Coroners and medical examiners.

Existing law sets forth the duties and authority of a county coroner. Existing law authorizes a county board of supervisors, by ordinance, to abolish the office of coroner and provide instead for the office of medical examiner, to be appointed by the board and to exercise the powers and perform the duties of the coroner. This bill would, except as provided, prohibit the disclosure of any report of death, autopsy report, investigation summary, toxicology report, coroner's register, file or other record, working paper, or note relating to a postmortem examination or autopsy of a decedent. The bill would allow disclosure to, among others, the decedent's next of kin, personal representative, parent, child, grandparent, grandchild, sibling, spouse, or domestic partner if certain evidence of identity is provided, including a declaration under penalty of perjury. By expanding the scope of the crime of perjury, this bill would create a state-mandated local program. Existing constitutional provisions require that a statute that limits the right of access to the meetings of public bodies or the writings of public officials and agencies be adopted with findings demonstrating the interest protected by the limitation and the need for protecting that interest. This bill would make legislative findings to that effect. 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 no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.