As used in the Vital Statistics Act:

A. "vital statistics" means the data derived from certificates and reports of birth, death, spontaneous fetal death and induced abortion and related reports;

B. "system of vital statistics" includes the registration, collection, preservation, amendment and certification of vital records and related activities, including the tabulation, analysis and publication of statistical data derived from these records;

C. "filing" means the presentation of a certificate, report or other record of a birth, death, spontaneous fetal death or adoption for registration by the bureau;

D. "registration" means the acceptance by the bureau and the incorporation in its official records of certificates, reports or other records provided for in the Vital Statistics Act of births, deaths, spontaneous fetal deaths, adoptions and legitimations;

E. "live birth" means the complete expulsion or extraction from its mother of a product of human conception, irrespective of the duration of pregnancy, which after the expulsion or extraction breathes or shows any other evidence of life such as beating of the heart, pulsation of the umbilical cord or definite movement of voluntary muscles, whether or not the umbilical cord has been cut or the placenta is attached;

F. "spontaneous fetal death" means death prior to the complete expulsion or extraction from its mother of a product of human conception, irrespective of the duration of pregnancy, results in other than a live birth and that is not an induced abortion; and death is indicated by the fact that, after the expulsion or extraction, the fetus does not breathe or show any other evidence of life, such as beating of the heart, pulsation of the umbilical cord or definite movement of voluntary muscles;

G. "dead body" means a human body, or parts of such body or bones thereof other than skeletal remains that can be classified as artifacts, dead within the meaning of Section 12-2-4 NMSA 1978;

H. "final disposition" means the burial, interment, cremation, entombment, pulverization or other authorized disposition of a dead body or fetus;

I. "department" means the department of health;

J. "court" means a court of competent jurisdiction;

K. "state registrar" means the designated employee of the bureau;

L. "vital records" means certificates of birth and death;

M. "induced abortion" means the purposeful interruption of pregnancy with the intention other than to produce a live-born infant;

N. "physician" means a person authorized or licensed to practice medicine or osteopathy pursuant to the laws of this state;

O. "institution" means any establishment, public or private:

(1) that provides in-patient medical, surgical or diagnostic care or treatment;

(2) that provides nursing, custodial or domiciliary care; or

(3) to which persons are committed by law; and

P. "bureau" means the vital records and health statistics bureau of the department.

History: 1953 Comp., § 12-4-24, enacted by Laws 1961, ch. 44, § 2; 1973, ch. 264, § 1; 1977, ch. 206, § 1; 1977, ch. 253, § 26; 1981, ch. 309, § 1; 2009, ch. 215, § 10.

Cross references. — For department of health, see 9-7-4 NMSA 1978.

The 2009 amendment, effective January 1, 2010, in Subsection I, changed "health and environment department" to "department of health"; in Subsection K, changed "health division of the health and environment" to "bureau"; and added Subsection P.