Chapter 143
2010 -- H 7417 SUBSTITUTE A
Enacted 06/25/10
A N A C T
RELATING TO
HEALTH AND SAFETY -- MEDICAL EXAMINERS
Introduced
By: Representatives Naughton, M Rice,
Kennedy, and
Date Introduced: February 09, 2010
It is enacted by the
General Assembly as follows:
SECTION 1. Section 23-4-3 of the General Laws in Chapter
23-4 entitled "Office of
State Medical
Examiners" is hereby amended to read as follows:
23-4-3.
Functions. -- The office of state medical
examiners shall be responsible for:
(1) The investigation
of deaths within the state that in its judgment might reasonably be
expected to involve causes of death enumerated in this
chapter;
(2) For the conduct of
inquests when requested by the attorney general;
(3) For the performance
of autopsies, including the retention, examination and
appropriate disposal of tissue, when appropriate, for deaths
which in its judgment might
reasonably be expected to involve causes of deaths enumerated in
this chapter;
(4) For the written
determination of the causes of death investigated pursuant to this
chapter;
(5) For the
presentation to the courts of
cause of death;
(6) For the keeping of
complete records, including names, places, circumstances, and
causes of deaths, of deaths investigated and reported,
copies of which shall be delivered to the
attorney general and of which written determinations of causes
of death shall be made available
for public inspection;
(7) For the burial of
bodies for which there is no other existing legal responsibility to do
so; and
(8) For the development
and enforcement of procedures for the pronouncement of death
and for the transplantation of organs from bodies of
persons who have died within the state.
(9) For a
multi-disciplinary team review of child fatalities with the goal to decrease
the
prevalence of preventable child deaths and report recommendations
for community and systems
intervention strategies. A child death review team shall include,
but is not limited to,
representation from state agencies, health care, child welfare, and
law enforcement.
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.
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LC01128/SUB A
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