(a) To protect the integrity of vital records and to prevent the fraudulent use of birth certificates of deceased persons, the state registrar is authorized to match birth and death certificates, in accordance with written standards promulgated by the state registrar to prove beyond a reasonable doubt the fact of death and to post the facts of death to the appropriate birth certificate and index. Copies issued from birth certificates marked deceased shall be similarly marked.

(b) When a death occurs in this state for which a death certificate must be filed in accordance with Code Section 31-10-15, and the decedent's birth certificate is on file at the state office of vital records, the state registrar shall mark that deceased person's birth certificate with the word "Deceased." The state registrar shall notify the custodian of vital records of the county where the decedent was born that the deceased individual's birth certificate has been marked "Deceased."