Senate File 97 - Introduced



                                       SENATE FILE       
                                       BY  BOETTGER


    Passed Senate, Date               Passed House,  Date             
    Vote:  Ayes        Nays           Vote:  Ayes        Nays         
                 Approved                            

                                      A BILL FOR

  1 An Act relating to information regarding deceased persons,
  2    including notifying surviving family members about the death
  3    of a family member and prohibiting the dissemination of the
  4    name of a deceased person over a radio broadcasting system
  5    under certain circumstances.
  6 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
  7 TLSB 1005SS 82
  8 jm/es/88

PAG LIN



  1  1    Section 1.  NEW SECTION.  80C.1  NOTIFICATION OF DEATH.
  1  2    1.  A peace officer as defined in section 801.4, a county
  1  3 medical examiner, the state medical examiner, or any other
  1  4 person who is responsible for notifying a deceased person's
  1  5 surviving family members about the death, shall notify the
  1  6 family members in person.  If the deceased person's family
  1  7 does not reside in the area, then the responsible person shall
  1  8 make arrangements to have the family members notified in
  1  9 person in the area where the family members reside.
  1 10 Notification of the death shall be timely made as soon as the
  1 11 deceased person is identified.  If possible, a death
  1 12 notification shall be made by two persons.  The person shall
  1 13 also inform the family members that the family members may
  1 14 view the deceased person, and the person shall transport the
  1 15 family members to view the deceased person if possible under
  1 16 the circumstances.
  1 17    2.  Notwithstanding the provisions of section 80.9 or
  1 18 chapter 693, or any other law to the contrary, the name of a
  1 19 deceased person shall not be disseminated over a radio
  1 20 broadcasting system or any other radio=based communications
  1 21 system unless family members have been notified of the death.
  1 22                           EXPLANATION
  1 23    This bill relates to information regarding deceased
  1 24 persons, including notifying surviving family members about
  1 25 the death of a family member and prohibiting the dissemination
  1 26 of the name of a deceased person over a radio broadcasting
  1 27 system.
  1 28    The bill requires a peace officer, county medical examiner,
  1 29 state medical examiner, or any other person responsible for
  1 30 notifying a deceased person's family members about the death,
  1 31 to notify the family members in person.
  1 32    Under the bill, if the family members do not reside in the
  1 33 area, the person responsible for notification shall make
  1 34 arrangements to have the family members notified in person in
  1 35 the area where the family members reside.
  2  1    The bill also provides that the person responsible for
  2  2 notifying the family members shall inform the family members
  2  3 that the deceased person may be viewed, and if possible
  2  4 provide transportation to view the deceased person.
  2  5    The bill also prohibits the name of the deceased person
  2  6 from being disseminated over a radio broadcasting system
  2  7 unless family members have been notified of the death.
  2  8 LSB 1005SS 82
  2  9 jm:nh/es/88