When a death or fetal death occurs or a dead body is found, the body shall not be disposed of or removed from the registration district until a written permit has been issued by the local agent of the department of health, except that if the dead fetus is less than twenty-four weeks of gestation, no permit shall be required and except that if the death occurred as a result of an accident or other casualty occurrence, the local agent of the department of health may orally authorize the dead bodies to be removed from a registration district and airlifted or otherwise directly transported to the Honolulu registration district for the preparation and filing of death certificates and the issuance of written permits for further disposition.
HRS § 338-23