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HB 544 Alabama House · 2025 Regular Session

Escambia County, powers, duties, appointment, and compensation of medical examiner further provided for

HB 544 revises the laws governing the Escambia County Medical Examiner. It changes the appointment process, establishing a new nominating committee composed of local and state officials. The bill specifies the medical examiner will serve a six-year term as an agent of the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences with state liability coverage. It also clarifies the types of deaths requiring investigation and repeals the section of code related to the medical examiner's compensation.
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Apr 2025
Committee Review
Apr 2025
House Passage
Apr 2025
Senate Passage
May 2025
Signed into Law
May 2025
Introduced Apr 8, 2025 Signed May 22, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced → Enrolled · 5 edits · May 22, 2025
MODERATE
This bill updates the Alabama Medical Examiner system for Escambia County, clarifying appointment procedures, adding new categories of deaths requiring investigation, and establishing interim appointment processes for vacancies. The changes ensure more transparent selection of medical examiners and expand the scope of deaths that must be investigated.
Scope change
The bill expands the scope of deaths requiring investigation by adding three new categories: environmental exposure deaths, infectious disease deaths with undetermined diagnosis, and deaths possibly linked to environmental factors.
REQUIREMENT

Appointment authority changed from senior state medical examiner to Director of Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences with approval required from the Director.

New interim appointment process added requiring Director to appoint temporary medical examiner within 14 days of vacancy, with nominating committee submitting list within 90 days.

Director may waive physician requirement for interim appointments, allowing non-physicians to serve temporarily during vacancies.

Three new death investigation categories added: environmental exposure deaths, infectious disease deaths with undetermined diagnosis, and deaths possibly linked to environmental factors.

ELIGIBILITY

Nominating committee composition clarified with explicit inclusion of County Commission Chair, District Attorney, Sheriff, and Chief Medical Examiner as required members.

Floor votes · Senate May 14, 2025 · House Apr 10, 2025

How they voted

28–0
Passed · 6 other
Total votes 34
May 14, 2025
D Democratic8
4 Yea 4
50% Yea
R Republican26
24 Yea 2
92% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
17
Key actions
7
Committee
4
May 14, 2025
Upper · Passed
Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass - Adopted Roll Call 1069
upper
May 14, 2025
Upper · Passed
Waggoner Petition to Cease Debate - Adopted Roll Call 1068
upper
Apr 22, 2025
Upper · Passed
Reported Out of Committee Second House
upper
Apr 10, 2025
Upper · Passed
Pending Committee Action in Second House (Local Legislation )
upper
Apr 10, 2025
Lower · Passed
Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass - Adopted Roll Call 773
lower
Apr 9, 2025
Lower · Passed
Reported Out of Committee House of Origin
lower
Apr 8, 2025
Lower · Passed
Pending Committee Action in House of Origin (Local Legislation)
lower
0 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

No sponsor information available.