HI HCR59

Requests the Department of Health to issue certificates of stillbirth to parents upon request when a fetal death certificate is issued in Hawaii

Directs the Department of Health to assess the feasibility of implementing a stillbirth certificate program in the state

Requires the Department of Health to submit findings, recommendations, and proposed legislation to the Legislature no later than twenty days before the 2023 Regular Session

Cites that stillbirth affects approximately one in 160 births in the United States with about 24,000 stillbirths annually, and parents experience higher rates of depression, anxiety, and PTSD

Notes that six states (Colorado, Connecticut, Kansas, New York, Oregon, and Pennsylvania) currently issue certificates of stillbirth, which acknowledge the life and existence of stillborn infants rather than only documenting death