H.B. 314

1

MEDICAL EXAMINER'S OFFICE
2 AMENDMENTS
3 2006 GENERAL SESSION
4 STATE OF UTAH
5 Chief Sponsor: Glenn A. Donnelson
6 Senate Sponsor: ____________
7
8 LONG TITLE
9 General Description:
10 This bill amends the Medical Examiner's Act in the Health Code.
11 Highlighted Provisions:
12 This bill:
13 . authorizes the medical examiner to establish a medical examiner's office in St.
14 George, Moab, and Logan if funding is available, and if the executive director of the
15 Department of Health approves.
16 Monies Appropriated in this Bill:
17 None
18 Other Special Clauses:
19 None
20 Utah Code Sections Affected:
21 AMENDS:
22 26-4-4, as last amended by Chapter 10, Laws of Utah 1997
23
24 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
25 Section 1. Section 26-4-4 is amended to read:
26 26-4-4. Chief medical examiner -- Appointment -- Qualifications -- Authority.
27 (1) The executive director, with the advice of an advisory board consisting of the

28 chairman of the Department of Pathology at the University of Utah medical school and the
29 dean of the law school at the University of Utah, shall appoint a chief medical examiner who
30 shall be licensed to practice medicine in the state and shall meet the qualifications of a forensic
31 pathologist, certified by the American Board of Pathologists.
32 (2) (a) The medical examiner shall serve at the will of the executive director. [He shall
33 have]
34 (b) The medical examiner has authority to:
35 (i) employ [such] medical, technical and clerical personnel as may be required to
36 effectively administer this chapter, subject to the rules of the department and the state merit
37 system[. He shall have authority to];
38 (ii) conduct investigations, pathological examinations, and perform autopsies
39 authorized in this title[. The medical examiner shall have authority to];
40 (iii) conduct or authorize necessary examinations on dead bodies and retain tissues and
41 biological samples for scientific purposes and those he considers necessary to accurately certify
42 the cause and manner of death[. In];
43 (iv) in the case of an unidentified body, [the medical examiner shall authorize or]
44 conduct investigations, tests, and processes in order to determine [its] the identity [as well as
45 the] and cause of death[. The medical examiner may] of the unidentified body;
46 (v) appoint regional pathologists, each of whom shall be approved by the executive
47 director[.]; and
48 (vi) with approval from the executive director, and as funding is available, establish a
49 medical examiner's office and laboratory in St. George, Moab, and Logan.




Legislative Review Note
as of 1-23-06 10:01 AM

Based on a limited legal review, this legislation has not been determined to have a high
probability of being held unconstitutional.

Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel