Title 22, Title 22

An adopted person, the adopted person's attorney or, if the adopted person is deceased, the adopted person's descendants may obtain a copy of that person's original certificate of birth from the State Registrar of Vital Statistics, referred to in this section as "the state regist…

The State Registrar of Vital Statistics shall provide upon request each birth parent a contact preference form and a medical history form as described in this section. [PL 2007, c. 409, §5 (NEW); PL 2007, c. 409, §6 (AFF).] 1. Definitions. As used in this section, unless the cont…

The clerk of the Superior Court in each county and the clerk of the District Court in each judicial division shall file with the State Registrar of Vital Statistics a record of each divorce judgment or annulment issued in the clerk's jurisdiction within 45 days after judgment. [R…

The Registrar of Vital Statistics shall prepare and keep an alphabetical index, by the names of both parties, of all annulments and divorces reported. When requested, the registrar shall cause a search to be made of the files for the record of any divorce or annulment and shall f…

1. New marriage certificate. Upon receipt of an application that meets the requirements established by the department by rule, the State Registrar of Vital Statistics shall issue a new marriage certificate of a person married in this State to reflect a change of gender of the per…

An individual who has sustained either (1) irreversible cessation of circulatory and respiratory functions, or (2) irreversible cessation of all functions of the entire brain, including the brain stem, is dead. A determination of death must be made in accordance with accepted med…

This Act shall be applied and construed to effectuate its general purpose to make uniform the law with respect to the subject of this Act among states enacting it.

This Act may be cited as the Uniform Determination of Death Act.

Except as authorized by the department or as required under section 1596, a certificate of each death of a fetus of 20 or more weeks of gestation that occurs in this State must be filed with the State Registrar of Vital Statistics or the clerk of the municipality where the delive…

As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms have the following meanings. [PL 2023, c. 676, §9 (NEW).] 1. Natural organic reduction. "Natural organic reduction" means the contained accelerated conversion of human remains to soil. 2. Natural…

Except as authorized by the department, a certificate of each death that occurs in this State must be filed with the State Registrar of Vital Statistics or clerk of the municipality where death occurred within a reasonable period of time, as specified by department rule, after th…

The department shall promulgate rules providing for notification to funeral directors or other authorized agents in charge of the disposition of dead human bodies in cases when the body has been diagnosed as having a communicable disease. [PL 1987, c. 811, §20 (NEW).] Notificatio…

1. Transfer of remains. Except as provided in subsections 2 and 3, a person or entity who possesses any human remains identified as Native American human remains shall transfer the remains to the intertribal repatriation organization that is appointed by the Passamaquoddy Tribe, …

Except as authorized by the department, a dead human body may not be buried, cremated, subjected to natural organic reduction or otherwise disposed of or removed from the State until a funeral director or other authorized person in charge of the disposition of the dead human body…

1. Definitions. As used in this section, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms have the following meanings. A. "At-need funeral arrangements" means funeral arrangements made after death. [PL 1993, c. 609, §1 (NEW).] B. "Custody and control" means the right t…

The State Registrar of Vital Statistics or municipal clerk may appoint one or more suitable and proper persons in a municipality as subregistrars, who are authorized to issue permits for transportation and final disposition of dead human bodies in the same manner as is required o…

A death certificate required to be filed under this chapter by an authorized person as described in section 2846 must be typewritten or legibly hand printed prior to such filing.

For the purposes of this chapter, "authorized person," in the context of responsibility for obtaining or filing a permit or certificate, means a member of the immediate family of the deceased, the domestic partner of the deceased, a person authorized in writing by a member of the…

A person authorized to complete or file a certificate of death pursuant to section 2842 shall use the electronic death registration system maintained by the State Registrar of Vital Statistics. This section does not apply to an authorized person under section 2846. The State Regi…

When a death is presumed to have occurred in the State but the body has not been located, the State Registrar of Vital Statistics shall register a death in accordance with this section upon receipt of a certified copy of an order of a court issued in accordance with Title 18‑C, s…

If any resident of the State requests or consents that after death the resident's body may be delivered to a regular physician or surgeon for the advancement of anatomical science, it may be used for that purpose, unless some kindred or family connection makes objection.

The professors of anatomy, the professors of surgery and the demonstrators of anatomy in the medical schools of the State which are now or may hereafter become incorporated by Act of the Legislature shall be and are constituted a board for the collection, distribution and deliver…

All public officers, agents and servants of any and every county and municipality, and of any and every almshouse, prison, morgue, hospital or any other public institution having charge or control over dead human bodies required to be buried at the public expense are required to …

The board or its duly authorized agent may take and receive such bodies, so delivered, and shall upon receiving them after 7 days from the date of decease distribute and deliver them to or among the schools, physicians and surgeons in the following manner: Those schools needing b…

The board established pursuant to section 2882 may employ a carrier or carriers for the conveyance of bodies, and the bodies must be well enclosed within a suitable encasement and carefully deposited free from public observation. The carrier shall obtain receipts by name or, if t…

A school, college, university, recognized medical school in New England or physician or surgeon may not receive a body until a bond is given to the Treasurer of State by the physician or surgeon, or by and in behalf of the school, college, university or recognized medical school …

Neither the State nor any county or municipality, nor any officer, agent or servant thereof shall be at any expense by reason of the delivery or distribution of any such body, but all the expenses thereof, and of said board of distribution, shall be paid by those receiving the bo…

Any person having duties enjoined upon the person by this chapter who neglects, refuses or omits to perform a duty required by this chapter must, on conviction thereof, be punished by a fine of not less than $100 nor more than $500, for each offense.

1. Definitions. As used in this section, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms have the following meanings. A. "National cemetery" means a cemetery under the control of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, National Cemetery Administration. [PL 2…

1. Definitions. As used in this section, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms have the following meanings. A. "Natural organic reduction" has the same meaning as in section 2841‑A, subsection 1. [PL 2023, c. 676, §19 (NEW).] B. "Natural organic reduction fa…

This chapter may be known and cited as "the Revised Uniform Anatomical Gift Act."

As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms have the following meanings. [PL 2007, c. 601, §2 (NEW).] 1. Agent. "Agent" means an individual: A. Authorized to make health care decisions on the principal's behalf by a power of attorney for h…

This chapter applies to an anatomical gift or amendment to, revocation of or refusal to make an anatomical gift, whenever made.

Subject to section 2948, an anatomical gift of a donor's body or part may be made during the life of the donor for the purpose of transplantation, therapy, research or education in the manner provided in section 2945 by: [PL 2007, c. 601, §2 (NEW).] 1. Donor. The donor, if the do…

1. Donor. A donor may make an anatomical gift: A. By authorizing inclusion in the donor registry; [PL 2007, c. 601, §2 (NEW).] B. In a will; or [PL 2007, c. 601, §2 (NEW).] C. During a terminal illness or injury of the donor, by any form of communication addressed to at least 2 o…

1. Donor or authorized person. Subject to section 2948, a donor or other person authorized to make an anatomical gift under section 2944 may amend or revoke an anatomical gift by: A. A record signed by: (1) The donor; (2) The other person; or (3) Subject to subsection 2, another …

1. Refusal of individual. An individual may refuse to make an anatomical gift of the individual's body or part by: A. A record signed by: (1) The individual; or (2) Subject to subsection 2, another individual acting at the direction of the individual if the individual is physical…

1. Person other than donor barred. Except as otherwise provided in subsection 7, in the absence of an express, contrary indication by the donor, a person other than the donor is barred from making, amending or revoking an anatomical gift of a donor's body or a part if the donor m…

1. Gift by members of class; priority. Subject to subsections 2 and 3 and unless barred by subsection 4, an anatomical gift of a decedent's body or part for purposes of transplantation, therapy, research or education may be made, in the order of priority listed, by any member of …

1. Authorized person: document; oral communication. A person authorized to make an anatomical gift under section 2949 may make an anatomical gift by a document of gift signed by the person making the gift or that person's oral communication that is electronically recorded or is c…

1. Named recipient. An anatomical gift of a body or part may be made to the following persons: A. A named hospital, accredited medical school, dental school, college, university or organ procurement organization or other appropriate person for research or education; [PL 2007, c. …

1. Persons to conduct reasonable search. The following persons shall make a reasonable search of an individual who the searcher reasonably believes is dead or near death for a document of gift or other information identifying the individual as a donor or as an individual who made…

1. Delivery during lifetime not required. A document of gift need not be delivered during the donor's lifetime to be effective. 2. Examination and copying. Upon or after an individual's death, a person in possession of a document of gift or a refusal to make an anatomical gift wi…

1. Reasonable search of registry and records. When a hospital refers an individual at or near death to a procurement organization, the organization shall make a reasonable search of any donor registry and records of the Secretary of State that it knows exist for the geographical …

Each hospital in this State, after consultation with procurement organizations, shall establish agreements or affiliations for coordination of procurement and use of human bodies and parts.

1. In accordance with chapter. A person that acts in accordance with this chapter or with the applicable anatomical gift law of another state or attempts in good faith to do so is not liable for the act in a civil action, criminal prosecution or administrative proceeding. 2. No l…