1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to health; providing for special standards 
  1.3             when autopsies are opposed; appropriating money. 
  1.4   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.5      Section 1.  [CASE STUDIES TO DEVELOP STANDARDS FOR AUTOPSY 
  1.6   PRACTICE IN SPECIAL CASES.] 
  1.7      Subdivision 1.  [CASE STUDIES.] (a) A professional 
  1.8   association representing coroners and medical examiners in 
  1.9   Minnesota shall conduct a series of case studies to examine 
  1.10  cases in which performing autopsies are controversial or in 
  1.11  which autopsies are opposed by a decedent's relative or friend 
  1.12  based on the decedent's religious beliefs.  The cases to be 
  1.13  examined must be cases in which it is not immediately apparent 
  1.14  that an autopsy is needed to determine the person's cause of 
  1.15  death but that, upon further investigation, the coroner or 
  1.16  medical examiner determines that an autopsy is necessary to 
  1.17  determine the cause of death and that the cause of death must be 
  1.18  determined.  Using these case studies, the professional 
  1.19  association shall develop: 
  1.20     (1) standards to guide coroners and medical examiners 
  1.21  regarding when to perform autopsies in controversial situations 
  1.22  or in situations in which autopsies are opposed based on a 
  1.23  decedent's religious beliefs; and 
  1.24     (2) special autopsy methods and procedures, if appropriate, 
  2.1   for autopsies in controversial situations or situations in which 
  2.2   autopsies are opposed based on a decedent's religious beliefs. 
  2.3      (b) The professional association may conduct 12 case 
  2.4   studies or more for this purpose.  Upon completion of the case 
  2.5   studies, the professional association shall disseminate the 
  2.6   standards developed to all coroners and medical examiners 
  2.7   conducting autopsies in Minnesota. 
  2.8      Subd. 2.  [REPORT TO LEGISLATURE.] The professional 
  2.9   association shall report to the legislature by January 15, 2000, 
  2.10  on the results of the case studies, the standards developed for 
  2.11  autopsy practice, the special autopsy methods and procedures 
  2.12  developed, and efforts or plans to disseminate the standards 
  2.13  developed to coroners and medical examiners conducting autopsies 
  2.14  in Minnesota. 
  2.15     Subd. 3.  [DATA PRIVACY.] All records held by the 
  2.16  professional association for purposes of completing the case 
  2.17  studies are private data on individuals as defined in Minnesota 
  2.18  Statutes, section 13.02, subdivision 12.  The standards for 
  2.19  autopsies and special autopsy methods and procedures that are 
  2.20  disseminated to coroners and medical examiners shall contain no 
  2.21  individually identifiable information. 
  2.22     Sec. 2.  [APPROPRIATION.] 
  2.23     $20,000 is appropriated from the general fund to the 
  2.24  commissioner of health for the biennium ending June 30, 2001, 
  2.25  for a grant to a professional association representing coroners 
  2.26  and medical examiners in Minnesota for the purposes specified in 
  2.27  section 1.