The duties of the state medical examiner shall be:
1. To provide assistance, consultation, and training to county medical examiners and law enforcement officials.
2. To keep complete records of all relevant information concerning deaths or crimes requiring investigation by the state medical examiner.
3. To adopt rules pursuant to chapter 17A, and subject to the approval of the director of public health, with the advice and approval of the state medical examiner advisory council.
4. To collect and retain autopsy fees as established by rule. Autopsy fees collected and retained under this subsection are appropriated for purposes of the state medical examiner's office. Notwithstanding section 8.33, any fees collected by the state medical examiner that remain unexpended at the end of the fiscal year shall not revert to the general fund of the state or any other fund but shall be available for use for the following fiscal year for the same purpose.
5. To conduct an inquiry, investigation, or hearing and administer oaths and receive testimony under oath relative to the matter of inquiry, investigation, or hearing, and to subpoena witnesses and require the production of records, papers, and documents pertinent to the death investigation. However, the medical examiner shall not conduct any activity pursuant to this subsection, relating to a homicide or other criminally suspicious death, without coordinating such activity with the county medical examiner, and without obtaining approval of the investigating law enforcement agency, the county attorney, or any other prosecutorial or law enforcement agency of the jurisdiction to conduct such activity.
6. To adopt rules pursuant to chapter 17A relating to the duties, responsibilities, and operations of the office of the state medical examiner and to specify the duties, responsibilities, and operations of the county medical examiner in relationship to the office of the state medical examiner.
[C71, 73, 75, 77, § 749A.6; C79, 81, § 691.6]
86 Acts, ch 1245, § 1603; 90 Acts, ch 1233, § 39; 99 Acts, ch 208, §7, 14; 2000 Acts, ch 1140, §46; 2000 Acts, ch 1222, §16, 17
Referred to in § 691.6A
2000 amendment adding new subsection 4 is effective May 8, 2000, and is retroactively applicable to July 1, 1999; 2000 Acts, ch 1222, §16, 17
Previous Section 691.5
Next Section 691.6A
© 2001 Cornell College and League of Women Voters of Iowa
Comments about this site or page?
webmaster@legis.iowa.gov.
Please remember that the person listed above does not vote on bills. Direct all comments concerning legislation to State Legislators.
Last update: Mon Jan 22 17:13:42 CST 2001
URL: /DOCS/IACODE/2001/691/6.html
jhf