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Senate amends statute to allow mortuary employees to serve coroners part time
Summary
Senate Bill 11‑21 passed the Senate on Feb. 28; the bill removes language that prohibited mortuary employees from holding coroner roles in counties with populations over 20,000, allowing mortuary employees to serve part time for coroners while keeping restrictions on proprietors and licensed morticians.
The Idaho Senate on Feb. 28 passed Senate Bill 11‑21, a targeted statutory change permitting employees of mortuaries to assist coroners on a part‑time basis. The bill passed the Senate and will be transmitted to the House.
Sponsor Senator Harris said current law prevented mortuary employees from serving coroner duties in counties with populations larger than 20,000 when mortuary ownership or licensure would present a conflict. The bill removes the bar for employees while keeping prohibitions on proprietors, owners and licensed morticians. “So employees of mortuaries can also work part time, for coroners to help them,” the sponsor said.
Senators offered no substantive floor amendments and debate closed quickly. The roll call on final passage recorded a favorable vote; the chair announced the bill passed. The title was approved and the bill was transmitted to the House of Representatives.
Sponsor materials said the change is intended to expand the available workforce to assist coroners in counties that need additional personnel to manage decedent disposition and coroner functions. The statutory restrictions on owners and licensees remain in place to limit conflicts of interest.
