Counties: coroners.

Existing law authorizes a coroner, upon authorization by the county board of supervisors, to charge and collect the actual expense incurred by the coroner in removing the body from the place of death and keeping the body until its release, from the person entitled to control the disposition of the remains, as specified. Existing law prohibits the charge in cases in which the coroner ascribes the death to the criminal act of another, unless the coroner has reasonable grounds to believe that the deceased was involved in any criminal activity that contributed to his or her own death. This bill would instead prohibit the charge in cases in which the law enforcement agency investigating the death ascribes the death to the criminal act of another, unless the law enforcement agency investigating the death has reasonable grounds to believe that the deceased was involved in any criminal activity that contributed to his or her own death.