§45-9-171. Issuance of death certificates.

(a) In Chambers County any county health officer or administrator is hereby authorized to issue an official death certificate in any case within the county, except where an autopsy is required. Data obtained from the attending physician or funeral director shall be kept on file for one year following the death for the purpose of issuing such death certificate. Such certificate shall be in all particulars the same as those issued by the State Department of Public Health in any court or for insurance purposes. Nothing in this section shall affect any existing duty of any person to gather and transmit data to the local registrar or to the State Health Department.

(b) The county health office shall not later than 10 days from the date of death, make such official death certificate available to the surviving spouse or next or kin of the deceased at a fee not greater than that charged by the State Health Department for the same service. The county health officer shall cause a complete and correct account to be kept of all fees received by him or her under this section and shall pay the proceeds from the fees into the Chambers County general fund. Any officer failing to comply with this subsection is guilty of a Class C misdemeanor under general law, and punishable as provided therefor.

(Act 84-417, p. 998, §§1, 2.)