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SENATE FLOOR VERSION
April 5, 2021
ENGROSSED HOUSE
BILL NO. 2009 By: Townley, West (Josh) and
Bell of the House
and
Coleman of the Senate
An Act relating to public health; amending 63 O.S.
2011, Section 1-317, as last amended by Sect ion 2,
Chapter 305, O.S.L. 2019 (63 O.S. Supp. 2020, Section
1-317), which relates to death certificates;
authorizing an advanced practice registered nurse to
sign a death certificate; and providing an effective
date.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPL E OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 63 O.S. 2011, Section 1 -317, as
last amended by Section 2, Chapter 305, O.S.L. 2019 (63 O.S. Supp.
2020, Section 1-317), is amended to read as follows:
Section 1-317. A. A death certificate for each death which
occurs in this state shall be filed with the State Department of
Health, within three (3) days after such death.
B. The funeral director shall personally sign the death
certificate and shall be responsible for filing the d eath
certificate. If the funeral director is not available, the person
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acting as such who first assumes custody of a dead body in
accordance with Section 1158 of Title 21 of the Oklahoma Statutes
shall personally sign and file the death certificate. The personal
data shall be obtained from the next of kin or the best qualifie d
person or source available. The certificate shall be completed as
to personal data and delivered to the attending physician or the
medical examiner responsible for completing the m edical
certification portion of the certificate of death within twenty -four
(24) hours after the death. No later than July 1, 2012, the
personal data, and no later than July 1, 2017, the medical
certificate portion, shall be entered into the prescribed el ectronic
system provided by the State Registrar of Vital Statistics and t he
information submitted to the State Registrar of Vital Statistics.
The resultant certificate produced by the electronic system shall be
provided to the physician or medical examine r for medical
certification within twenty -four (24) hours after the death .
C. The medical certification shall be completed and signed
within forty-eight (48) hours after death by the physician or
advanced practice registered nurse in charge of the patient 's care
for the illness or condition which resulted in death, except when
inquiry as to the cause of death is required by Section 938 of this
title. No later than July 1, 2017, the medical certification
portion of certificate data shall be entered into th e prescribed
electronic system provided by the State Registrar of Vital
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Statistics and the information submitted to the State Registrar of
Vital Statistics.
D. In the event that the physician or advanced practice
registered nurse in charge of the patient' s care for the illness or
condition which resulted in death is not in att endance at the time
of death, the medical certification shall be completed and signed
within forty-eight (48) hours after death by the physician or
advanced practice registered nurse in attendance at the time of
death, except:
1. When the patient is under hospice care at the time of death,
the medical certification may be signed by the hospice's medical
director; and
2. When inquiry as to the cause of death is required by Section
938 of this title.
Provided, that such certification, if signed by other tha n the
attending physician or advanced practice registered nurse , shall
note on the face the name of the attending physician or advanced
practice registered nurse and that the informat ion shown is only as
reported.
E. A certifier completing cause of death on a certificate of
death who knows that a lethal drug, overdose or other means of
assisting suicide within the meaning of Sections 3141.2 through
3141.4 of this title caused or contr ibuted to the death shall list
that means among the chain of events under cause of death or list it
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in the box that describes how the injury occurred. If such means is
in the chain of events under cause of death or in the box that
describes how the injury occurred, the certifier shall indicate
"suicide" as the manner of death.
SECTION 2. This act shall become effective November 1, 2021.
COMMITTEE REPORT BY: COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
April 5, 2021 - DO PASS