Each death shall be registered with the local registrar of births and deaths in the district in which the death was officially pronounced or the body was found, within eight calendar days after death and prior to any disposition of the human remains.

A funeral director, or person acting in lieu thereof, shall prepare the certificate and register it with the local registrar.

The State Registrar, at his or her discretion, may incorporate computer or telephone facsimile technology, or both, in the statewide program of death and fetal death registration, including, but not limited to, the issuing of permits for disposition of human remains.

Nothing in this section shall limit the ability of local districts to file certificates of death and fetal death manually within the local registration districts.

The funeral director shall obtain the required information other than medical and health section data from the person or source best qualified to supply this information.

subdivision (a) to the Legislature and the Department of Veterans Affairs on or before March 15 each year.

Section 10231.5 of the Government Code, the department shall annually provide the report compiled pursuant to subdivision (a) to the Legislature and the Department of Veterans Affairs on or before March 15 each year.

An embalmer may authorize his or her signature to be affixed to the certificate after he or she has embalmed a body, as required by this chapter, by a written special power of attorney that shall be retained for a period of one year.