A monthly statistical summary of divorces and annulments of marriage and a certificate of each adoption and annulment of adoption decreed or ordered in this Commonwealth shall be transmitted to the department. The prothonotary or the clerk of the orphans' court shall execute each such statistical summary and certificate on a form prescribed by the department. On or before the fifteenth day of each calendar month, the prothonotary or clerk shall transmit to the department such summaries pertaining to divorces and annulments of marriage together with the certificates pertaining to adoptions or annulments of adoption decreed or ordered during the preceding calendar month. The prothonotary or clerk shall assess a fee of fifty cents ($.50) as part of the costs of the proceedings had in connection with each divorce, annulment of marriage, adoption or annulment of adoption and shall receive and apply such fee in the same manner and for the same uses as other costs received by the prothonotary or clerk. The department, at its discretion, may prescribe the method by which the transmission of the statistical summaries and the certificates to the department is to occur under this section, including, but not limited to, transmission by paper copy by mail or other courier, facsimile transmission or electronic means.