death certificates; funeral establishments; timeline

HB 2181 establishes a 21-day deadline for funeral homes and responsible persons to complete and submit death certificates after receiving human remains, replacing the previous "as soon as practicable" standard. It requires local registrars to register death certificates within 72 hours of receipt if they are complete and accurate, and mandates medical examiners to complete medical certification of death within 72 hours (excluding weekends/holidays) or note "pending" for the cause of death if unresolved. Final disposition of remains (e.g., burial or cremation) cannot occur until medical examiners release remains when the cause of death is pending. This bill directly affects funeral homes, medical examiners, and local registrars in Arizona by standardizing timelines for death certificate processing.