Text: SF00375 Text: SF00377 Text: SF00300 - SF00399 Text: SF Index Bills and Amendments: General Index Bill History: General Index
PAG LIN 1 1 Section 1. Section 691.5, Code 1999, is amended to read as 1 2 follows: 1 3 691.5 STATE MEDICAL EXAMINER. 1 4 The position of state medical examiner iscreated under the1 5control, direction, and supervision of the commissioner of1 6public safety. The commissioner of public safety may1 7 established for administrative purposes within the department 1 8 of public health. The director of public health shall assign 1 9 the office of the state medical examiner to a division or 1 10 bureau within thepublic safetydepartment of public health. 1 11 Other state agencies shall cooperate with the state medical 1 12 examiner in the use of state-owned facilities when appropriate 1 13 for the performance of nonadministrative duties of the state 1 14 medical examiner. The state medical examiner shall be a 1 15 physician and surgeon or osteopathic physician and surgeon, be 1 16 licensed to practice medicine in the state of Iowa, and 1 17possess special knowledge inbe board certified or eligible to 1 18 be board certified in anatomic and forensic pathology by the 1 19 American board of pathology. The state medical examiner shall 1 20 be appointed by and serve at the pleasure of thecommissioner1 21of public safetydirector of public health upon the advice of 1 22 and in consultation with the director of public safety and the 1 23 governor. The state medical examiner, in consultation with 1 24 the director of public health, shall be responsible for 1 25 developing and administering the medical examiner's budget and 1 26 for employment of medical examiner staff and assistants. The 1 27 state medical examiner may be a faculty member of the college 1 28 of medicine or the college of law at the University of Iowa, 1 29 and any of the examiner's assistants or staff may be members 1 30 of the faculty or staff of the college of medicine or the 1 31 college of law at the University of Iowa. 1 32 Sec. 2. Section 691.6, subsection 3, Code 1999, is amended 1 33 to read as follows: 1 34 3. To adopt rules pursuant to chapter 17A, and subject to 1 35 the approval of thecommissioner of public safetydirector of 2 1 public health, with the advice and approval of the state 2 2 medical examiner and the state medical examiner advisory 2 3 council, regarding the manner and techniques to be employed2 4while conducting autopsies; the nature, character, and extent2 5of investigations to be made in cases of homicide or suspected2 6homicide necessary to allow a medical examiner to render a2 7full and complete analysis and report; the format and matters2 8to be contained in all reports rendered by medical examiners;2 9and all other things necessary to carry out this section.All2 10county medical examiners and peace officers are subject to the2 11rules.2 12 Sec. 3. NEW SECTION. 691.6A DEPUTY STATE MEDICAL 2 13 EXAMINER – CREATION AND DUTIES. 2 14 The position of deputy state medical examiner is created 2 15 within the department of public health. The deputy state 2 16 medical examiner shall report to and be responsible to the 2 17 state medical examiner. The deputy state medical examiner 2 18 shall meet the qualification criteria established in section 2 19 691.5 for the state medical examiner and shall be subject to 2 20 rules adopted by the state medical examiner as provided in 2 21 section 691.6, subsection 3. The state medical examiner and 2 22 the deputy state medical examiner shall function as a team, 2 23 providing peer review as necessary, fulfilling each other's 2 24 job responsibilities during times of absence, and working 2 25 jointly to provide services and education to county medical 2 26 examiners, law enforcement officials, hospital pathologists, 2 27 and other individuals and entities. The deputy medical 2 28 examiner may be, but is not required to be, a full-time 2 29 salaried faculty member of the department of pathology of the 2 30 college of medicine at the university of Iowa. If the medical 2 31 examiner is a full-time salaried faculty member of the 2 32 department of pathology of the college of medicine at the 2 33 university of Iowa, the department of public health and the 2 34 state board of regents shall enter into a chapter 28E 2 35 agreement to define the activities and functions of the deputy 3 1 medical examiner, and to allocate deputy medical examiner 3 2 costs, consistent with the requirements of this section. 3 3 Sec. 4. NEW SECTION. 691.6B INTERAGENCY COORDINATING 3 4 COUNCIL. 3 5 An interagency coordinating council is created to advise 3 6 the state medical examiner concerning the assurance of 3 7 effective coordination of the functions and operations of the 3 8 office of the state medical examiner with the needs and 3 9 interests of the departments of public safety and public 3 10 health. Members of the interagency coordinating council shall 3 11 include the state medical examiner, or when the state medical 3 12 examiner is not available, the deputy state medical examiner; 3 13 the commissioner of public safety or the commissioner's 3 14 designee; the director of public health or the director's 3 15 designee; and the governor or the governor's designee. The 3 16 interagency coordinating council shall meet on a regular 3 17 basis. 3 18 Sec. 5. NEW SECTION. 691.6C STATE MEDICAL EXAMINER 3 19 ADVISORY COUNCIL. 3 20 A state medical examiner advisory council is established to 3 21 advise and consult with the state medical examiner on a range 3 22 of issues affecting the organization and functions of the 3 23 office of the state medical examiner and the effectiveness of 3 24 the medical examiner system in the state. Membership of the 3 25 state medical examiner advisory council shall be determined by 3 26 the state medical examiner, in consultation with the director 3 27 of public health, and shall include, but not necessarily be 3 28 limited to, representatives from the office of the attorney 3 29 general, the Iowa county attorneys association, the Iowa 3 30 medical society, the Iowa association of pathologists, the 3 31 Iowa association of county medical examiners, the departments 3 32 of public safety and public health, the statewide emergency 3 33 medical system, and the Iowa funeral directors association. 3 34 The advisory council shall meet on a quarterly or more 3 35 frequent basis, and shall be organized and function as 4 1 established by the state medical examiner by rule. 4 2 Sec. 6. Section 691.7, Code 1999, is amended to read as 4 3 follows: 4 4 691.7 COMMISSIONER TO ACCEPT FEDERAL OR PRIVATE GRANTS. 4 5 The commissioner of public safety may accept federal or 4 6 private funds or grants to aid in the establishment or 4 7 operation of the state criminalistics laboratory, and the 4 8commissioner of public safetydirector of public health or the 4 9 state board of regents may accept federal or private funds or 4 10 grants to aid in the establishment or operation of the 4 11 position of state medical examiner. 4 12 Sec. 7. STATE MEDICAL EXAMINER SYSTEM STUDY AND REPORT. 4 13 The state medical examiner, in consultation with the state 4 14 medical examiner advisory council, shall conduct a study 4 15 regarding the organization, needs, and operations of a 4 16 statewide medical examiners system. The study shall consider 4 17 the findings and recommendations of the 1998 consultants' 4 18 report of the national association of medical examiners 4 19 submitted to the commissioner of public safety, and shall 4 20 gather and analyze such additional information as the state 4 21 medical examiner and the advisory council determine necessary. 4 22 The state medical examiner shall make a report of the study's 4 23 recommendations to the governor and the general assembly by 4 24 January 1, 2000. The report shall take into account the 4 25 public health, criminalistic, educational, and advisory 4 26 purposes of the office of the state medical examiner; the 4 27 relationship of the office to and effective utilization by the 4 28 office of existing state, county, and community resources; 4 29 future facility needs for performing autopsies; support for 4 30 forensic activities throughout the state; transportation costs 4 31 to conduct autopsies and to perform other forensic pathology 4 32 activities; and any other factors identified by the state 4 33 medical examiner and the advisory council impacting a quality 4 34 statewide medical examiners system. 4 35 Sec. 8. APPROPRIATIONS FOR STATE MEDICAL EXAMINER. Funds 5 1 appropriated by the general assembly to the department of 5 2 public safety for the position of state medical examiner, and 5 3 for the state medical examiner's office, for the fiscal year 5 4 beginning July 1, 1998, and ending June 30, 1999, which remain 5 5 unobligated shall be transferred to the department of public 5 6 health on the effective date of this Act. Funds appropriated 5 7 by the general assembly for the position of state medical 5 8 examiner, and for the state medical examiner's office, for the 5 9 fiscal year beginning July 1, 1999, and ending June 30, 2000, 5 10 shall be appropriated to the department of public health. 5 11 Sec. 9. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act, being deemed of 5 12 immediate importance, takes effect upon enactment. 5 13 SF 376 5 14 rn/cc/26
Text: SF00375 Text: SF00377 Text: SF00300 - SF00399 Text: SF Index Bills and Amendments: General Index Bill History: General Index
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