SB 425 - This act modifies how the place of death of an individual is determined. An individual who is being transferred into this state from another or from one county within this state to another, for emergency medical treatment and who dies in transit or while in the emergency room, the place of death shall be that of where the individual was first removed.

The coroner or medical examiner from the transferring county is responsible for the death certificate and investigating the cause and manner of death. However, a coroner or medical examiner in the county where the individual actually dies may upon authorization of the coroner or medical examiner of the transferring county, investigate and conduct postmortem examinations at the expense of the transferring county.

The coroner, medical examiner or emergency room staff of the county where the individual actually dies must immediately notify the proper authorities of the transferring county, and shall make available information necessary to conduct a death investigation.

If an individual who has been transferred across state or county lines seeking medical treatment dies after being admitted as a patient to a medical facility, the coroner or medical examiner of the county where the individual actually dies or the medical facility must notify the proper authorities of the transferring county of the death.

In the case of death by homicide, suicide, accident, child fatality or any unusual or suspicious manner the investigation of the cause and manner of death shall revert to the county of origin.

Except as provided elsewhere in this act, following the death of an individual, if the body is transferred to another county or state for the purpose of burial, the transferring county is responsible for the death certificate and death investigation.
RICHARD MOORE