House Study Bill 25 - Introduced HOUSE FILE _____ BY (PROPOSED COMMITTEE ON HUMAN RESOURCES BILL BY CHAIRPERSON MILLER) A BILL FOR An Act allowing an advanced registered nurse practitioner to 1 sign a death certificate. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 3 TLSB 1883HC (4) 84 jr/nh

H.F. _____ Section 1. Section 142C.8, subsection 10, Code 2011, is 1 amended to read as follows: 2 10. The physician or advanced registered nurse practitioner 3 who attends the decedent at death and the physician or advanced 4 registered nurse practitioner who determines the time of 5 death shall not participate in the procedures for removing or 6 transplanting a part from the decedent. 7 Sec. 2. Section 144.26, subsection 1, Code 2011, is amended 8 to read as follows: 9 1. A death certificate for each death which occurs in this 10 state shall be filed as directed by the state registrar within 11 three days after the death and prior to final disposition, 12 and shall be registered by the county registrar if it has 13 been completed and filed in accordance with this chapter . A 14 death certificate shall include the social security number, if 15 provided, of the deceased person. All information including 16 the certifying physician’s or advanced registered nurse 17 practitioner’s name shall be typewritten. 18 Sec. 3. Section 144.28, subsection 1, paragraphs b and e, 19 Code 2011, are amended to read as follows: 20 b. Unless there is a nonnatural cause of death, the medical 21 certification shall be completed and signed by the physician 22 or advanced registered nurse practitioner in charge of the 23 patient’s care for the illness or condition which resulted 24 in death within seventy-two hours after receipt of the death 25 certificate from the funeral director or individual who 26 initially assumes custody of the body. 27 e. If upon inquiry into a death, the county or state medical 28 examiner determines that a preexisting natural disease or 29 condition was the likely cause of death and that the death does 30 not affect the public interest as described in section 331.802, 31 subsection 3 , the medical examiner may elect to defer to the 32 physician or advanced registered nurse practitioner in charge 33 of the patient’s preexisting condition the certification of the 34 cause of death. 35 -1- LSB 1883HC (4) 84 jr/nh 1/ 2

H.F. _____ Sec. 4. Section 144.30, Code 2011, is amended to read as 1 follows: 2 144.30 Funeral director’s duty —— fetal death certificate. 3 The funeral director who first assumes custody of a fetus 4 shall file the fetal death certificate. In the absence 5 of such a person, the physician , advanced registered nurse 6 practitioner, or other person in attendance at or after the 7 delivery shall file the certificate of fetal death. The person 8 filing the certificate shall obtain the personal data from the 9 next of kin or the best qualified person or source available 10 and shall obtain the medical certification of cause of death 11 from the person responsible for completing the certification. 12 When a person other than a funeral director assumes custody of 13 a fetus, the person shall be responsible for carrying out the 14 provisions of this section . 15 Sec. 5. Section 144.31, Code 2011, is amended to read as 16 follows: 17 144.31 Medical certification —— fetal death. 18 1. The medical certification for a fetal death shall be 19 completed within seventy-two hours after delivery by the 20 physician or advanced registered nurse practitioner in 21 attendance at or after delivery except when inquiry is required 22 by the county medical examiner. 23 2. When a fetal death occurs without medical attendance 24 upon the mother at or after delivery or when inquiry is 25 required by the county medical examiner, the medical examiner 26 shall investigate the cause of fetal death and shall complete 27 the medical certification within seventy-two hours after 28 taking charge of the case. The person completing the medical 29 certification of cause of fetal death shall attest to its 30 accuracy either by signature or as authorized by rule. 31 EXPLANATION 32 This bill allows an advanced registered nurse practitioner 33 to sign a death certificate, unless there is a nonnatural cause 34 of death. 35 -2- LSB 1883HC (4) 84 jr/nh 2/ 2