Bill > S1160

This bill, titled the "Revised State Medical Examiner Act," establishes a new Office of the Chief State Medical Examiner within the Department of Health (DOH) to centralize and reform New Jersey's medical examiner system, which is currently fragmented. This new office will be led by a Chief State Medical Examiner, who will have significant authority to oversee all medicolegal death investigations statewide, ensure adequate resources for medical examiner offices, and set uniform operating and performance standards. The bill abolishes the existing Office of the State Medical Examiner in the Department of Law and Public Safety and transfers its functions to the new office. It also outlines the qualifications, appointment process, and duties of the Chief State Medical Examiner and Deputy Chief State Medical Examiners, as well as the responsibilities of county and intercounty medical examiners. The act clarifies the circumstances requiring a medicolegal investigation, the procedures for autopsies, and provisions for anatomical gifts, while also addressing the handling of unidentified remains and the establishment of a toxicology laboratory. Additionally, it creates a Medical Examiner Review Team for peer review and dispute resolution and mandates annual reporting on the performance and finances of medical examiner offices. The bill also amends various existing laws to reflect these changes and ensure consistency across state statutes.