Section 105. General Provisions: Definitions.--As used in this act, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the context clearly indicates otherwise--(Intro. par. amended Oct. 31, 2024, P.L.1140, No.137)
(1) "Department" means the State Department of Health.
(2) "Vital statistics" includes the registration, preparation, transcription, collection, compilation, analysis and preservation of data pertaining to births, adoptions, legitimations, deaths, fetal deaths, marital status and data incidental thereto.
(3) "Live birth" means the expulsion or extraction from its mother of a product of conception, irrespective of the period of gestation, which shows any evidence of life at any moment after such expulsion or extraction.
(4) "Fetal death" means the expulsion or extraction from its mother of a product of conception after sixteen (16) weeks gestation, which shows no evidence of life after such expulsion or extraction.
(5) "Dead body" means (i) a lifeless human body, or (ii) such parts of a human body as permit a reasonable inference that death has occurred.
(6) "Fetal remains" means the fetus expelled or extracted in the case of a fetal death as defined by this section.
(7) "Person in charge of interment" means any person who places or causes to be placed a dead body or fetal remains in a grave, vault or other receptacle, or otherwise disposes thereof.
(8) "Physician" means (i) a person licensed under the laws of this Commonwealth to engage as a doctor of medicine in the practice of all the branches of medicine, or (ii) a person licensed under the laws of this Commonwealth to engage in the practice of osteopathy or osteopathic surgery.
(9) "Immediate family member" means grandparents, parents, siblings, grandchildren, spouses and children. ((9) added Dec. 20, 1991, P.L.399, No.46)
(10) "Veteran" means a deceased person who qualifies for burial at a national cemetery under 38 U.S.C. (relating to veterans' benefits). ((10) added July 5, 2012, P.L.942, No.101)
(11) "Veterans' service organization" means an association, corporation or other entity that qualifies under section 501(c)(3) or (19) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (Public Law 99-514, 26 U.S.C. § 501(c)(3) or (19)) as a tax exempt organization that has been organized for the benefit of veterans and recognized or chartered by the Congress of the United States. The term includes, but is not limited to, the Disabled American Veterans, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the American Legion and the Vietnam Veterans of America. The term also includes a member or employee of an eligible nonprofit veterans' corporation, association or entity, such as the Missing In America Veteran Recovery Program, that specifically assists in facilitating the identification and interment or final disposition of unclaimed remains of American veterans. ((11) added July 5, 2012, P.L.942, No.101)
(12) "National cemetery" means any cemetery under the control of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs National Cemetery Administration. ((12) added July 5, 2012, P.L.942, No.101)
(13) "Midwife" means an individual licensed under the act of December 20, 1985 (P.L.457, No.112), known as the "Medical Practice Act of 1985." ((13) added July 20, 2026, P.L.433, No.34)