AR HB1617

County coroners must submit decedents to the State Crime Laboratory for postmortem examination when death is known or suspected to be caused by apparent criminal violence, is sudden/unexpected without documented disease, or is unexplained in persons under 18 years old.

Postmortem examination is required for deaths associated with police action, occurring in institutional custody, caused by acute workplace injury, electrocution, unwitnessed/suspected drowning, or involving unidentified, skeletonized, or charred bodies.

Deaths of pregnant females or females who were pregnant within 365 days of death must be submitted for postmortem examination if the death is potentially related to pregnancy care or physiology, unless the death resulted from an unrelated medical condition or injury.

Deaths by apparent drug, alcohol, or poison toxicity require postmortem examination unless a significant hospitalization interval occurred with available hospital evaluation for review.

The State Crime Laboratory shall provide consultation by the State Medical Examiner to county coroners to determine whether sufficient antemortem medical and investigative information is available to certify cause and manner of death.