State Representatives Kathy L. Rapp and Kristin Marcell have formally requested Pennsylvania Auditor General Tim DeFoor to conduct an audit of the Department of Health’s Division of Vital Records. This division manages the issuance and oversight of birth and death records in Pennsylvania.
The lawmakers clarified that their request is not for a review of individual certificates, but rather an examination of the division’s policies, processes, and procedures. They noted a significant increase in complaints about processing delays from constituents in recent years.
If Auditor General DeFoor agrees to proceed with an audit, Rapp and Marcell have asked him to consider several issues: how funding for the division is used, how requests for vital records are processed—including timeliness—and whether staffing levels are sufficient to meet demand.
Rapp stated, “Lengthy delays in receiving these vital records are more than a simple inconvenience. It can be massively problematic given these documents are often needed to complete the final disposition of the deceased, to access funds needed to pay for the funeral services selected and to open or administer an estate. It’s bad enough to lose a loved one. Pennsylvanians shouldn’t have to suffer through months of delays to receive a death certificate on top of that loss.”
Marcell added, “Constituents have an expectation their government will work efficiently and timely on their behalf. The extended delays in Vital Records performing its responsibilities are unacceptable and must be reviewed. In one instance, delays were caused by an inventory shortage of security paper used to make birth and death certificates. This audit request is about taking a closer look at the division’s policies, staffing and use of resources so we can identify what is causing these delays and implement practical solutions that improve the process for Pennsylvanians.”
Rapp has served as Pennsylvania State Representative for the 65th Legislative District representing parts of Crawford County as well as all of Forest and Warren counties. She chairs the House Health Committee and co-chairs the bipartisan Pennsylvania House Pro-Life Caucus. Rapp has sponsored legislation supporting veterans—including designating local bridges in honor of service members—and worked on removing veterans’ disability payments from income eligibility requirements under certain state programs (https://www.reprapp.com/about). Her background includes community relations work, and she resides in Warren with her family (https://www.reprapp.com/about).
