FIRST REGULAR SESSION
SENATE BILL NO. 25
90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
INTRODUCED BY SENATORS SINGLETON AND SCHNEIDER.
Pre-filed December 1, 1998, and 1,000 copies ordered printed.
TERRY L. SPIELER, Secretary.
S0511.01I
AN ACT
To repeal section 194.117, RSMo 1994, relating to sudden infant death syndrome, and to enact in lieu thereof one new section relating to the same subject.
Section A. Section 194.117, RSMo 1994, is repealed and one new section enacted in lieu thereof, to be known as section 194.117, to read as follows:
194.117. Any person who discovers the dead body of, or acquires the first knowledge of the death of, any child under the age of one year and over the age of one week, where the child died suddenly when in apparent good health, shall immediately notify the county coroner or medical examiner of the known facts concerning the time, place, manner, and circumstances of the death. All such deaths shall be autopsied by a certified child death pathologist. The coroner or medical examiner shall notify the parent or guardian of the child that an autopsy shall be performed at the expense of the state. The department of health shall receive prompt notification of such autopsy results. The results from the autopsy shall be reduced to writing and delivered to the state department of health. The term "sudden infant death syndrome" shall be entered on the death certificate as the principal cause of death where the term is appropriately descriptive of the circumstances surrounding the death of the child. The cost of the autopsy and transportation of the body shall be paid by the department of health, and the department shall pay, out of appropriations made for that purpose, as a reimbursement to the certified child death pathologist such costs that are within the limitation of maximum rates established by the rules and regulations of the department. Autopsies under this section shall be performed by pathologists deemed qualified to perform autopsies by the department of health and who agree to perform
the autopsy according to protocols developed pursuant to section 210.196, RSMo. The department of health shall ensure that a summary of the autopsy results are shared with the parents or guardian of the child and shall provide informational material on the subject of sudden infant death syndrome to the family. The parents or guardian shall have the right to receive the full autopsy results upon request. The coroner or medical examiner, certified child death pathologist or family physician may release autopsy results to the parent or guardian of the child in cases of suspected sudden infant death syndrome. The director of the department of health shall prescribe reasonable rules and regulations necessary to carry out the provisions of this section, including the establishment of a cost schedule and standards for reimbursement of costs of autopsies performed pursuant to the provisions of this section. The provisions of this section shall not be construed so as to limit, restrict or otherwise affect any power, authority, duty or responsibility imposed by any other provision of law upon any coroner or medical examiner. The department of health may receive grants of money or other aid from federal and other public and private agencies or individuals for the administration or funding of this section or any portion thereof or for research to determine the cause and prevention of deaths caused by sudden infant death syndrome.