AB530,38,3 20979.027 Disinterment for autopsy or other diagnostic procedure. The
21district attorney may move the circuit court for the county in which a body is buried
22for an order disinterring the body for the purpose of conducting an autopsy or other
23diagnostic procedures. The order shall be granted by the circuit court upon a
24reasonable showing that any of the criteria specified in s. 979.04 (1) exists. The clerk
25of the circuit court shall send a copy of the order to the coroner or medical examiner

1in the county in which the body is buried. Upon receipt of the order, the coroner or
2medical examiner shall issue a permit for disinterment and reinterment under s.
369.18 (4) (c).
AB530,67 4Section 67. 979.03 of the statutes is repealed.
AB530,68 5Section 68. 979.032 of the statutes is created to read:
AB530,38,8 6979.032 Coroner or medical examiner investigation records. (1) The
7coroner or medical examiner shall create and maintain for each investigation
8conducted under s. 979.01 a record that contains all of the following:
AB530,38,99 (a) The full name of the deceased and any known alias used by the deceased.
AB530,38,1010 (b) A coroner or medical examiner case number.
AB530,38,1111 (c) A case activity log.
AB530,38,1812 (d) An investigation report containing any personal information regarding the
13deceased that is relevant to determining the cause and manner of death, the medical
14history of the deceased, information relevant to the circumstances of the death, death
15scene observations, findings regarding the body of the deceased that are relevant to
16determining the cause of death, notation of evidence recovered, including any visual
17documentation, a list of other persons or agencies involved in the investigation, and
18a list of persons interviewed by the coroner or medical examiner regarding the case.
AB530,38,1919 (e) A written autopsy report, if an autopsy is conducted.
AB530,38,2220 (f) Documentation of the chain of custody of all evidence and property obtained
21by the coroner or medical examiner, including an inventory sheet of prescription
22medications, described under s. 979.036 (2), if applicable.
AB530,38,25 23(2) The coroner or medical examiner shall maintain investigation records
24created under sub. (1) in an office that is owned or leased by the county, maintained
25by the county, and designated as the office of the county coroner or medical examiner.
AB530,39,3
1(3) Subject to s. 979.034, the coroner or medical examiner shall maintain
2written policies regarding access to investigation records created or maintained
3under this section.
AB530,69 4Section 69. 979.034 of the statutes is created to read:
AB530,39,12 5979.034 Confidentiality of coroner or medical examiner investigation
6records and information.
(1) The coroner or medical examiner shall keep
7confidential all records obtained under s. 51.30 (4) (b) 29. or 146.82 (2) (a) 18., all
8confidential documents obtained by subpoena under s. 979.015, and any information
9contained in such records or documents, except that the coroner or medical examiner
10may divulge such information as necessary to complete a medical certification under
11s. 69.18 (2) and shall provide access to information and records to law enforcement
12and district attorneys.
AB530,39,20 13(2) The coroner or medical examiner shall keep records of autopsies and other
14diagnostic procedures, including any photographs or other pictorial images of the
15deceased made in connection with a death investigation, and information learned
16from a death investigation or other diagnostic procedure confidential. The coroner
17or medical examiner may not release such records or information except to persons
18to whom the deceased's patient health care records may be released under s. 146.82
19(2) without informed consent, to a representative of the deceased or his or her
20designee, or for educational purposes.
AB530,40,2 21(3) If a law enforcement agency, or a district attorney, investigating a death
22requests that the coroner or medical examiner keep investigation records under s.
23979.032 and information related to an investigation confidential, the coroner or
24medical examiner shall keep such records and information confidential for as long

1as the law enforcement agency has an open death investigation or the district
2attorney requests.
AB530,70 3Section 70. 979.036 of the statutes is created to read:
AB530,40,11 4979.036 Handling of personal property of deceased. (1) Each coroner or
5medical examiner shall keep an inventory of any money or other property that the
6coroner or medical examiner takes from a death scene or from a deceased and does
7not immediately provide to a law enforcement agency as evidence. The coroner or
8medical examiner shall release any such property, other than prescription
9medication, that belonged to the deceased to a representative of the deceased unless
10the property is needed as evidence or unless a court has issued an order to hold the
11property for payment of fees associated with the disposal of the body.
AB530,40,22 12(2) If the coroner or medical examiner takes prescription medications from a
13death scene or from the body of a deceased, the coroner or medical examiner shall list
14them on an inventory sheet and sign the inventory sheet. If the coroner or medical
15examiner does not provide the prescription medications to a law enforcement agency
16as evidence, the coroner or medical examiner shall destroy them in accordance with
17applicable county evidence retention policies and appropriate standards for disposal
18of medications, except that the coroner or medical examiner shall donate those
19prescription medications that satisfy the requirements under s. 255.056 (3) to the
20drug repository program under s. 255.056 or to another similar drug repository
21program. The coroner or medical examiner shall indicate on the inventory sheet the
22disposition of the prescription medications.
AB530,71 23Section 71. 979.09 of the statutes is amended to read:
AB530,41,13 24979.09 Burial Disposition of an unidentified or unclaimed body. If any
25judge or circuit court commissioner conducts an inquest as to the death of a stranger

1or of a person whose identity is unknown or whose body is unclaimed or if the district
2attorney determines that no inquest into the death of such a person is necessary and
3the circuit judge has not ordered an inquest under s. 979.04 (2),
a coroner or medical
4examiner has custody of an unidentified or unclaimed body of an individual whose
5death was investigated under s. 979.01, and the coroner or medical examiner has
6made reasonable efforts to identify the body or locate a representative of the
7deceased,
the coroner or medical examiner shall cause the body to be decently buried
8or cremated and shall certify to all the charges incurred in taking any inquest by him
9or her and to
the expenses of burial or cremation of the dead body. The charges and
10expenses shall be audited by the county board of the proper county and paid out of
11the county treasury
with funds other than funds appropriated for the operation of
12the coroner's or medical examiner's office. The immunity provisions under s. 157.02
13(2m) (b) and (c) apply to a coroner's or medical examiner's actions under this section
.
AB530,72 14Section 72. 979.10 (1) (a) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB530,41,1815 979.10 (1) (a) (intro.) No person may cremate the corpse body of a deceased
16person within 48 hours after the pronouncement of death, or the discovery of the
17death, of the deceased person
unless the death was caused by a contagious or
18infectious disease. and one of the following conditions applies:
AB530,41,20 19(ag) No person may cremate a corpse body unless the person has received a
20cremation permit release from one of the following:
AB530,73 21Section 73. 979.10 (1) (a) 1., 2. and 3. of the statutes are renumbered 979.10
22(1) (ag) 1., 2. and 3. and amended to read:
AB530,41,2523 979.10 (1) (ag) 1. The coroner or medical examiner in the county where the
24death occurred was pronounced if the death occurred was pronounced in this state;
25and the death was not subject to an investigation under s. 979.01.
AB530,42,4
12. The coroner or medical examiner in the county where the event which caused
2the death occurred if the death occurred in this state and
who investigated the death
3if the death was pronounced in this state and is the subject of to an investigation
4under s. 979.01; or.
AB530,42,85 3. The coroner or medical examiner of the county where the corpse body is to
6be cremated if the death occurred was pronounced outside this state. A cremation
7permit issued under this subdivision may not be used in any county except the county
8in which the cremation permit is issued.
AB530,74 9Section 74. 979.10 (1) (a) 1m. and 2m. of the statutes are created to read:
AB530,42,1110 979.10 (1) (a) 1m. The person determines that the body must be cremated
11immediately to effectively contain the disease.
AB530,42,1312 2m. A public health authority orders sooner disposal of the body under s.
13157.055 (2) (c) during a state of emergency related to public health.
AB530,75 14Section 75. 979.10 (1) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB530,42,2015 979.10 (1) (b) A coroner or medical examiner shall include in any cremation
16permit release issued under par. (a) (ag) a statement that he or she has viewed the
17corpse body which is the subject of the permit release and made personal inquiry into
18the cause and manner of death under sub. (2) and is of the opinion that no further
19examination or judicial inquiry is necessary. The release shall also specify the
20earliest date and time that the cremation may occur.
AB530,76 21Section 76. 979.10 (1) (c) of the statutes is renumbered 157.113 and amended
22to read:
AB530,42,25 23157.113 Permission required to deposit cremated remains in cemetery.
24No person may deposit any cremated remains of a corpse in any cemetery without
25the permission of the person who owns or is in charge of the cemetery authority.
AB530,77
1Section 77. 979.10 (1) (d) of the statutes is created to read:
AB530,43,102 979.10 (1) (d) If the medical certification of the cause and manner of death of
3a deceased is completed by a physician under s. 69.18 (2) (b) or (c), the coroner or
4medical examiner shall review the medical certification before issuing a cremation
5release for the deceased. It is not a violation of s. 69.24 for a coroner or medical
6examiner to make or receive a copy of a death certificate, that has not been filed
7under s. 69.18 (1), for purposes of this paragraph. A coroner or medical examiner
8may not release such a copy of a death certificate to any other person or use the copy
9for a purpose other than complying with the review requirement under this
10paragraph.
AB530,78 11Section 78. 979.10 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB530,43,2512 979.10 (2) If a corpse is to be cremated person requests a cremation release, the
13coroner or medical examiner shall view the body, make a careful personal inquiry
14into the cause and manner of death, and conduct an autopsy or order the conducting
15of an autopsy
, if in his or her or the coroner, medical examiner, or district attorney's
16opinion
attorney determines that it is necessary to determine the cause and manner
17of death, perform or order an autopsy performed on the body. If the coroner or
18medical examiner determines that no further examination or judicial inquiry is
19necessary, he or she shall certify that fact and issue a cremation release. Upon
20written request by the district attorney the coroner or medical examiner shall obtain
21the concurrence of the district attorney before issuing the certification cremation
22release
. If the coroner or medical examiner determines that further examination or
23judicial inquiry is necessary, he or she shall notify the district attorney under s.
24979.04 (2) and refuse to issue a cremation release until the examination or judicial
25inquiry is concluded
.
AB530,79
1Section 79. 979.10 (3) of the statutes is repealed.
AB530,80 2Section 80. 979.10 (4) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB530,44,73 979.10 (4) Whoever accepts, receives, or takes any corpse body of a deceased
4person with intent to destroy the corpse body by means of cremation, or who cremates
5or aids and assists in the cremation of any corpse body of a deceased person without
6having presented the permit release specified in sub. (1) (ag), shall be fined not more
7than $10,000 or imprisoned not more than 9 months or both.
AB530,81 8Section 81. 979.10 (5) of the statutes is created to read:
AB530,44,129 979.10 (5) If a coroner or medical examiner issues an authorization under s.
10979.105 for a body but refuses to issue a cremation release for the body under sub.
11(2), the coroner or medical examiner and the county are not liable for the cost of
12storing the body.
AB530,82 13Section 82. 979.10 (6) of the statutes is created to read:
AB530,44,1814 979.10 (6) A person receiving a body under s. 157.02 (1m) (c) or 157.06 for the
15purpose of medical research or education shall request a cremation release from the
16coroner or medical examiner who has jurisdiction to issue a cremation release under
17sub. (1) (ag) before moving the body out of the county served by the coroner or medical
18examiner.
AB530,83 19Section 83. 979.22 of the statutes is amended to read:
AB530,45,2 20979.22 Autopsies Fees for other autopsy and toxicological services
21other diagnostic procedures by coroners or medical examiners. A coroner
22or
medical examiner may perform autopsies and toxicological services other
23diagnostic procedures
not required under this chapter and may charge a fee
24established by the county board for such autopsies and services procedures. The fee

1may not exceed an amount reasonably related to the actual and necessary cost of
2providing the service autopsy and procedures.
AB530,84 3Section 84. Nonstatutory provisions.
AB530,45,74 (1) Examining board; initial terms. Notwithstanding the length of terms
5specified for the members of the medicolegal investigation examining board under
6section 15.405 (18) of the statutes, as created by this act, initial appointments to the
7medicolegal investigation examining board shall be made as follows:
AB530,45,128 (a) The forensic pathologist member under section 15.405 (18) (a) of the
9statutes, as created by this act; the member under section 15.405 (18) (c) of the
10statutes, as created by this act; the member under section 15.405 (18) (e) of the
11statutes, as created by this act; and the member under section 15.405 (18) (i) of the
12statutes, as created by this act, shall be appointed for terms expiring on July 1, 2016.
AB530,45,1713 (b) The coroner member under section 15.405 (18) (a) of the statutes, as created
14by this act; the member under section 15.405 (18) (b) of the statutes, as created by
15this act; the member under section 15.405 (18) (d) of the statutes, as created by this
16act; and the member under section 15.405 (18) (h) of the statutes, as created by this
17act, shall be appointed for terms expiring on July 1, 2018.
AB530,45,2118 (c) The medical examiner member under section 15.405 (18) (a) of the statutes,
19as created by this act; the member under section 15.405 (18) (f) of the statutes, as
20created by this act; and the member under section 15.405 (18) (g) of the statutes, as
21created by this act, shall be appointed for terms expiring on July 1, 2020.
AB530,45,2222 (2) Currently serving individuals.
AB530,45,2323 (a) In this subsection:
AB530,45,25 241. "Medical examiner" means a nonphysician medical examiner or a physician
25medical examiner.
AB530,46,5
12. "Medicolegal investigation staff member" includes a chief deputy coroner, a
2deputy coroner, a deputy medical examiner, and any individual who assists the office
3of a coroner or medical examiner with an investigation of a death. "Medicolegal
4investigation staff member" does not include an individual performing solely
5administrative functions in the office of a coroner or medical examiner.
AB530,46,7 63. "Nonphysician medical examiner" means a medical examiner appointed
7under section 59.34 (1) (a) or 59.38 (5) of the statutes who is not a physician.
AB530,46,8 84. "Physician" has the meaning given in section 448.01 (5) of the statutes.
AB530,46,10 95. "Physician medical examiner" means a medical examiner appointed under
10section 59.34 (1) (a) or 59.38 (5) of the statutes who is a physician.
AB530,46,1611 (b) Notwithstanding section 463.10 (2) (a) of the statutes, as created by this act,
12the medicolegal investigation examining board shall issue an initial license in
13medicolegal investigation under section 463.10 (2) of the statutes, as created by this
14act, to every individual who is serving as coroner, nonphysician medical examiner,
15and medicolegal investigation staff member in this state on the effective date of this
16paragraph.
AB530,46,1917 (c) 1. Notwithstanding section 463.10 (2) (a) 2. of the statutes, as created by this
18act, no initial license fee may be imposed for individuals issued an initial license
19under paragraph (b).
AB530,46,22 202. Notwithstanding s. 463.05 (2) (b), as created by this act, no fee may be
21imposed for training provided by the board under s. 463.10 (3) (a) 1. and 2. a., as
22created by this act, for individuals issued an initial license under paragraph (b).
AB530,85 23Section 85. Initial applicability.
AB530,47,1024 (1) Death investigations; authorization to embalm or dispose of a body;
25cremation release; disposition of bodies.
The treatment of sections 69.01 (12), 69.18

1(2) (d) 1., 2., and 3., and (3) (a), (b), and (d), 157.02 (1), (1m) (title), (2), (2m), (3), (4),
2and (5), 157.03 (1) and (2), 157.055 (2) (intro.), 346.71 (2), 440.78 (1) (b), 979.001,
3979.01 (title), (1), (1d), (1g), (1i), (1k), (1p), (1r), (3), (3m), and (4), 979.017, 979.025
4(title), (1), (2), and (3), 979.03, 979.032, 979.034, 979.036, 979.09, 979.10 (1) (a)
5(intro.), 1., 1m., 2., 2m., and 3., (b), (c), and (d), (2), (3), (4), (5), and (6), and 979.22
6of the statutes, the renumbering and amendment of sections 979.01 (1m) and (2) and
7979.02 of the statutes, the amendment of section 979.02 (title) of the statutes, and
8the creation of sections 979.01 (1m) (b) and (2) (b) and 979.02 (2), (3), (4), (5), (6), and
9(7) of the statutes first apply to deaths occurring on the effective date of this
10subsection.
AB530,47,1311 (2) Disinterment permits. The treatment of sections 69.18 (4) (a) (intro.) and
121g. to 6., (am) (intro.), (b), (bm), (d), (e), and (f) and 157.112 (3) (intro.) of the statutes
13first applies to disinterments performed on the effective date of this subsection.
AB530,86 14Section 86. Effective date.
AB530,47,1615 (1) This act takes effect on the first day of the 13th month beginning after
16publication.
AB530,47,1717 (End)
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