Albany County committee holds public hearing on proposed charter change for death-investigation services; no action taken

The Rules Review and Legislative Modernization Committee of Albany County held a public hearing May 28 on a proposed local law to amend the county charter and Local Law No. 8 of 1993 governing death-investigation services; the committee did not take action on the measure.

Committee members and staff focused discussion on who transports decedents from scenes, the timing of autopsies relative to embalming, options for private autopsies, fee structures for regional forensic services and case volume. "What we're looking at right now is still having the contract that we have in place with Albany County County Funeral Homes. That's who's currently doing the those transit works," a staff member said, adding the county does not propose changing the contract because, to their understanding, the vendor is "doing a good job." The committee did not provide public findings or a recommendation at the hearing.

Why it matters: The proposed local law would change how Albany County organizes or oversees death-investigation services — a set of duties that can…