(1)   

      (a)    The state registrar may approve a city as a registration district for registration of deaths occurring in the city if the state registrar determines that the city has staff, office space, and other resources for the proper administration of death records, makes reasonable use of public health data derived from death records, and suitably preserves and cares for official city death records.

      (b)    The state registrar may withdraw the approval given under par. (a) if the city fails to meet the requirements under par. (a).

   (2)   

      (a)    The county register of deeds office shall be the place for filing vital records except as provided under par. (c).

      (c)    If a death occurs in a city which is a registration district approved by the state registrar for registering death records, the office of the city registrar shall be the place for filing.

   (3)   Any city which is not a registration district shall dispose of any vital records which it has filed as follows:

      (a)    Offer all records of events occurring prior to October 1, 1907, to the state historical society under s. 69.21 (2) (d) 1.

      (b)    Offer the records of each event occurring after September 30, 1907, to the register of deeds of the county in which the event occurred.

      (c)    Destroy any record which the state historical society or the register of deeds does not accept under par. (a) or (b).