Deceased Child Victims' Protection and Privacy Act.

Existing law prohibits the making of a copy, reproduction, or facsimile of any kind of photographs, negatives, or print of the body, or any portion of the body, of a deceased person taken by or for the coroner at the scene of death or in the course of a postmortem exam or autopsy made by or caused to be made by the coroner, except for use in a criminal proceeding in this state that relates to the death of that person, or except as a court of this state permits, as specified. The Public Records Act generally provides that public records, as defined, are open to public inspection and every person has a right to inspect any public record. The act sets forth specified exemptions from those provisions, including an exemption for specified investigatory or security files compiled by law enforcement entities. This bill would enact the Deceased Child Victims' Protection and Privacy Act. The bill would provide that, when a minor who is not within the jurisdiction of the juvenile court, as specified, is killed as a result of a criminal act and a person has been convicted of the crime and sentenced, or been found to have committed the act by a juvenile court and adjudged a ward of the juvenile court, upon the request of a qualifying family member of the deceased minor, the autopsy report and evidence associated with the examination of the victim in the possession of a public agency would be sealed and would not be disclosed, except as specified. The bill would also provide that a coroner or medical examiner shall not be liable for damages in a civil action for any act or omission taken in compliance with these provisions. These provisions would not be construed to limit the authority of the court to seal records or restrict the dissemination of an autopsy report or evidence associated with the examination of a victim, as specified. In addition, these provisions would establish an independent basis upon which an autopsy report or other evidence associated with the examination of a victim may be withheld from public disclosure; however, these provisions would not apply if the exemption from the Public Records Act described above applies. Because the bill would impose additional duties on local officials, such as the county coroner, the district attorney, or the public defender, relating to preventing the disclosure of this information, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to these statutory provisions. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.