Rhode Island § 23-3-5 § 23-3-5. Duties of state registrar of vital records.

Rhode Island Statutes

§ 23-3-5 — § 23-3-5. Duties of state registrar of vital records.

Rhode Island § 23-3-5

Title 23Health and Safety

Ch. 23-3Vital Records

This text of Rhode Island § 23-3-5 (§ 23-3-5. Duties of state registrar of vital records.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Rhode Island primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook

R.I. Gen. Laws § 23-3-5 (2026).

Text

§ 23-3-5. Duties of state registrar of vital records.
(a) The state registrar of vital records shall:
         
(1) Administer and enforce this chapter and the rules and regulations issued under this
            chapter, and issue instructions for the efficient administration of the statewide
            system of vital records.
         
(2) Direct and supervise the statewide system of vital records and the division of vital
            records and be custodian of its records.
         
(3) Direct, supervise, and control the activities of local registrars and the activities
            of town and

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§ 23-3-5. Duties of state registrar of vital records.

(a) The state registrar of vital records shall:

(1) Administer and enforce this chapter and the rules and regulations issued under this chapter, and issue instructions for the efficient administration of the statewide system of vital records.

(2) Direct and supervise the statewide system of vital records and the division of vital records and be custodian of its records.

(3) Direct, supervise, and control the activities of local registrars and the activities of town and city clerks related to the operation of the vital records system.

(4) Prescribe, with approval of the state director of health, and distribute any forms that are required by this chapter and the rules and regulations issued under this chapter.

(5) Prepare and publish annual reports of vital records of this state and any other reports that may be required by the state director of health.

(6) Electronically transmit to the office of the secretary of state, on a monthly basis, a list of any reported deaths of a person or persons eighteen (18) years of age or older, and maintain a list of those deceased persons.

(7) Provide a copy on alkaline paper or an electronic record of each certificate of birth, death, and marriage to the city or town clerk before the tenth (10th) day of the month after the certificate is received by the division of vital records as authorized by regulations.

(8)(i) Flag birth certificates of missing children and perform all other acts and duties required to be performed by him or her pursuant to chapter 28.8 of title 42.

(ii) Upon receipt of information pursuant to § 42-28.8-3, provide the local registrars of the several cities and towns with that information.

(9) Direct, supervise, and control the transition from a paper-based system to an electronic system.

(b) The state registrar of vital records, with the approval of the director of health, may appoint a deputy state registrar and may delegate any functions and duties vested in him or her to employees of the division of vital records and to local registrars that he or she deems necessary or expedient.

Legislative History

G.L. 1896, ch. 100, § 2; G.L. 1909, ch. 121, § 2; P.L. 1915, ch. 1239, § 1; G.L. 1923, ch. 166, § 2; P.L. 1923, ch. 436, § 1; P.L. 1929, ch. 1432, § 13; P.L. 1935, ch. 2250, § 110; G.L. 1938, ch. 268, §§ 2, 25; impl. am. P.L. 1939, ch. 660, §§ 65, 180; P.L. 1942, ch. 1191, § 1; G.L. 1956, §§ 23-3-38, 23-3-41; G.L. 1956, § 23-3-5; P.L. 1961, ch. 87, § 1; P.L. 1978, ch. 191, § 2; P.L. 1982, ch. 385, § 1; P.L. 1986, ch. 252, § 3; P.L. 1991, ch. 209, § 1; P.L. 1993, ch. 132, § 1; P.L. 1996, ch. 404, § 26; P.L. 2000, ch. 164, § 1; P.L. 2008, ch. 164, § 2; P.L. 2008, ch. 177, § 2.