SB22 Alabama 2021 Session

Updated May 18, 2021

Summary

Primary Sponsor: Linda Coleman-MadisonSenator
Democrat
Session: Regular Session 2021
Title: Medical Examiners, required to notify next of kin when retaining organ of deceased, prohibit medical examiner from retaining organ for use not in conjunction with autopsy
Summary: SB22 requires medical examiners to notify the next of kin through law enforcement when retaining a deceased person's organ for testing related to identifying the person or determining the cause or manner of death, and bans retaining organs for non-determination uses without such notification and approval.
What This Bill Does
If enacted, medical examiners must inform the next of kin via the appropriate law enforcement agency when they retain a deceased person's organ(s) for additional testing to determine identity or cause or manner of death. They are prohibited from retaining an organ for research or other purposes not tied to death determination without notification and approval from the next of kin. The act allows certain officials (Governor, Attorney General, district attorney, or a circuit court order) to override the notification requirement in specific circumstances, and it becomes law on the first day of the third month after governor approval.

Who It Affects
Next of kin of deceased individuals, who must be notified through law enforcement and must approve any non-determination use of an organ.
Medical examiners and related agencies (including the Department of Forensic Sciences), who must notify next of kin and are prohibited from retaining organs for non-determination purposes without notification and approval.

Key Provisions
Requires medical examiners to notify the next of kin, through the appropriate law enforcement agency, when retaining a deceased person's entire organ or organs for additional testing required to determine identification or the cause or manner of death; allows notification to be overridden only by Governor, Attorney General, district attorney, or a circuit court order.
Prohibits medical examiners from retaining a deceased person's organ or organs for research or other purposes not in conjunction with identification or determination of cause or manner of death without notification to, and approval by, the next of kin.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 23, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.
Subjects: Medical Examiners