The proposed bill, known as the "Wyoming Death Data Collection and Toxicology Transparency Act," mandates that county coroners and medical examiners conduct toxicology screenings for psychiatric drugs in cases of violent deaths, which include suicides, homicides, and unintentional deaths by firearms. The bill requires that these toxicology reports be compiled and reported to state and federal databases, ensuring that the presence and levels of psychiatric drugs are documented in official records, including death certificates. Additionally, it emphasizes the confidentiality of these reports while allowing for the release of aggregated, anonymized data for public health purposes.

To enhance transparency, the bill amends existing confidentiality laws to allow for the release of toxicology data related to violent deaths under the Wyoming Public Records Act, provided that personal information is redacted. It also establishes penalties for coroners and medical examiners who fail to comply with the new requirements. The act asserts that Wyoming's definitions and data collection protocols for violent deaths will be determined by state law, independent of federal or international standards. The bill is set to take effect immediately upon completion of the necessary legislative processes.

Statutes affected:
26LSO-0205 v0.4: 7-4-105, 16-4-203