House Bill No. 1688, introduced by Roe, amends various sections of the Oklahoma Statutes concerning vital records, particularly the registration and correction of birth and death certificates. The bill introduces a new definition for "minor correction," which encompasses the rectification of errors such as misspellings or omissions on vital records, and outlines the process for obtaining these corrections. It updates statutory references to clarify the role of the Commissioner of Health in the registration process, replacing previous mentions of the State Registrar of Vital Statistics. Additionally, the bill mandates that the biological sex designation on birth certificates must be strictly categorized as either male or female, explicitly excluding nonbinary designations.

The legislation also details the responsibilities of individuals involved in filing birth and death certificates, emphasizing the need for timely submissions and necessary certifications from attending physicians. It establishes procedures for cases where a death certificate is required to settle financial interests for individuals allegedly deceased for over 25 years, allowing for a verified petition to be filed in district court. Furthermore, the bill introduces a certificate of birth resulting from stillbirth, mandates electronic filing of death certificates by specified deadlines, and clarifies the conditions under which vital statistics records can be amended. The bill is set to take effect on July 1, 2025, with an emergency clause for the immediate implementation of certain provisions.