Broke in Philly

It's No Longer Going to Cost Homeless People $20 to Get a Birth Certificate

Pennsylvania is waiving birth certificate fees for homeless as part of efforts to help vulnerable people in the Keystone State

Close-up of a stack of birth certificates.
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What to Know

  • Pennsylvania will no longer charge homeless people the $20 fee for a birth certificate.
  • Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf announced the policy change on Monday during a news conference on efforts to help vulnerable people in the state.
  • Wolf says the fee can be a barrier to helping homeless people obtain jobs or qualify for government services.

Pennsylvania's governor is announcing that the state will no longer charge homeless people a $20 fee in order to obtain their birth certificates.

Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf announced the policy change on Monday during a news conference on efforts to help vulnerable people in the state.

Wolf says the fee can be a barrier to helping homeless people obtain jobs or qualify for government services.

A similar waiver for Pennsylvanians seeking help for substance use disorders has provided free birth certificates to 3,530 people since the start of 2018.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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