Title 20 — Public Health and Welfare

(a) There is established in the Department of Health a Division of Vital Records which shall install, maintain, and operate the only system of vital statistics throughout this state. (b) The division shall be provided with sufficient staff, suitable offices, and other resources f…

The State Board of Health may adopt, amend, and repeal rules for the purpose of carrying out this chapter. All rules adopted under this chapter shall be reviewed by the House Committee on Public Health, Welfare, and Labor and the Senate Committee on Public Health, Welfare, and La…

(a) The Secretary of the Department of Health shall appoint the State Registrar of Vital Records. (b) (1) The state registrar shall:(A) Administer and enforce this chapter and the rules issued under this chapter and issue instructions for the efficient administration of the state…

(a) In order to promote and maintain nationwide uniformity in the system of vital statistics, the forms of certificates, reports, and records required by this chapter or by rules adopted under this chapter shall include as a minimum the items recommended by the federal agency res…

(a) (1) Every person in charge of an institution as defined in this chapter shall keep a record of personal data concerning each person admitted or confined to the institution.(2) The record shall include such information as required by the certificates of birth and death and the…

(a) Any person having knowledge of the facts shall furnish such information as he or she may possess regarding any birth, death, spontaneous fetal death, induced termination of pregnancy, marriage, divorce, or annulment upon demand of the State Registrar of Vital Records. (b) Any…

(a) To protect the integrity of vital records and vital reports, to ensure their proper use, and to ensure the efficient and proper administration of the system of vital statistics, it shall be unlawful for any person to permit inspection of or to disclose information contained i…

(1) In accordance with § 20-18-304 and the rules adopted pursuant to § 20-18-304:(1) (A) The State Registrar of Vital Records and other custodians of vital records designated by the state registrar under § 20-18-203(b)(2) shall upon receipt of written application issue a certifie…

(a) Except as provided in subsections (b) and (d) of this section, all fees for certified copies of vital records or vital reports under this chapter are listed in § 20-7-123. (b) (1) Certified copies of the records shall be furnished to veterans or their dependents without costs…

(a) A certificate, vital report, or vital record registered under this chapter may be amended only in accordance with this chapter and rules adopted by the State Board of Health to protect the integrity and accuracy of vital records and vital reports. (b) (1) A certificate, vital…

(a) To preserve vital records, the State Registrar of Vital Records may prepare typewritten, photographic, electronic, or other reproductions of original records and files in the Division of Vital Records. (b) When verified and approved by the state registrar, the reproductions s…

(a) A certificate of birth for each live birth which occurs in this state shall be filed with the Division of Vital Records of the Department of Health, or as otherwise directed by the State Registrar of Vital Records, within ten (10) days after the birth and shall be registered …

(a) When the certificate of birth of a person born in the state has not been filed within one (1) year, a delayed certificate of birth may be filed in accordance with rules of the State Board of Health. No delayed certificate shall be registered until the evidentiary requirements…

(a) If the State Registrar of Vital Records refuses to file a certificate of birth under § 20-18-401 or § 20-18-402, a petition may be filed with a court of competent jurisdiction for an order establishing a record of the date and place of the birth and the parentage of the perso…

(a) Whoever assumes the custody of a live-born infant of unknown parentage shall report on a form and in a manner prescribed by the State Registrar of Vital Records within ten (10) days to the Division of Vital Records the following information:(1) The date and city or county, or…

A.C.A. § 20-18-405Current through all legislation of the 2025 Regular Session.Arkansas Code of 1987 Annotated Official EditionCopyright © 2026 by the State of Arkansas All rights reserved

(a) The State Registrar of Vital Records shall establish a new certificate of birth for a person born in this state when he or she receives the following:(1) A certificate of adoption as provided in § 9-9-219, or a certificate of adoption prepared and filed in accordance with the…

(a) Social Security account information of parents of a child born within this state shall be furnished to the Division of Vital Records of the Department of Health at the time of filing the certificate of birth, but such information shall not appear on the certificate. (b) The D…

(1) Upon the birth of a child to a woman who was unmarried at the time of either conception or birth or between conception and birth, the person responsible under § 20-18-401 for providing birth registration information shall:(1) Provide an opportunity for the child's mother and …

(a) The hospital, birthing center, certified nurse practitioner, or licensed midwife shall make available to the Office of Child Support Enforcement of the Revenue Division of the Department of Finance and Administration completed affidavits of paternity. Such a disclosure shall …

(a) As used in this section:(1) “Certificate of birth resulting in stillbirth” means a birth certificate issued to record the birth of a stillborn child; and(2) “Stillbirth” means an unintended, intrauterine fetal death occurring in this state after a gestational age of not less …

(a) A record of each marriage performed in this state shall be filed with the Division of Vital Records and shall be registered if it has been completed and filed in accordance with this section. (b) The official who issues the marriage license shall prepare the record on the for…

(a) (1) For each divorce or annulment granted by any court in this state, a record shall be filed by the clerk of court with the Division of Vital Records and shall be registered if it has been completed and filed in accordance with this section.(2) The record shall be prepared o…

(a) (1) A death certificate for each death that occurs in this state shall be filed with the Division of Vital Records or as otherwise directed by the State Registrar of Vital Records within ten (10) days after the death or the finding of a dead body and shall be registered if th…

(a) When a death occurring in this state has not been registered within the time period prescribed by § 20-18-601, a certificate may be filed in accordance with rules promulgated by the State Board of Health. The certificates shall be registered subject to such evidentiary requir…

(a) (1) (A) (i) A fetal death, when the fetus completed twelve (12) weeks' gestation or more, calculated from the date the last normal menstrual period began to the date of delivery, that occurs in this state shall be reported within five (5) days after delivery to the Division o…

(a) The funeral director or the person acting as the funeral director who first assumes custody of a dead body shall obtain authorization for final disposition of the dead body as provided in the rules. (b) Prior to final disposition of a dead fetus, irrespective of the duration …

(1) As used in this subchapter:(1) “Child” means a person under eighteen (18) years of age for whom paternity has not been established;(2) “Court” means a court in this state or another state or territory of the United States of competent subject matter jurisdiction;(3) [Repealed…

(a) (1) There is established in the Department of Health a Putative Father Registry.(2) The purpose of the registry is to entitle putative fathers to notice of legal proceedings pertaining to the child for whom the putative father has registered.(3) A putative father shall establ…

(a) Information supplied to the Putative Father Registry may be revoked by a written statement, signed and acknowledged by the registrant before a notary public. (b) The statement shall include a declaration that, to the best of the registrant's knowledge and belief, he is not th…

(a) The Department of Health shall make available to attorneys the telephone number of the Putative Father Registry for purposes of inquiry as to a putative father's name and address contained in the registry. (b) Information contained in the registry shall be admissible in any c…

Any person who knowingly registers as a putative father pursuant to this subchapter when the registrant knows that he is not the biological father of the child shall upon conviction be guilty of a Class C misdemeanor.

(a) The General Assembly finds and declares that humane societies for the prevention of cruelty to animals organized under the laws of this state now or hereinafter in effect are public organizations necessary to protect the health, safety, and general welfare of the citizenry of…

(a) (1) As used in this section, “domesticated animals” includes without limitation sheep, goats, cattle, swine, poultry, and other livestock.(2) A person owning or having in possession or under control a dog is liable for damages to the owner or owners of a domesticated animal k…

(a) It shall be unlawful for any pound, shelter, humane organization, or animal rescue group to release any dog or cat which has not been sterilized to a new owner except as provided in subsection (b) of this section. (b) (1) In any county in the state, it shall be unlawful for a…

(a) The Department of Health shall establish a voluntary certification program for animal control officers, animal shelters, and other humane society counterparts. (b) The certification shall be based upon courses recommended by the National Animal Care and Control Association or…

This subchapter shall be known as the “Rabies Control Act”.

(1) As used in this subchapter:(1) “Animal” means any animal other than dogs or cats that may be affected by rabies;(2) “Cats” means any domestic feline animal, species Felis catus;(3) “Dogs” means any domestic canine animal, species Canis lupus familiaris;(4) “Has been bitten” m…

(a) This subchapter does not limit in any manner the power of any municipality or political subdivision to prohibit dogs, cats, or other animals from running at large whether or not they have been vaccinated against rabies as provided in this subchapter. (b) This subchapter does …

(a) (1) A person shall be guilty of a violation for:(A) Violating or aiding in or abetting the violation of any provision of this subchapter;(B) Making a misrepresentation in regard to any matter prescribed by this subchapter;(C) Resisting, obstructing, or impeding any authorized…

All dogs, cats, and other animals shall be vaccinated against rabies as required by the State Board of Health.

(a) It is unlawful for any person bitten, the family, treating physician, or veterinarian that has knowledge of a person bitten by a dog, cat, or other animal to refuse to notify the health authorities promptly. (b) It is unlawful for the owner of the dog, cat, or other animal to…

(a) (1) (A) Whenever the health authorities, county sheriff's office, or municipal police officers in cooperation with health authorities receive information that any person has been bitten by a dog, cat, or other animal that has not received a current vaccination against rabies …

Any person causing the death of an animal, either wild or domesticated, suspected of being rabid shall cause the head of the animal to be presented to a county health unit of the county in which the animal was killed.

(a) (1) The Secretary of the Department of Health shall place certain areas under a rabies quarantine upon request of proper local officials.(2) In serious situations, the secretary may place the area under quarantine without waiting for a local request. (1) The Secretary of the …

(1) Whenever the proper officials or a government unit are convinced that the situation is conducive to the spread of rabies, additional measures may be imposed by the government unit if deemed necessary to prevent the spread of rabies among dogs and other animals. The government…

The Secretary of the Department of Health or his or her official representative shall have the responsibility for carrying out the provisions of this subchapter.

(a) The State Board of Health shall adopt rules necessary to carry out this subchapter, with subsequent amendments as needed. (b) The Arkansas Board of Animal Health may adopt rules as are necessary pertaining to dogs and cats transported or moved into Arkansas for any purpose.

(1) The General Assembly finds that:(1) Wolves and wolf-dog hybrids are now present in this state but remain unregulated;(2) The Compendium of Animal Rabies Prevention and Control advises that no vaccination has been approved for use in wolves or wolf-dog hybrids;(3) However, wol…

As used in this subchapter, “wolf-dog hybrid” means any animal which is publicly acknowledged by its owner as being the offspring of a wolf and domestic dog. No animal may be judged to be a wolf or wolf-dog hybrid based strictly on its appearance.