GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1997

S	1 

SENATE BILL 1426

Short Title:  Increase Autopsy Fee.	(Public)

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Sponsors: Senator Rand.

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Referred to:  Finance.

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May 28, 1998

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO INCREASE THE FEE FOR AUTOPSIES.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1.  G.S. 130A-389 reads as rewritten:
"§ 130A-389. Autopsies.
(a)	If, in the opinion of the medical examiner investigating the case or of the Chief Medical Examiner, it is advisable and in the public interest that an autopsy or other study be made; or, if an autopsy or other study is requested by the district attorney of the county or by any superior court judge, an autopsy or other study shall be made by the Chief Medical Examiner or by a competent pathologist designated by the Chief Medical Examiner. A complete autopsy report of findings and interpretations, prepared on forms designated for the purpose, shall be submitted promptly to the Chief Medical Examiner. Copies of the report shall be furnished the authorizing medical examiner, district attorney or superior court judge. A copy of the report shall be furnished to other persons upon request. A fee for the autopsy or other study shall be paid by the State. However, if the deceased is a resident of the county in which the death or fatal injury occurred, that county shall pay the fee. The fee shall be one thousand dollars ($1,000).
(b)	In deaths where the Chief Medical Examiner and the medical examiner investigating the case do not deem it advisable and in the public interest that an autopsy be performed, but the next-of-kin of the deceased requests that an autopsy be performed, the Chief Medical Examiner or a designated pathologist may perform the autopsy and the cost shall be paid by the next-of-kin.
(c)	When the next-of-kin of a decedent whose death does not fall under G.S. 130A-383 or 130A-384 requests that an autopsy be performed, the Chief Medical Examiner or a designated pathologist may perform that autopsy and the cost shall be paid by the next-of-kin.
(d)	The report of autopsies performed pursuant to subsections (b) and (c) shall be a part of the decedents' medical records and therefore not public records open to inspection."
Section 2.  This act becomes effective July 1, 1998, and applies to autopsies or other studies performed on and after that date.