{"data":{"id":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-63-63-6502","jurisdiction":"us-ok","citation":"Okla. Stat. tit. 63, § 63-6502","heading":"Safe disposal of human remains – Powers of public health","body":"authority – Identification and written record.\n\nA. The public health authority may exercise, for such period as\n\nthe state of catastrophic health emergency exists, the following\n\npowers regarding the safe disposal of human remains:\n\n1. To adopt and enforce measures to provide for the safe\n\ndisposal of human remains as may be reasonable and necessary to\n\nrespond to the catastrophic health emergency. Such measures may\n\ninclude, but are not limited to, the embalming, burial, cremation,\n\ninterment, disinterment, transportation, and disposal of human\n\nremains;\n\n2. To take possession or control of any human remains; and\n\n3. To order the disposal of any human remains of a person who\n\nhas died of a transmissible disease through burial or cremation\n\nwithin twenty-four (24) hours after death. To the extent possible,\n\nreligious, cultural, family, and individual beliefs of the deceased\n\nperson or the family of the deceased person shall be considered when\n\ndisposing of any human remains.\n\nB. Any human remains prior to disposal shall be clearly labeled\n\nwith all available information to identify the decedent and the\n\ncircumstances of death. Any human remains of a deceased person with\n\na transmissible disease shall have an external, clearly visible tag\n\nindicating that the human remains are infected and, if known, the\n\ntransmissible disease.\n\nC. Every person in charge of disposing of any human remains\n\nduring a catastrophic health emergency shall maintain a written or\n\nelectronic record of the human remains and all available information\n\nto identify the decedent and the circumstances of death and\n\ndisposal. If human remains cannot be identified prior to disposal,\n\na qualified person shall, to the extent possible, take fingerprints\n\nand photographs of the human remains, obtain identifying dental\n\ninformation, and collect a DNA specimen. All information gathered\n\nunder this subsection shall be promptly forwarded to the public\n\nhealth authority.","path":["OK Code","Title 63"],"source_url":"https://www.oklegislature.gov/OK_Statutes/CompleteTitles/os63.pdf","current_through":"2026-08-14","vintage":"open-us-law v2026.08, retrieved 2026-09-14","retrieved_at":"2026-09-14T18:32:36Z","sha256":"99807dd5ea4348d1fd89e5e275c5fe6b79988408241320e7e4256edf11aed03b","source_id":"us-ok","stale":false,"prev":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-63-63-6501","next":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-63-63-6503"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}