SB 243 – Modifies various provisions dealing with the reporting and investigating of an individual's death

• Sponsor: Scott
• LR Number: 1235S.01I
• Committee: Aging, Families, Mental & Public Health
• Last Action: 1/31/2005 - Second Read and Referred S Aging, Families, Mental & Public Health Committee
• Journal Page: S140
• Effective Date: August 28, 2005

Current Bill Summary

SB 243 - This act modifies how an individual?s place of death is determined. The place from which the individual was first removed is considered the place of death for an individual who is being transferred into this state from another, from one county within this state to another, or who dies while being treated in the emergency room of the receiving facility.

The coroner or medical examiner from the transferring county is responsible for the death certificate and for 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 emergency room staff, coroner or medical examiner where the individual actually dies must immediately notify the proper authorities of the transferring county or state 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, criminal abortion, or by any unusual or suspicious manner, the investigation of the cause and manner of death shall revert to the county or state of origin. The coroner or medical examiner shall be responsible for the certificate of death.

There shall not be any statute of limitations or time limits on the cause of death when it is the result of the types of death listed above.

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.

A coroner or medical examiner shall make reasonable efforts to accommodate tissue as well as organ donation.

This act is similar to SCS/SB 1189 (2004).

SUSAN HENDERSON