2020 Indiana Code
Title 16. Health
Article 37. Vital Statistics
Chapter 1. General Provisions
16-37-1-3.1-b. Indiana Birth Registration and Indiana Death Registration Systems Established; Submission of Records

     Note: This version of section effective 1-1-2021. See also preceding version of this section, effective until 1-1-2021.

Sec. 3.1. (a) The state department shall establish the Indiana birth registration system (IBRS) for recording in an electronic format live births in Indiana.

(b) The state department shall establish the Indiana death registration system (IDRS) for recording in an electronic format deaths in Indiana.

(c) Submission of records on births and deaths shall be entered by:

(1) funeral directors;

(2) physicians;

(3) coroners;

(4) medical examiners;

(5) persons in attendance at birth;

(6) local health departments; and

(7) for purposes of records on death:

(A) physician assistants; or

(B) advanced practice registered nurses;

using the electronic system created by the state department under this section.

(d) A person in attendance at a live birth shall report a birth to the local health officer in accordance with IC 16-37-2-2.

(e) Except as provided in subsection (f), death records shall be submitted as follows, using the Indiana death registration system:

(1) The:

(A) physician last in attendance upon the deceased;

(B) physician assistant last in attendance upon the deceased;

(C) advanced practice registered nurse last in attendance upon the deceased; or

(D) person in charge of interment;

shall initiate the document process. If the person in charge of interment initiates the process, the person in charge of interment shall electronically submit the certificate required under IC 16-37-3-5 to the physician, the physician assistant, or the advanced practice registered nurse last in attendance upon the deceased not later than five (5) days after the death.

(2) The physician, the physician assistant, or the advanced practice registered nurse last in attendance upon the deceased shall electronically certify to the local health department the cause of death on the certificate of death not later than five (5) days after:

(A) initiating the document process; or

(B) receiving under IC 16-37-3-5 the electronic notification from the person in charge of interment.

(3) The local health officer shall submit the reports required under IC 16-37-1-5 to the state department not later than five (5) days after electronically receiving under IC 16-37-3-5 the completed certificate of death from the physician, the physician assistant, or the advanced practice registered nurse last in attendance.

(f) If the IBRS or IDRS is unavailable for more than forty-eight (48) hours, the state registrar may issue a notice permitting the filing of a paper record of a live birth, a death, or both, subject to the following:

(1) The notice issued by the state registrar must contain a time frame for which the notice is in effect and when the notice expires. However, the notice automatically expires if the state department notifies the local health officers that the IBRS or IDRS is available, the notice has expired, and that all future submissions must use the IBRS or IDRS.

(2) Paper records may not be accepted by the local health department or the state department of health on the earlier of the following:

(A) The expiration date listed in the notice or the expiration listed in a renewal notice described in subdivision (3).

(B) The state department notifies the local health officers when the IBRS or IDRS becomes available.

(3) The notice may be renewed by the state registrar until the IBRS or IDRS becomes available.

(4) Once the IBRS or IDRS becomes available, the local health officer shall enter the information contained in the paper record into the IBRS or IDRS.

As added by P.L.61-2009, SEC.5. Amended by P.L.156-2011, SEC.33; P.L.138-2019, SEC.4; P.L.131-2020, SEC.3.