AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY -- OFFICE OF STATE MEDICAL EXAMINERS

This bill updates the procedures for handling unclaimed human remains in Rhode Island by clarifying when a body is considered unclaimed and must be buried. It requires the Office of State Medical Examiners to release a deceased person's body to relatives or domestic partners and covers the cost of transport if an autopsy was required. The law defines a domestic partner as someone in an exclusive, cohabiting relationship for at least one year who meets specific financial and legal criteria. If the family or designated partners fail to claim the body or arrange for its removal within set timeframes, or if no family can be found, the state will arrange for burial and seek reimbursement from the deceased's estate.