Arizona Legislative Changes
to Vital Records Laws
NAPHSIS – Cincinnati – June, 7 2005
Arizona Legislative Changes
to Vital Records Laws
• The Arizona Legislature struck and
replaced all of the state’s vital records
statutes in 2004.
• The new statutes went into effect in
August of 2004.
• This resulted in many significant
changes for Arizona Vital Records.
Arizona Legislative Changes
to Vital Records Laws
• Differentiates between a “System of
Vital Records,” and a “System of Public
Health Statistics.”
• The State Registrar may Appoint,
Direct, Supervise and Remove Local
Registrars and Deputy Local Registrars.
Arizona Legislative Changes
to Vital Records Laws
• Requires local registrars to “Administer
and Enforce” the statutes and rules.
• Does away with “Class A” and “Class B”
Registration Districts.
• Permits Vital Records to conduct on-site
inspections of records to assure
accuracy.
Arizona Legislative Changes
to Vital Records Laws
• Requires a Medical Examiner to
complete the cause-of-death within 72
hours or enter “Pending” and sign the
death certificate.
• Requires a funeral director to file a
completed death certificate with the
local registrar or state registrar within 7
days of the date he takes possession of
the remains.
Arizona Legislative Changes
to Vital Records Laws
• Does away with late death registration.
• Nurse Practitioners can now sign death
certificates certifying cause-of-death.
• Allows for removal of remains and
transport across county lines without a
permit.
Arizona Legislative Changes
to Vital Records Laws
• Foreign Presumptive Death §36-328
“The state registrar shall create and
register a death certificate for a foreign
presumptive death if the state registrar
receives a court order issued in this
state of a presumptive death of a
resident of this state in a foreign
country.”
Arizona Legislative Changes
to Vital Records Laws
• Physical signatures are no longer
required on death certificates.
• Allows for electronic signatures.
• Allows for a new electronic death
registry
Arizona Legislative Changes
to Vital Records Laws
• (Positive +) Allows for the drafting of
new rules governing our processes.
• (Negative -) Rules process can take up
to two years.
Arizona Legislative Changes
to Vital Records Laws
- New Electronic Systems –
• False start, RFP with no requirements.
• Three consultants reviewed all of our
processes and developed and
documented requirements definitions.
• New RFP hit the streets May 18.
Arizona Legislative Changes
to Vital Records Laws
• Bids due by June 30.
• Hope to award a contract by late August
or early September.
• Roll out the new systems sometime in
2006.