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H.B. 302 Enrolled

             1     

MEDICAL EXAMINER - TESTING FOR

             2     
SUBSTANCES IN CASES OF SUSPECTED

             3     
SUICIDE

             4     
2007 GENERAL SESSION

             5     
STATE OF UTAH

             6     
Chief Sponsor: Wayne A. Harper

             7     
Senate Sponsor: Margaret Dayton

             8     
             9      LONG TITLE
             10      General Description:
             11          This bill amends the Utah Medical Examiner Act to provide for testing, in suicide
             12      cases, to determine the types of drugs or other substances that are present in the body of
             13      the deceased.
             14      Highlighted Provisions:
             15          This bill:
             16          .    requires the medical examiner to endeavor to have tests conducted, for the presence
             17      of certain drugs or other substances, on a sample taken from the body of a deceased
             18      person who is suspected to have committed suicide;
             19          .    requires the medical examiner to maintain information regarding the types of drugs
             20      detected in the tests described in the preceding paragraph;
             21          .    requires the Department of Health to present a report regarding the information
             22      maintained under this bill to the Health and Human Services Interim Committee, on
             23      an annual basis, beginning in 2008; and
             24          .    requires that, within funds appropriated by the Legislature, the medical examiner
             25      shall provide compensation, at a standard rate determined by the medical examiner,
             26      to a deputy medical examiner who collects samples for the purposes described in
             27      this bill.
             28      Monies Appropriated in this Bill:
             29          None


             30      Other Special Clauses:
             31          None
             32      Utah Code Sections Affected:
             33      ENACTS:
             34          26-4-28, Utah Code Annotated 1953
             35     
             36      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             37          Section 1. Section 26-4-28 is enacted to read:
             38          26-4-28. Testing for suspected suicides -- Maintaining information -- Report to the
             39      Health and Human Services Interim Committee -- Compensation to deputy medical
             40      examiners.
             41          (1) In all cases where it is suspected that a death resulted from suicide, including
             42      assisted suicide, the medical examiner shall endeavor to have the following tests conducted
             43      upon samples taken from the body of the deceased:
             44          (a) a test that detects all of the substances included in the volatiles panel of the Bureau
             45      of Forensic Toxicology within the Department of Health;
             46          (b) a test that detects all of the substances included in the drugs of abuse panel of the
             47      Bureau of Forensic Toxicology within the Department of Health; and
             48          (c) a test that detects all of the substances included in the prescription drug panel of the
             49      Bureau of Forensic Toxicology within the Department of Health.
             50          (2) The medical examiner shall maintain information regarding the types of substances
             51      found present in the samples taken from the body of a person who is suspected to have died as
             52      a result of suicide or assisted suicide.
             53          (3) (a) Beginning in 2008, on or before November 30 of each year, the Department of
             54      Health shall present a report on the information described in Subsection (2) to the Health and
             55      Human Services Interim Committee.
             56          (b) The information described in Subsection (3)(a) may not contain any identifying
             57      information regarding any person to whom the information described in Subsection (2) relates.


             58          (4) Within funds appropriated by the Legislature for this purpose, the medical
             59      examiner shall provide compensation, at a standard rate determined by the medical examiner,
             60      to a deputy medical examiner who collects samples for the purposes described in Subsection
             61      (1).


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