Duties of local registrars.

(1) Each local registrar is charged with the strict and thorough enforcement of the provisions of this chapter and rules adopted hereunder in his or her registration district, and shall make an immediate report to the department of any violation or apparent violation of this law or rules adopted hereunder.

(2) Each local registrar must electronically file all live birth, death, and fetal death records within their respective jurisdictions in the department’s electronic registration system. If the department’s electronic registration system is unavailable, the local registrar must file a paper record with the department.

(3) Each local registrar must make blank forms available if the department’s electronic registration system is unavailable, and must examine each paper certificate of live birth, death, or fetal death when presented for registration in order to ascertain whether it has been completed in accordance with this chapter and adopted rules. All paper birth, death, and fetal death certificates must be typewritten in permanent black ink, and a paper certificate is not complete and correct if it does not supply each item of information called for or satisfactorily account for its omission.

(4) The local registrar or his or her deputy, if authorized by the department, shall sign as registrar in attestation of the date of registration of any paper records filed, and may also make and preserve a local paper record of each birth, death, and fetal death certificate registered by him or her, in such manner as directed by the department. The local registrar shall transmit daily to the department all original paper certificates registered. If no births, deaths, or fetal deaths occurred in any month, the local registrar or deputy shall, on the 7th day of the following month, report that fact to the department on a form provided for such purpose.

(5) Each local registrar, immediately upon appointment, shall designate one or more deputy registrars to act on behalf of the local registrar.