people born before 1971 it lets the certificate be registered with only one parent's name when that parent's identity is established. Starting September 1, 2025, the registrar must weigh any evidence that doubts the place of birth, a valid driver's license or ID card, and sworn affidavits from people who know the applicant.
CHARGES
[ ] NONE FOUND
TOTAL
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
Names were not printed. No individual positions are inferred.
Sources
Senator West moved that Senate Rule 7.18 and the Constitutional Rule requiring bills to be read on three several days be suspended and that CSSB 227 be placed on its third reading and final passage. The motion prevailed by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0. The bill was read third time and was passed by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.
Published stock of positions for this vote, except where marked derived.
Yea: 31 (published)
Nay: 0 (published)
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: Not printed
Excused: Not printed
Senate journal. Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.
Names were not printed. No individual positions are inferred.
Sources
Senator West moved that Senate Rule 7.18 and the Constitutional Rule requiring bills to be read on three several days be suspended and that CSSB 227 be placed on its third reading and final passage. The motion prevailed by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.
Published stock of positions for this vote, except where marked derived.
Yea: 31 (published)
Nay: 0 (published)
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: Not printed
Excused: Not printed
Senate journal. Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.
House committee · Public Health · Committee vote 12 aye, 0 nay, 1 absent · Out of committee
Senate committee · Health & Human Services · Committee vote 9 aye, 0 nay · Out of committee
Subjects
Aging
Health--General
Vehicles & Traffic--Driver's Licenses
CHARLES EDWARD BARTON ACT (PH1V5)
BIRTH & DEATH CERTIFICATES
IDENTIFICATION CARDS
Text
The text as introduced · 246 words
89R1342 LRM-D
By: West
S.B. No. 227
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the application review process for certain delayed
birth certificates.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 192.025, Health and Safety Code, is
amended by adding Subsections (f) and (g) to read as follows:
(f) The state registrar may not reject an application under
this subchapter based solely on the inclusion of supporting
evidence that contains inconsistent or contradictory information
if, based on the contents of the application as a whole, the state
registrar determines by a preponderance of the evidence the
applicant's identity and place of birth. In making a determination
under this subsection, the state registrar shall consider and give
weight to:
(1) any supporting evidence that raises a legitimate
question as to the applicant's actual place of birth;
(2) the inclusion of a valid driver's license or
personal identification certificate; and
(3) the inclusion of a verified affidavit by a person
with personal knowledge of the applicant's identity.
(g) Notwithstanding any other law, if a delayed birth
certificate of a person who was born before January 1, 1959, is
otherwise acceptable for registration and the identity of one
parent of the person is established by information not
contradictory to information available to the state registrar, the
state registrar shall register the certificate with only the
established parent's name entered on the certificate.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.
Monitoring 
