Chap. 145.—An ACT to amend and re-enact section 1579, 1581 and 1582 of the
Code of Virginia, section 1581 as amended by acts 1924, pave 499, relating
to vital statistics. [S B 31]

Approved March 10, 1928

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That sections
hiteen hundred and seventy-nine, fifteen hundred and eighty-one and
hfteen hundred and eighty-two of the Code of Virginia, section fifteen
hundred and eighty-one as amended by acts nineteen hundred and
twenty-four, page four hundred and ninety-nine, be amended and
re-enacted so as to read as follows:

Section 1579, Each local registrar shall be paid the sum of twenty-
hve cents for each birth certificate and each death certificate properly
made out and registered with him, correctly recorded and promptly
returned by him to the State registrar, as required by this chapter,
and in case no birth or deaths were registered during any month, the
local registrar shall be entitled to be paid the sum of twenty-five cents
for a report to that effect, but only if properly made, in accordance
with this chapter.

All amounts payable to a registrar under the provisions of this
section shall be paid by the treasurer of the city, town or county in
which the registration district is located, upon certification by the
State registrar. The State registrar shall annually certify to the
treasurers of the several cities, towns and counties the number of
births and deaths properly registered, with the names of the local
registrars and the amounts due each at the rate fixed herein; but the
council of any city may by ordinance, in heu of fees, provide for the
compensation of the local registrar for such city by salary. The fees
or salaries now paid the principal executive ofticer of the local board
of health of any city or town, who shall become the local registrar of
such city or town under the provisions of this chapter, may be, in
lieu of all compensation or fees as herein provided. Payment may
be made by fees as in the counties.

Section 1581. (1) Any physician who was in medical attendance
upon any deceased person at the time of death who shall wilfully
neglect or refuse to make out and deliver to the undertaker, sexton, or
other person in charge of the interment, removal, or other disposition
of the body, upon request, the medical certificate of the cause of death,
hereinbefore provided for, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor,
and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not less than five dollars
nor more than fifty dollars. If any physician shall knowirigly make
a false certification of the cause of death, in any case, he shall be
deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction thereof shall be
fined not less than fifty dollars nor more than two hundred dollars.

(2) Any physician or midwife, in attendance upon a case of con-
finement, or any other person charged with responsibility for report-
ing births, in the order named in sect’on fifteen hundred and seventy-
three, who shall wilfully neglect or refuse to file a proper certificate of
birth with the local registrar, within the time required by this chapter,
shall: be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof,
shall be fined not less than one dollar nor more thart ten dollars.

(3) Any undertaker, sexton or other person acting as undertaker,
who shall inter, remove or otherwise dispose of the body of a deceased
person, without having received a burial or removal permit as herein
provided, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon con-
viction thereof shall be fined not less than five dollars nor more than
one hundred dollars.

(4) Any registrar, deputy registrar or sub-registrar who shall
wilfully neglect or fail to enforce the provisions of this chapter in his
district, or who shall wilfully neglect or refuse to perform any of the
duties imposed upon him by this chapter, or by the instructions and
directions of the State registrar, shall be deemed guilty of a mis-
demeanor, and upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not less than
one dollar nor more than ten dollars.

(5) Any person who shall wilfully alter any certificate of birth or
death, or the copy of any certificate of birth or death, on file in the
office of the local or State registrar shall be deemed guilty of a mis-
demeanor, and upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not less than
ten dollars nor more than one hundred dollars, or be imprisoned in
the county jail not exceeding sixty days, or both in the discretion of
the court.

(6) Any other person or persons who shall wilfully violate any
of the provisions of this chapter, or who shall wilfully neglect or
refuse to perform any duties imposed upon them by the provisions of
this chapter, or shall furnish false information to a physician, under-
taker, midwife, or informant.. for the purpose of making incorrect
certification of births or deaths, shall be deemed guilty of a misde-
meanor, and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not less than five
dollars nor more than one hundred dollars.
Section 1582. Each local registrar is charged with the strict and
thorough enforcement of the provisions of this chapter in his regis-
tration district, under the supervision and direction of the State regis-
trar. He shall make an immediate report to the State registrar of any
violation of this law coming to his notice, by observation or upon com-
plaint of any person, or otherwise. The State registrar is charged
with the thorough and efficient execution of the provisions of this
chapter in every part of the State, and with supervisory power over
local registrars, to the end that all its requirements shall be uniformly
complied with. He shall have authority to investigate cases of irreg-
ularity or violation of law personally, or by an accredited representa-
tive, and all registrars shall aid him, upon request, in such investiga-
tions. When he shall deem it necessary, he shall report cases of viola-
tion of any of the provisions of this chapter to the Commonwealth’s
attorney of the county or city, with a statement of the facts and cir-
cumstances; and when any such case is reported to him by the State
registrar, the Commonwealth’s attorney shall forthwith initiate and
promptly follow up the necessary court proceedings against the person
responsible for the alleged violation of the law.