MS SB2435

State Medical Examiner appointed by Commissioner of Public Safety subject to approval by a panel composed of the Dean of University of Mississippi Medical Center School of Medicine, Dean of University of Mississippi School of Law, and State Health Officer.

Creates State Medical Examiner Advisory Council with nine members representing health, law enforcement, prosecutors, public defenders, coroners, and chiefs of police to serve as liaison between State Medical Examiner and related entities.

County medical examiners must notify State Medical Examiner upon receiving notification of deaths affecting public interest and make decisions regarding postmortem specimens in consultation with law enforcement and/or State Medical Examiner.

State Medical Examiner may select a competent pathologist certified in forensic pathology by American Board of Pathology to perform autopsies, or perform them directly.

State Medical Examiner may serve as affiliate or regular faculty member of Department of Pathology at University of Mississippi Medical Center; effective July 1, 2011.