(a) The commissioner shall:

Terms Used In Tennessee Code 68-3-104

  • Commissioner: means the commissioner of health. See Tennessee Code 68-3-102
  • Department: means the department of health. See Tennessee Code 68-3-102
  • Property: includes both personal and real property. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • Registration: means the acceptance by the office of vital records and the incorporation of vital records provided for in this chapter into its official records. See Tennessee Code 68-3-102
  • State: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the several territories of the United States. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • System of vital records: includes the registration, collection, preservation, amendment, and certification of vital records, and the collection of other reports required by this chapter. See Tennessee Code 68-3-102
  • Vital records: means certificates or reports of birth, death, marriage, divorce or annulment and other records related thereto. See Tennessee Code 68-3-102
(1) Appoint a state registrar of vital records, referred to as the state registrar in this chapter, who shall be qualified in accordance with classification standards of education and experience; and
(2) In case of a vacancy in the office of state registrar, immediately appoint a successor.
(b) The state registrar:

(1) Under the supervision of the commissioner, shall act as agent of the commissioner and:

(A) Shall have charge of the office of vital records and act as the custodian of all the certificates and records received by the state registrar and perform such other duties as the commissioner may prescribe; and
(B) Shall be charged with the execution of this chapter and of the regulations of the department throughout the state and have supervisory power over the local registrars and deputy local registrars;
(2) Shall prescribe, with the approval of the department, furnish, and distribute forms required by this chapter and the rules and regulations issued under this chapter or prescribe such other means for transmission of records as will accomplish the purpose of complete and accurate registration;
(3) Shall assist in preparing and publishing reports of vital statistics of this state and other reports required by the department;
(4) May establish or designate additional offices in the state to aid in the administration of the statewide system of vital records;
(5) May delegate functions and duties vested in the state registrar to employees of the office of vital records and to employees of an office established or designated under subdivision (b)(4); and
(6) Shall provide copies of certificates or reports required under this chapter or other information derived from the certificates or reports as the state registrar shall determine are necessary to local health agencies for local health planning and program activities. The state registrar shall establish a schedule for transmittal of the copies with each local health agency. The records or other information shall remain the property of the office of vital records and the uses that may be made of the records or other information shall be governed by the state registrar. A schedule for the disposition of the certificates, reports or data provided under this section and § 68-3-103 shall be established by the state registrar.