Text: SF00246 Text: SF00248 Text: SF00200 - SF00299 Text: SF Index Bills and Amendments: General Index Bill History: General Index
PAG LIN 1 1 Section 1. Section 331.802, subsection 3, paragraphs g, h, 1 2 and i, Code 2003, are amended to read as follows: 1 3 g. Death of a person who was prediagnosed as a terminal or 1 4 bedfast case who did not have a physician in attendance within 1 5 the preceding thirty days; or death of a person who was 1 6 admitted to and had received services from a hospice program 1 7 as defined in section 135J.1, if a physician or registered 1 8 nurse employed by the program was not in attendance within 1 9 thirty days preceding death. Unless after completion of the 1 10 preliminary investigation the county medical examiner 1 11 determines that the public interest requires an autopsy 1 12 because the investigation indicated the death may be connected 1 13 to a criminal act or omission or there is another public 1 14 interest reason for an autopsy, an autopsy shall not be 1 15 required. 1 16 h. Death of a person if the body is not claimed by a 1 17 relative or friend. Unless after completion of the 1 18 preliminary investigation the county medical examiner 1 19 determines that the public interest requires an autopsy 1 20 because the investigation indicated the death may be connected 1 21 to a criminal act or omission or there is another public 1 22 interest reason for an autopsy, an autopsy shall not be 1 23 required. 1 24 i. Death of a person if the identity of the deceased is 1 25 unknown. Unless after completion of the preliminary 1 26 investigation the county medical examiner determines that the 1 27 public interest requires an autopsy because the investigation 1 28 indicated the death may be connected to a criminal act or 1 29 omission or there is another public interest reason for an 1 30 autopsy, an autopsy shall not be required. 1 31 Sec. 2. Section 331.802, subsection 4, Code 2003, is 1 32 amended to read as follows: 1 33 4. a. The county medical examiner shall conduct the 1 34 investigation in the manner required by the state medical 1 35 examiner and shall determine whether the public interest 2 1 requires an autopsy or other special investigation. However, 2 2 if the death occurred in the manner specified in subsection 3, 2 3 paragraph "j", the county medical examiner shall order an 2 4 autopsy, the expense of which shall be reimbursed by the Iowa 2 5 department of public health. 2 6 b. In determining the need for an autopsy, the county 2 7 medical examiner may consider the request for an autopsy from 2 8 a public official or private person, but the state medical 2 9 examiner or the county attorney of the county where the death 2 10 occurred may require an autopsy. If the county medical 2 11 examiner did not determine following the preliminary 2 12 investigation that the public interest requires an autopsy but 2 13 an autopsy is performed pursuant to the request of a private 2 14 person, the costs of the autopsy shall be paid by the private 2 15 person. 2 16 EXPLANATION 2 17 This bill restricts the performance of autopsies in certain 2 18 cases unless the county medical examiner determines a death 2 19 affects the public interest and provides for financial 2 20 responsibility for certain autopsies requested by a private 2 21 individual. 2 22 Current law in Code section 331.802 includes a list of 2 23 death circumstances identifying types of deaths which affect 2 24 the public interest. A death of the type included in the list 2 25 is subject to a preliminary investigation and submission of 2 26 various reports by the county medical examiner. 2 27 The bill provides that unless after completion of the 2 28 preliminary investigation the county medical examiner 2 29 determines that the public interest requires an autopsy 2 30 because the investigation indicated the death may be connected 2 31 to a criminal act or omission or there is another public 2 32 interest reason for an autopsy, an autopsy shall not be 2 33 required for any of the following: death of a person who was 2 34 prediagnosed as a terminal or bedfast case who did not have a 2 35 physician in attendance within the preceding 30 days; death of 3 1 a person who was admitted to and had received services from a 3 2 hospice program as defined in Code section 135J.1, if a 3 3 physician or registered nurse employed by the program was not 3 4 in attendance within 30 days preceding death; death of a 3 5 person if the body is not claimed by a relative or friend; and 3 6 death of a person if the identity of the deceased is unknown. 3 7 Under current law, the county medical examiner may consider 3 8 the request of a public official or private individual in 3 9 determining the need for an autopsy. The bill provides if an 3 10 autopsy is performed pursuant to a request from a private 3 11 individual for a death for which the county medical examiner 3 12 has not determined that the death affects the public interest, 3 13 the costs of the autopsy shall be paid by the private person. 3 14 LSB 2568XS 80 3 15 jp/pj/5
Text: SF00246 Text: SF00248 Text: SF00200 - SF00299 Text: SF Index Bills and Amendments: General Index Bill History: General Index
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