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Free birth records would help homeless Ohioans
The Ohio bill also lets shelters and approved case managers keep consented copies of key papers, so people are less likely to lose the records they need to restart paperwork.
In Ohio, a missing birth record or state ID can stall the basics of life: a housing application, a job interview, a benefits appointment, even the next step in replacing other lost paperwork. The proposal would remove fees for an identification card and vital statistics records for qualifying people experiencing homelessness.
The bill has 15 sponsors, including Democratic Rep. Christine Cockley and Republican Rep. Jodi Salvo as the primary sponsors. Recorded votes show the bill cleared a floor vote.
Keeping the papers from disappearing
The measure would also let homeless shelters and nonprofit agencies that provide case management services to homeless people keep, with the person’s consent, physical or digital copies of a Social Security card, a certification of birth or a certified birth record. The idea is to make the papers easier to replace and less likely to vanish again when someone is trying to get back on their feet.
It defines the shelters and case-management agencies it covers by reference to existing state law, keeping the help aimed at people who are most likely to run into paperwork barriers first.
Counting the waivers
The state would not just hand out the help and move on. An annual report to the director of health would list how many people had their fees waived in the previous year, giving lawmakers and health officials a basic count of whether the relief is reaching the people it is supposed to reach.