Bill Text: GA HB50 | 2009-2010 | Regular Session | Comm Sub
Bill Title: Death investigations by coroners; notification requirements; provide
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2010-01-11 - Senate Recommitted [HB50 Detail]
Download: Georgia-2009-HB50-Comm_Sub.html
09
LC 33 2949S
House
Bill 50 (COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE)
By:
Representatives Channell of the
116th,
Hudson of the
124th,
and Parham of the
141st
A
BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
AN ACT
To
amend Article 2 of Chapter 16 of Title 45 of the Official Code of Georgia
Annotated, relating to death investigations by coroners, so as to provide for
certain notification requirements when a death occurs in a different county than
where the acts or events resulting in the death occurred; to provide for related
matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE
IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION
1.
Article
2 of Chapter 16 of Title 45 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating
to death investigations by coroners, is amended by revising subsection (f) of
Code Section 45-16-22, relating to medical examiners' inquiries, as
follows:
"(f)
When death occurs in a hospital as a direct result and consequence of acts or
events taking place in a county other than the one in which such death occurs,
the body shall be returned to the county in which such acts or events took
place. The
hospital shall immediately notify the coroner or the county medical examiner of
the county in which the acts or events resulting in the death
occurred. When a dead body is found in a
county in which the acts or events leading to death did not occur, it shall be
returned to the county in which the acts or events did occur, if known. The
coroner or
local
county
medical examiner of the county in which such acts or events took place shall
assume jurisdiction and the medical examiner's inquiry, if any performed, shall
be paid for from funds of the county in which such acts or events took
place."
SECTION
2.
Said
article is further amended by revising subsection (a) of Code Section 45-16-24,
relating to notification of suspicious or unusual deaths, as
follows:
"(a)
When any person dies in any county in this state:
(1)
As a result of violence;
(2)
By suicide or casualty;
(3)
Suddenly when in apparent good health;
(4)
When unattended by a physician;
(5)
In any suspicious or unusual manner, with particular attention to those persons
16 years of age and under;
(6)
After birth but before seven years of age if the death is unexpected or
unexplained;
(7)
As a result of an execution carried out pursuant to the imposition of the death
penalty under Article 2 of Chapter 10 of Title 17;
(8)
When an inmate of a state hospital or a state, county, or city penal
institution; or
(9)
After having been admitted to a hospital in an unconscious state and without
regaining consciousness within 24 hours of admission,
it
shall be the duty of any law enforcement officer or other person having
knowledge of such death to notify immediately the coroner or county medical
examiner of the county
wherein
in which the
acts or events resulting in the death occurred
or the body is found
or death
occurs. For the purposes of this Code
section, no person shall be deemed to have died unattended when the death
occurred while the person was a patient of a hospice licensed under Article 9 of
Chapter 7 of Title 31."
SECTION
3.
All
laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.