Relating to the examination and transportation of dead bodies, including associated fees and costs

The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. This bill relates to the examination and transportation 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. The bill states that an autopsy shall not be required when, after the county or state medical examiner’s investigation of a deceased child, the medical examiner determines that the deceased child’s cause and manner of death are obvious and there are no significant legal, medical, or investigative concerns by the medical examiner, social services, or law enforcement. The bill allows a county medical examiner to refer a body for an autopsy or further investigation to any facility accredited by the national association of medical examiners. The bill requires the county to pay to the receiving facility a fee equal to an autopsy fee established by the officer of the state medical examiner. The bill also requires a county to reimburse a funeral director for all costs associated with the transportation of a body after an investigation or autopsy has been completed.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.