Bill > SB0082

This bill amends Utah's medical examiner records law to provide more detailed guidelines about the handling and sharing of medical examiner records, particularly photographs and videos of decedents. The bill introduces a new definition of "deidentify," which means removing personally identifying information about a decedent or their family. It establishes specific conditions under which medical examiner records can be shared, including requests from immediate relatives, legal representatives, physicians, and law enforcement officials. The bill creates strict regulations about sharing autopsy photographs or videos, making it a class B misdemeanor to knowingly share such images that are not in the public domain, with several important exceptions for professional and legal purposes. These exceptions include sharing deidentified images for training, research, academic presentations, and legal proceedings. The bill also outlines requirements for researchers who obtain medical examiner records, mandating confidentiality, limiting use to approved research purposes, and requiring the destruction of records after research is complete. Additionally, the bill provides the Utah Department of Health and Human Services the authority to create rules about permissible uses and disclosures of medical examiner records. The legislation is set to take effect on May 7, 2025, and aims to protect the privacy of deceased individuals while allowing appropriate access to records for professional and research purposes.

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https://le.utah.gov/~2025/bills/static/SB0082.html