FILE PHOTO: A homeless man waits for people to pass by to ask for money during a winter snowstorm Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2014, in Philadelphia.
Matt Rourke / AP Photo
Pennsylvania waiving birth certificate fees for homeless
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The Associated Press
Matt Rourke / AP Photo
FILE PHOTO: A homeless man waits for people to pass by to ask for money during a winter snowstorm Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2014, in Philadelphia.
(Harrisburg) — 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.
A similar waiver for people seeking help for substance use disorders has provided free birth certificates to 3,530 people since the start of 2018.
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