Ariz. Admin. Code § R9-19-304 - Registration of a Death When a Medical Examiner is Notified According to A.R.S. Section 11-593(B)

A. If a medical examiner of the registration district where a deceased individual's death occurred is notified according to A.R.S. § 11-593(B), the medical examiner shall determine whether the deceased individual died under any of the circumstances described in A.RS § 11-593(A) and:

1. If the medical examiner determines that the deceased individual did not die under any of the circumstances described in A.R.S. § 11-593(A):

a. Document:

i. The medical examiner's determination that the medical examiner does not have jurisdiction according to A.R.S. § 11-593, and

ii. The name of a health care provider who had been providing current care to the deceased individual;

b. Provide, upon request, a copy of the documentation in subsection (A)(1)(a) to the State Registrar or a local registrar or deputy local registrar of the registration district where the deceased individual's death occurred; and

c. Notify the State Registrar or the local registrar or deputy local registrar of the registration district where the deceased individual's death occurred of the determination; and

2. If the medical examiner determines that the deceased individual died under any of the circumstances described in A.R.S. § 11-593(A), take charge of the deceased individual's human remains under A.R.S. § 11-594.

B. If the medical examiner of the registration district where a deceased individual's death occurred takes charge of the deceased individual's human remains under A.R.S. § 11-594, the medical examiner shall submit the medical certification of death in a Department-provided format:

1. To the State Registrar or a local registrar or deputy local registrar of the registration district where the deceased individual's death occurred according to A.R.S. § 36-325(C);

2. That includes:

a. The deceased individual's name, date of birth, and sex;

b. Any other names by which the deceased individual was known, including, if applicable, the deceased individual's last name before first marriage;

c. The date of the individual's death;

d. The place of death including:

i. Either:

(1) The name of the facility where the death occurred; or

(2) If the death did not occur in a facility, the street address at which the death occurred or, if the location at which the death occurred does not have a street address, another indicator of the location at which the death occurred;

ii. The county;

iii. The town or city; and

iv. Zip code;

e. The deceased individual's age;

f. Whether the cause or manner of death is pending investigation at the time the information is submitted;

g. If the cause and manner of death are not pending investigation, the information in R9-19-302(A)(3) and (4) and (B); and

h. If the cause or manner of death is pending investigation:

i. The word "pending" for the:

(1) Cause of death required in R9-19-302(A)(3)(c), or

(2) Manner of death required in R9-19-302(A)(3)(h);

ii. The remaining information in R9-19-302(A) 3) and (4); and

iii. The information required in R9-19-302(B); and

3. That is signed and dated by the medical examiner, attesting that, on the basis of examination or investigation, as applicable, death occurred at the time, date, and place, and due to the cause and manner stated.

C. When specifying the conditions leading to the immediate cause of death, including the underlying cause of death, a medical examiner shall use the applicable standards from the Medical Examiners' and Coroners' Handbook on Death Registration and Fetal Death Reporting, DHHS Publication No. (PHS) 2003-1110 published by the Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics, incorporated by reference, on file with the Department, and including no future editions or amendments, available through http://wwwcdc.gov/nchs/data/misc/hb_me.pdf or from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, PO Box 371954, Pittsburgh, PA 15250-7954.

D. Upon determination of the cause or manner of death, a medical examiner who had indicated, according to subsection (B)(2)(h), that the cause or manner of death was pending investigation shall submit an amendment according to R9-19-310 that includes the cause or manner of death, using the standards in subsection (C).

E. Within seven days after receiving a deceased individual's human remains from a medical examiner, a responsible person or funeral director who is responsible for the final disposition of the deceased individual's human remains shall:

1. Comply with the requirements in R9-19-303(A); and

2. Submit to the State Registrar or a local registrar or deputy local registrar of the registration district where the death occurred, and in a Department-provided format, the information specified in R9-19-302(A)(1) and (2).

F. Upon receiving information submitted according to subsections (B), (E), and, if applicable (D), the State Registrar or the local registrar of the county where a death occurred shall:

1. Review the information received;

2. Enter into a deceased individual's death record any missing information provided according to subsection (B), (E), or, if applicable (D); and

3. Within 72 hours, either:

a. Register the deceased individual's death, or

b. Notify the person submitting the information according to subsection (B) or (E), as specified in R9-19-103(C)

G. To request the registration of a delayed death record for a deceased individual, a medical examiner or a tribal law enforcement authority shall submit, in a Department-provided format, to the State Registrar or a local registrar or deputy local registrar of the registration district where the death occurred the information required in R9-19-302.

Notes

Ariz. Admin. Code § R9-19-304

Amended effective July 31, 1989 (Supp. 89-3). Section expired under A.R.S. 41-1056(E) at 11 A.A.R. 867, effective December 31, 2004 (Supp. 05-1). New Section made by final rulemaking at 12 A.A.R. 4387, effective January 6, 2007 (Supp. 06-4). Adopted by final rulemaking at 22 A.A.R. 1783, effective 10/1/2016. Amended by final expedited rulemaking at 26 A.A.R. 1534, effective 7/7/2020.