R436-1-4. Designation of Additional Offices

(1) Full-time local health officers may be designated by the Department to serve as the local registrar of vital statistics for the area they serve as health officer. They shall carry out their required duties without payment of any additional fee. For areas of the state not served by a full-time local health officer, the Department, acting through the State Registrar, shall designate an individual to serve as local registrar.

(2) The State Registrar shall delegate such duties and responsibilities to the local registrars as is deemed necessary to insure the efficient operation of the system of vital statistics. These may include the following:

(a) The receipt and processing of birth, death, and spontaneous fetal death records. This includes the receipt of these records from the person responsible for filing the record, checking it for accuracy and completeness, making a local copy, and forwarding the original to the State Registrar at least once a week.

(b) Issuance of certified copies of birth, death, and fetal death certificates after receiving written authorization from the State Registrar. Certified copies shall be issued only from the following documents:

(i) the original certificate;

(ii) a facsimile copy or other electronically transferred copy from the State Registrar;

(iii) the local registrar's copy of the original certificate.

All forms and procedures used to issue the copies shall be provided or approved by the State Registrar.

(c) Issuance of burial-transit and disinterment permits and other designated forms as prescribed by regulation or direction of the State Registrar.

(d) Acting as the agent of the State Registrar in their designated area and providing assistance to physicians, hospitals, funeral directors, and others in matters related to the system of vital statistics.

(3) The State Registrar, with the approval of the Department, shall determine the responsibilities and duties of each office independently.