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STATE OF OKLAHOMA
2nd Session of the 58th Legislature (2022)
HOUSE BILL 3366 By: Roberts (Eric)
AS INTRODUCED
An Act relating to public health and safety; amending
63 O.S. 2021, Section 1 -317, which relates to death
certificates; requiring certain information be
included on death certificates; and declaring an
emergency.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 63 O.S. 2021, Section 1 -317, is
amended to read as follows :
Section 1-317. A. A death certific ate 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 si gn the death
certificate and shall be responsible for filing the death
certificate. If the funeral director is not available, the person
acting as such who first assumes custody of a dead body in
accordance with Section 1158 of Title 21 of the Oklahoma St atutes
shall personally sign and file the death certificate. The personal
data shall be obtained from the next of kin or the best qualified
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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 medical
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 me dical
certificate portion, shall be entered into the prescribed electronic
system provided by the State Registrar of Vital Statistics and the
information submitted to the State Registrar of Vital Statistics.
The resultant certificate produced by the elect ronic system shall be
provided to the physician or medical examiner for me dical
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 physic ian 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 the prescr ibed
electronic system provided by the State Registrar of Vital
Statistics and the information submitted to the State Registrar of
Vital Statistics.
D. In the event that the physici an or advanced practi ce
registered nurse in charge of the patient 's care for the illness or
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condition which resulted in death is not in attendance at the time
of death, the medical certification shall be completed and signed
within forty-eight (48) hours after death by the phy sician or
advanced practice registered nurse in atten dance 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 than the
attending physician or advanced practice registered nurse, shall
note on the face the name of the attending phy sician or advanced
practice registered nurse and that the information show n 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 meani ng of Sections 3141.2 through
3141.4 of this title caused or contributed t o the death shall list
that means among the chain of events under cause of death or list it
in the box that describes how the injury occurred. If such means is
in the chain of event s under cause of deat h or in the box that
describes how the injury occurre d, the certifier shall indicate
"suicide" as the manner of death.
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F. In addition to any other requirements provided by law, all
death certificates shall include the last f our digits of the
decedent's Social Security number and driver license number or state
identification card number, if available.
SECTION 2. It being immediately necessary for the preservation
of the public peace, health or safety, an emergency is hereby
declared to exist, by reason wh ereof this act shall take effect a nd
be in full force from and after its passage an d approval.
58-2-8712 LRB 12/07/21