An Act to eliminate fees for the removal of a child’s body by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner

HD 1372 eliminates all fees charged by Massachusetts' Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) for removing, transporting, or handling the body of a deceased child. It directly affects grieving families who would otherwise pay these costs, covering children under age 5 (including reportable fetal deaths). The bill prohibits OCME from imposing such fees immediately upon enactment and requires the state to fund this service through budget adjustments. It also mandates an annual OCME report to the Legislature tracking cases, costs, and funding needs related to the policy change.