Bill Text: IL SB1226 | 2013-2014 | 98th General Assembly | Engrossed

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Bill Title: Amends the Department of Public Health Powers and Duties Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Sets forth the General Assembly's findings and declarations concerning sudden, unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP). Provides that the Department shall establish a SUDEP awareness program to educate medical examiners, examining physicians, and coroners in this State about SUDEP. Provides that all autopsies conducted in this State shall include an inquiry to determine whether the death was a direct result of a seizure or epilepsy. Provides that if a medical examiner's, examining physician's, or coroner's findings in an autopsy are consistent with the definition of known or suspected SUDEP, then the medical examiner, examining physician, or coroner shall take certain action.

Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 22-5)

Status: (Passed) 2013-08-13 - Public Act . . . . . . . . . 98-0340 [SB1226 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2013-SB1226-Engrossed.html

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AN ACT concerning health.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
Section 5. The Counties Code is amended by adding Section
3-3016.5 as follows:
(55 ILCS 5/3-3016.5 new)
Sec. 3-3016.5. Sudden, unexpected death in epilepsy
(SUDEP).
(a) All autopsies conducted in this State shall include an
inquiry to determine whether the death was a direct result of a
seizure or epilepsy. If the findings in an autopsy of a medical
examiner, examining physician, or coroner are consistent with
known or suspected sudden, unexpected death in epilepsy
(SUDEP), then the medical examiner, examining physician, or
coroner shall:
(1) cause to be indicated on the death certificate that
SUDEP is the cause or suspected cause of death; and
(2) forward a copy of the death certificate to the
North American SUDEP Registry at the Langone Medical Center
at New York University within 30 days.
(b) For the purposes of this Section, "sudden unexpected
death in epilepsy" refers to a death in a patient previously
diagnosed with epilepsy that is not due to trauma, drowning,

SB1226 Engrossed - 2 - LRB098 04241 RPM 34266 b
status epilepticus, or other known causes, but for which there
is often evidence of an associated seizure. A finding of
sudden, unexpected death in epilepsy is definite when clinical
criteria are met and autopsy reveals no alternative cause of
death, such as stroke, myocardial infarction, or drug
intoxication, although there may be evidence of a seizure.
Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect January
1, 2014.