Okla. Stat. tit. 63, § 63-6502: Safe disposal of human remains – Powers of public health

authority – Identification and written record.

A. The public health authority may exercise, for such period as

the state of catastrophic health emergency exists, the following

powers regarding the safe disposal of human remains:

1. To adopt and enforce measures to provide for the safe

disposal of human remains as may be reasonable and necessary to

respond to the catastrophic health emergency. Such measures may

include, but are not limited to, the embalming, burial, cremation,

interment, disinterment, transportation, and disposal of human

remains;

2. To take possession or control of any human remains; and

3. To order the disposal of any human remains of a person who

has died of a transmissible disease through burial or cremation

within twenty-four (24) hours after death. To the extent possible,

religious, cultural, family, and individual beliefs of the deceased

person or the family of the deceased person shall be considered when

disposing of any human remains.

B. Any human remains prior to disposal shall be clearly labeled

with all available information to identify the decedent and the

circumstances of death. Any human remains of a deceased person with

a transmissible disease shall have an external, clearly visible tag

indicating that the human remains are infected and, if known, the

transmissible disease.

C. Every person in charge of disposing of any human remains

during a catastrophic health emergency shall maintain a written or

electronic record of the human remains and all available information

to identify the decedent and the circumstances of death and

disposal. If human remains cannot be identified prior to disposal,

a qualified person shall, to the extent possible, take fingerprints

and photographs of the human remains, obtain identifying dental

information, and collect a DNA specimen. All information gathered

under this subsection shall be promptly forwarded to the public

health authority.