The bill amends 18 V.S.A. § 505 to include provisions regarding the disclosure of autopsy reports. It establishes that when an autopsy is ordered by a Superior judge or the Attorney General, it must be conducted by the Chief Medical Examiner or under their direction. The bill specifies that the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner is required to disclose a decedent's autopsy report to the decedent's personal representative, including the court-appointed executor or administrator of the estate and the decedent's heir at law, in compliance with federal law.

Additionally, the bill allows individuals not authorized to receive the autopsy report to petition the Probate Division of the Superior Court for access. The petition must include an affidavit detailing the petitioner's relationship to the decedent and the reason for the request. The court will consider various factors, such as the relationship to the decedent and the potential impact on privacy, when determining whether to grant access to the report. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2026.

Statutes affected:
As Introduced: 18-505
As Passed By the Senate -- Official: 18-505
As Passed By the Senate -- Unofficial: 18-505
As Passed by Both House and Senate -- Official: 18-505
As Passed by Both House and Senate -- Unofficial: 18-505
As Enacted: 18-505
S-0210.pdf: 18-505