There is hereby established in the department of health and human services an office of statistical services, which shall install, maintain, and operate a system of health statistics tabulation and analysis and a system of vital records registration throughout the state. The commissioner of the department of health and human services or designee may create within the office of statistical services such working divisions as may be necessary to comply with the provisions of this chapter and shall appoint the directors of such divisions in accordance with the merit system laws and regulations of the state of North Dakota.
23-02.1-02.1. Birth, marriage, fetal death, and death records - Transition to electronic birth registration system and electronic death registration system. 1. Beginning January 1, 2008, all new birth, fetal death, and death certificates must be filed with the state registrar and maintained as birth, fetal death, or death records. The state registrar shall issue certified copies of any birth, fetal death, or death record, or informational copies of death and marriage records, to those persons entitled to the record in accordance with this chapter. 2. A certified copy of a birth, marriage, fetal death, or death record is considered to meet the requirements of any law requiring a birth, marriage, fetal death, or death certificate. 3. All birth, marriage, fetal death, and death certificates created or issued before January 1, 2008, remain legally valid if the certificate was valid under prior law. 4. Any reference to a birth, marriage, fetal death, and death record includes any birth, marriage, fetal death, and death certificate issued before January 1, 2008. 5. Amendments to birth records issued before 2006 and fetal death or death records issued before 2008 must be made according to the procedures and processes used at the time the original record was created.
23-02.1-03. Director of the office of statistical services and associative duties, state and deputy state registrars. The commissioner of the department of health and human services or designee shall appoint a director of the office of statistical services, in accordance with the merit system laws and regulations of the state of North Dakota, who must be the ex officio state registrar of vital statistics. The deputy state registrar of vital statistics must also be appointed by the commissioner of the department of health and human services or designee. The director of the office of statistical services shall administer and enforce this chapter and the rules and
regulations issued hereunder, and issue instructions for the efficient administration of a statewide system of health statistics tabulation and analysis and a statewide system of vital records registration. The director of the office of statistical services may delegate such functions and duties vested in the director to the officers and employees of the office of statistical services as the director deems necessary and expedient.