Existing law specifies the officers of a county, including, but not limited to, the coroner. Existing law authorizes the board of supervisors of a county to consolidate the duties of various county offices in various combinations, including combining the duties of the sheriff and the coroner.
Existing law defines a "forensic autopsy" as an examination of a body of a decedent to generate medical evidence for which the cause of death is determined. In cases in which a forensic autopsy is performed, existing law requires the manner of death to be determined by the coroner or medical examiner of a county.
This bill would, in any county in which the offices of the sheriff and the coroner are combined, prohibit the sheriff-coroner from performing an autopsy or determining the manner, circumstances, and cause of death if the sheriff-coroner has a conflict of interest when determining the manner, circumstances, and cause of death, as specified, including any in-custody death, as defined. The bill, instead, would require the sheriff-coroner to request another county that has established an office of medical examiner, as specified, or a third-party medical examination team that is separate and independent from the office of the sheriff-coroner and meets certain physician qualification requirements, as specified, to determine the manner, circumstances, and cause of death.
This bill would except an independent medical examination performed pursuant to those provisions from the provisions described above that require, in the case of a forensic autopsy, the manner of death to be determined by the coroner or medical examiner of a county.
By imposing new duties on certain counties, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
The bill would include findings that changes proposed by this bill address a matter of statewide concern and, therefore, apply to all counties, including charter counties.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.

Statutes affected:
AB 1108: 27522 GOV
02/20/25 - Introduced: 27522 GOV
03/28/25 - Amended Assembly: 27522 GOV
04/10/25 - Amended Assembly: 27522 GOV