SSB 1192

This bill relates to information regarding suicide in a medical certification for a nonnatural cause of death. The bill provides that a nonnatural cause of death, in addition to a death that is a direct or indirect result of physical, chemical, thermal, or electrical trauma, or drug or alcohol intoxication or other poisoning, explicitly includes a suicide. Suicide is defined as the act or instance of intentionally taking one’s own life. _____ shall conduct an inquiry. The bill provides that if the nonnatural cause of death is determined to be a suicide, the person completing the medical certification of cause of death shall list the lethal drug, overdose, or other means of suicide that caused or contributed to the death among the chain of events under cause of death or under significant conditions contributing to death; and if a lethal drug, overdose, or other means of suicide is listed in the chain of events under cause of death, the person shall indicate suicide as the manner of death. The bill also provides that a person completing the medical certification of cause of death who knowingly omits listing a lethal drug, overdose, or other means of suicide or improperly states the manner of death in violation of this Code section, commits unprofessional conduct and is subject to licensee discipline by the appropriate licensing board or department.