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PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 296
PRINTER'S NO. 481
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
297
Session of
2015
INTRODUCED BY EVANKOVICH, COHEN, KNOWLES, READSHAW, DAVIS,
WATSON, TOPPER, A. HARRIS, DEASY, McGINNIS, MILLARD, GRELL,
SAYLOR, O'NEILL, MURT, GABLER, ROEBUCK AND RAVENSTAHL,
FEBRUARY 2, 2015
AS REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE ON HEALTH, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
AS AMENDED, FEBRUARY 10, 2015
AN ACT
Providing for release of information by coroners and medical
examiners.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Short title.
This act shall be known and may be cited as the Release of
Coroner and Medical Examiner Information Act.
Section 2. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise:
"County." A county of this Commonwealth THE FIRST CLASS,
SECOND CLASS, SECOND CLASS A, THIRD CLASS, FOURTH CLASS, FIFTH
CLASS, SIXTH CLASS, SEVENTH CLASS OR EIGHTH CLASS, including a
county within which is located a city of the first class or with
which a city of the first class is coextensive.
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Section 3. Investigation information.
(a) General rule.--Except NOTWITHSTANDING THE ACT OF
FEBRUARY 14, 2008 (P.L.6, NO.3), KNOWN AS THE RIGHT-TO-KNOW LAW,
AND EXCEPT as provided in subsection (b), the following apply to
public release of information by a coroner or medical examiner:
(1) Following an investigation by a coroner or medical
examiner to determine the cause of any death in this
Commonwealth, the coroner or medical examiner shall not
release to the public the name of the deceased and OR the
cause and manner of death unless the release is in accordance
with the requirements under paragraph (2).
(2) Release of the information under paragraph (1) may
not occur until either notification of the next of kin of the
deceased individual is confirmed or 72 hours have elapsed
following the determination of the identity of the deceased
individual and OR the cause and manner of the death,
whichever occurs first.
(b) Exception.--This section shall not apply in cases of a
public health emergency as determined by the coroner or medical
examiner.
(B) PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCIES.--NOTWITHSTANDING THE
PROVISIONS OF SUBSECTION (A), A CORONER OR MEDICAL EXAMINER MAY
RELEASE TO THE PUBLIC THE NAME OF THE DECEASED AND THE CAUSE AND
MANNER OF DEATH AT ANY TIME IF THE CORONER OR MEDICAL EXAMINER
DETERMINES THAT THE RELEASE IS NECESSARY TO AVERT A PUBLIC
HEALTH EMERGENCY.
Section 4. Applicability.
This act shall apply in each county of this Commonwealth.
Section 5. Effective date.
This act shall take effect in 60 days.
20150HB0297PN0481 - 2 -
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