Present law authorizes a registered nurse to make the actual determination and pronouncement of death under certain circumstances. One such authorized circumstance is if all the following conditions were met: (1) The deceased was a patient at a hospital; (2) Death was anticipated, and the attending physician agreed in writing to sign the death certificate. The agreement by the attending physician must be present with the deceased at the place of death; (3) The nurse is licensed by the state; and (4) The nurse is employed by the hospital providing services to the deceased. This bill removes from the second requirement listed above that the death was anticipated. ON MARCH 10, 2025, THE HOUSE SUBSTITUTED SENATE BILL 668 FOR HOUSE BILL 155, ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1, AND PASSED SENATE BILL 668, AS AMENDED. AMENDMENT #11 rewrites the bill to, instead, make the following revisions to present law:  Authorizes a registered nurse to make the actual determination and pronouncement of death when the deceased was a resident of a nursing home and the attending physician has agreed in writing to sign the death certificate. The agreement by the attending physician must be present with the deceased at the place of death, and death does not have to be anticipated.  Authorizes a registered nurse to make the actual determination and pronouncement of death when the deceased was a patient at a hospital and the attending physician has agreed in writing to sign the death certificate. The agreement by the attending physician must be present with the deceased at the place of death, and death does not have to be anticipated.  Authorizes a registered nurse to make the actual determination and pronouncement of death when the deceased was a resident of an assisted-care living facility and the attending physician has agreed in writing to sign the death certificate. The agreement by the attending physician must be present with the deceased at the place of death, and death does not have to be anticipated.  Clarifies that the above provisions, and other provisions in present law relative to a registered nurse making the actual determination and pronouncement of death under other circumstances, do not prohibit or impair the ability of a county medical examiner to investigate the circumstances of death when inquiry is required. The county medical examiner must certify the death certificate, complete and sign the medical certification, or file the death certificate as required by law.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 68-3-511(4)(B), 68-3-511