H.B. 302

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).




Legislative Review Note
as of 1-18-07 6:04 PM

Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel