00SENATE BILL NO. 145                                                                                                     
01 "An Act establishing the position of state medical examiner; and relating to                                            
02 preparation of death certificates."                                                                                     
03 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:                                                                
04    * Section 1.  AS 12.65 is amended by adding a new section to read:                                                   
05  Sec. 12.65.015.  STATE MEDICAL EXAMINER.  (a)  In addition to                                                         
06 appointing medical examiners under AS 12.65.010, the commissioner of health and                                         
07 social services shall establish in the Department of Health and Social Services the                                     
08 position of state medical examiner.  The state medical examiner is in the exempt                                        
09 service under AS 39.25.110.                                                                                             
10  (b)  The state medical examiner must be a physician licensed to practice in the                                       
11 state.                                                                                                                  
12  (c)  The state medical examiner shall perform the duties assigned under                                               
13 AS 12.65.020 and regulations implementing that section and other duties as assigned                                     
14 by the commissioner of health and social services.                                                                      

01   * Sec. 2.  AS 12.65.020 is amended to read:                                                                           
02  Sec. 12.65.020.  [CORONER'S POWER TO ORDER] EXAMINATIONS BY                                                          
03 STATE MEDICAL EXAMINER AND INQUESTS BY CORONER.  (a)  When a                                                         
04 person dies unattended by a physician, or when no physician is prepared to execute the                                  
05 certificate of death prescribed by AS 18.50 (Vital Statistics Act), the coroner assigned                                
06 to serve the place where the death occurs may, under regulations of the Department                                     
07 of Health and Social Services, request the state [, BY WRITTEN ORDER, DIRECT                                           
08 A] medical examiner to view the remains of the deceased person, [AND TO] perform                                      
09 the post mortem examination, including an autopsy, or take other actions that are                                      
10 appropriate under the circumstances [NECESSARY] to make a proper determination                                         
11 of the cause of death and to execute the prescribed death certificate.  When the state                                
12 medical examiner has completed the examination, the examiner shall, without delay,                                      
13 complete, certify, and sign the death certificate and submit a report of the                                          
14 examiner's findings and conclusions to the coroner.                                                                   
15  (b)  The coroner may order an inquest under this chapter if the findings and                                          
16 conclusions of the state medical examiner, together with other information available                                  
17 to the coroner, warrant the inquest.  Otherwise the coroner shall enter an order                                        
18 dispensing with the inquest and shall record the certificate of death as prescribed by                                  
19 law.                                                                                                                    
20   * Sec. 3.  AS 12.65.020 is amended by adding a new subsection to read:                                                
21  (c)  The Department of Health and Social Services shall adopt regulations to                                          
22 implement (a) of this section after consultation with the Department of Public Safety                                   
23 and the Alaska Court System.                                                                                            
24   * Sec. 4.  AS 39.25.110(13) is amended to read:                                                                       
25   (13)  the state medical examiner appointed under AS 12.65.015 and                                                  
26 physicians licensed to practice in this state and employed by the division of mental                                    
27 health and developmental disabilities in the Department of Health and Social Services                                   
28 or by the Department of Corrections;