§ 20-18-304 - Disclosure of information prohibited -- Exceptions. - Arkansas Statutes

20-18-304. Disclosure of information prohibited -- Exceptions.

(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 in vital records or vital reports or to copy or issue a copy of all or part of any record or report except as authorized by this chapter and by regulation or by order of a court of competent jurisdiction.

(b) (1) The State Board of Health may authorize by regulation the disclosure of information contained in vital records for research purposes.

(2) The regulations shall provide for adequate standards of security and confidentiality of vital records and vital reports.

(3) (A) Disclosure of information which may identify any person or institution named in any vital record or vital report may be made only pursuant to regulations which require submission of written requests for information by researchers and execution of agreements that protect the confidentiality of the information provided.

(B) The agreements shall prohibit the release by the researcher of any information that might identify any person or institution other than releases that may be provided for in the agreement.

(4) Nothing in this section prohibits the release of information or data which would not identify any person or institution named in a vital record or vital report.

(c) (1) Appeals from decisions of custodians of vital records or vital reports designated under 20-18-203(b) who refuse to disclose information from records or reports as prescribed by this section and the regulations issued under this section shall be made to the State Registrar of Vital Records, whose decision shall be binding upon such custodians.

(2) Within three (3) working days of the receipt of an appeal of a decision of a custodian of a vital record or vital report designated under 20-18-203(b), the state registrar shall issue a decision on the appeal.

(d) (1) The state registrar shall send to the county assessor of each county within this state a monthly report listing the residents of that county who have died.

(2) The report shall be sent to each county assessor by:

(A) Electronic mail;

(B) Facsimile; or

(C) The United States Postal Service.