The bill amends Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 144.221, by adding a new subdivision that outlines the requirements for providing cause of death information in cases of investigated natural deaths. It specifies that if a medical examiner or coroner declines jurisdiction over a death determined to be due to natural causes, the responsibility for providing cause of death information falls to specific physicians. These include a physician present at the time of death, a physician or associate who treated the deceased prior to death, or a physician with direct knowledge of the circumstances and access to the deceased's medical records.

Additionally, the bill establishes a timeline for when a physician or associate must complete the cause of death requirements if no eligible physician is available. It allows a medical examiner or coroner to provide cause of death information if the designated physician fails to do so within the specified timeframe or refuses to provide the information. Furthermore, the bill permits the medical examiner or coroner to recover costs incurred in providing this information from the refusing physician or their employer.

Statutes affected:
Introduction: 144.221