HB312 Alabama 2010 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Lesley Vance

Republican

Co-Sponsors

William E. ThigpenJimmy MartinAlan Boothe

Session

Regular Session 2010

Title

Coroners, dead bodies, autopsies, storage and transportation to Forensic Sciences Department, coroner responsible under certain conditions, person or entity requesting to reimburse county commission, county fund provided for

Summary

HB312 would make the coroner responsible for storing and transporting bodies for autopsies under certain conditions and create a reimbursement system funded through a county special fund.

What This Bill Does

The bill assigns the coroner the duties of storing and transporting bodies to forensic labs for autopsies and requires coordination with the Department of Forensic Sciences. It establishes who pays for these costs: the state pays when the autopsy is ordered under authorized law; if the autopsy is ordered by an unauthorized party, the requester pays. It creates a process for the coroner to itemize expenses and for the county to reimburse those expenses through a county special fund, with specific timelines for submitting statements and making payments. It also states that autopsies not ordered under the authorized statute are not the coroner’s responsibility, though the coroner may assist if the requester pays upfront.

Who It Affects

• Coroners – would be responsible for storage and transportation of bodies for autopsies and for coordinating with the Department of Forensic Sciences, plus handling itemized expense reporting.
• County governments (county commissions and county treasuries) – would manage the reimbursement process through a special fund and determine payment based on compliance with the bill’s procedures.

Key Provisions

• Coroner duties to store and transport bodies for autopsies and coordinate storage/transport with the Department of Forensic Sciences to a designated lab when an autopsy is ordered under Section 36-18-2.
• Reimbursement rules: state funds cover storage/transport costs when autopsy is authorized; if ordered by someone not authorized, the requester pays; the ordering entity must provide sufficient information for reimbursement statements.
• Itemized expense process: coroner must itemize storage and transport costs and deliver the statement to the county every 10 days after delivery of the body; the county then invoices the responsible payer and payment is due within 30 days of receipt.
• Special fund: a county treasury special fund will hold reimbursements; funds are only used for autopsy-related storage/transport expenses; payment depends on compliance with the reporting requirements.
• Non-authorized autopsies: if the autopsy is not ordered under the authorized statute, the coroner is not responsible for storage/transport, though assistance may be offered if the requester pays upfront.
• Effective date: the act becomes effective immediately after approval or, if not approved at once, becomes law by the applicable process.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Coroners