Bill > HB4078

This bill modifies existing law regarding the investigation of deaths by county medical examiners, who are officials responsible for determining the cause and manner of death in specific circumstances, replacing the older office of coroner. The changes clarify the types of deaths that require investigation, including those resulting from violence, unexpected circumstances, or when a physician has not attended the deceased within a certain timeframe, unless the cause of death is clearly determinable. It also specifies that investigations into deaths occurring in jail are mandatory. The bill grants medical examiners the authority to subpoena medical records related to an investigation, with failure to comply being punishable as contempt of court, and these obtained records are exempt from public disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act. Furthermore, it outlines the reporting requirements for physicians and other individuals who have knowledge of certain deaths, emphasizing the need to notify the medical examiner immediately, especially in cases involving multiple individuals with similar characteristics in the same incident. The bill also allows for the referral of certain elderly or vulnerable adult deaths to a specialized review team, with the information gathered by this team also being confidential and exempt from public disclosure. This bill is contingent on the enactment of another bill, House Bill No. 4077 of the 103rd Legislature.

Health and Social Services

https://legislature.mi.gov/Bills/Bill?ObjectName=2025-HB-4078