This bill amends the Code of West Virginia to enhance the process by which medical examiners provide information to the West Virginia State Police for the identification of human remains. It specifies that the medical examiner must promptly provide all relevant information to the West Virginia State Police, which is then responsible for submitting this information to the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) and other law enforcement databases. This change replaces the previous requirement that the medical examiner request the State Police to submit the information.

Additionally, the bill outlines the responsibilities of medical examiners in identifying human remains, including taking photographs, obtaining DNA samples, and exhausting all identification methods before disposing of remains. It emphasizes the need for prompt DNA analysis if remains are not identified within 30 days and encourages collaboration with state and federal agencies for support in identification efforts. The bill also mandates that once remains are identified as belonging to a missing person, the lead law enforcement agency must notify the family, unless it would compromise an ongoing investigation.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 15-3D-7