The proposed bill would amend current statutes related to the handling of deceased indigent persons and the licensing of crematories. It would authorize licensed physicians trained in forensic pathology to supervise medical students and residents during autopsies, removing the requirement for the supervising physician to be board certified in forensic pathology. Additionally, the bill allows county medical examiners to retain and manage the remains of indigent individuals at county-owned crematories, and it clarifies the process for counties to apply for crematory licenses, requiring the medical examiner to submit the application on behalf of the county.

Furthermore, the bill introduces provisions that require cremations of indigent persons to be conducted by licensed cremationists and stipulates that if the county medical examiner is responsible for the final disposition, a different county employee must register the death certificate. It also makes technical changes to ensure consistency in terminology, such as replacing "geographical" with "geographic." Overall, these updates aim to streamline processes and enhance the services provided to indigent deceased persons while ensuring proper oversight and compliance with existing regulations.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 11-594, 11-600, 32-1321, 32-1395, 11-593, 28-668, 13-1210, 36-670, 11-251.08, 15-1401, 36-831, 32-1393