Bill > HB0493

This bill amends Utah's laws related to death certificates and medical examiner procedures, introducing several key changes. The bill requires the state health department to develop an online system for health care professionals to complete death certificates, which will include features like choosing diagnoses from standardized medical code lists, providing real-time notifications about certificate completeness, and alerting providers if the medical examiner may need to review the document. The system will also notify healthcare providers if a family might incur a fee for cremating or making a body unavailable for postmortem investigation. Additionally, the bill modifies the process for obtaining permits to render a dead body unavailable for investigation, establishing that medical examiners shall automatically issue permits if certain conditions are met, such as the death certificate being complete and correct, and the death not falling under medical examiner jurisdiction. The bill also clarifies the medical examiner's review process, including the ability to charge a fee for fulfilling related duties. Importantly, these changes are set to take effect on January 1, 2026, providing ample time for implementation and system development.

Health and Social Services, Justice

https://le.utah.gov/~2025/bills/static/HB0493.html