Relating to the examination, transportation, and embalming of dead bodies

This bill relates to the examination, transportation, and embalming of dead bodies. The bill requires a funeral director, as opposed to an embalmer as currently required, to report to the county or state medical examiner a person’s death that affects the public interest. The bill prohibits the embalming of a body prior to receiving consent from the county medical examiner if the funeral director, as opposed to an embalmer, has reason to believe the death affects the public interest, when there is sufficient evidence to arouse suspicion of a crime related to the cause of death, or when the medical examiner has a duty to view the body and investigate the death. 802 due to a death affecting the public interest, the bill requires a county to reimburse a funeral director for all costs associated with transporting the body to and from the facility performing the autopsy at a rate equivalent to the rate of reimbursement allowed under the standard mileage rate method for computation of business expenses pursuant to the Internal Revenue Code at the time the transportation occurs.3.2, subsection 3, which would relieve a political subdivision from complying with a state mandate if funding for the cost of the state mandate is not provided or specified. Therefore, political subdivisions are required to comply with any state mandate included in the bill.