STATE OF OKLAHOMA

1st Session of the 53rd Legislature (2011)

HOUSE BILL 2137	By:	Steele

AS INTRODUCED

An Act relating to public health and safety; amending 63 O.S. 2001, Sections 931, as amended by Section 1, Chapter 410, O.S.L. 2005 and 932 (63 O.S. Supp. 2010, Section 931), which relate to the Board of Medicolegal Investigations; modifying membership of the Board; requiring Board to promulgate certain rules; requiring national criminal background check for certain applicants; providing for codification; and providing an effective date.  

BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
SECTION 1.     AMENDATORY     63 O.S. 2001, Section 931, as amended by Section 1, Chapter 410, O.S.L. 2005 (63 O.S. Supp. 2010, Section 931), is amended to read as follows:
Section 931.  The Board of Medicolegal Investigations is hereby re-created.  The members of the Board shall be:
1.  The Director of the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, or a designee;
2.  The State Commissioner of Health, or a designee;
3.  The Dean of the College of Medicine of the University of Oklahoma, or a designee;
4.  The President or Dean of the Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences, or a designee;
5.  The President of the Oklahoma Bar Association, or a designee;
6.  The President of the Oklahoma Osteopathic Association, or a designee;
7.  The President of the Oklahoma State Medical Association, or a designee; and
8.  A funeral director, as provided by Section 396.3 of Title 59 of the Oklahoma Statutes, appointed by the Oklahoma State Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors Board; and
9.  The Director of an organization dedicated to forensic science education, training and research, appointed by the Board of Medicolegal Investigations.  
The Chief Medical Examiner shall be an ex officio nonvoting member of the Board.  The Board shall elect one of its members as chair and one of its members as vice-chair.  Members of the Board shall receive no compensation for their services on this Board.  Regular meetings of the Board shall be held at such times as determined by its members, and special meetings may be called by the chair.  Four members shall constitute a quorum.
SECTION 2.     AMENDATORY    63 O.S. 2001, Section 932, is amended to read as follows:
Section 932.  The Board is hereby authorized to promulgate rules and regulations necessary or appropriate to carry out effectively the provisions of this act.  The Board shall specifically promulgate rules which require that district death investigators be certified through the American Board of Medicolegal Death Investigators and shall specify the procedures by which such certifications are maintained.  Such rules and regulations shall be filed with the Secretary of State and shall not be effective until ten (10) days after the date of filing.  The Board shall, on the date of filing, send a copy of the rules and regulations by the United States mail to the state regulatory board the licensees of which are affected thereby.
SECTION 3.     NEW LAW     A new section of law to be codified in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 937A of Title 63, unless there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
The Chief Medical Examiner shall request a national criminal background check from the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation for each applicant seeking employment with the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.  
SECTION 4.  This act shall become effective September 1, 2011.

53-1-5946	AM	01/19/11