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House Judiciary panel backs removing mandatory on-site cremation view by medical examiners
Summary
Senate Bill 146 would eliminate the statutory requirement that a medical examiner physically view a decedent before issuing a cremation certificate, a move supporters said would reduce delays for grieving families and let examiners focus on homicides and unexpected deaths.
Senate Bill 146 would remove the statutory requirement that a deputy or chief medical examiner physically view a decedent before issuing a cremation certificate, the prime sponsor told the House Judiciary Committee.
Sen. Sue Prentiss, the bill’s prime sponsor, told the panel the requirement is an outdated, low-yield step in New Hampshire’s death-review system: “What this bill does is it removes the requirement for the certification of a for cremation. It removes requirement for cremation certificate.” She said death certificates already capture the information needed to determine whether the medical examiner’s office should take jurisdiction.
The bill’s supporters, including Chief Medical Examiner Jenny Duvall, said review of the death certificate and medical records, not a separate physical viewing of the body, is what identifies the small fraction of cases that require further investigation.
“There is value in…
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