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Rules Committee backs creating an executive director role in Medical Examiner’s office
Summary
The committee voted to recommend an ordinance that would create a non‑physician executive director for the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner to handle day‑to‑day administration while preserving the physician chief’s statutory role. The committee will send the ordinance to the full Board.
The Rules Committee recommended to the full Board an ordinance to create an executive director position in the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner that would assume administrative and operational responsibility separate from the physician chief medical examiner.
Chair Aaron Peskin detailed longstanding backlogs and management problems in the office and described the proposal as an “experiment” to establish a department‑head role focused on performance measures and day‑to‑day operations. Under state law the chief medical examiner must remain a physician and retain responsibility for medical and forensic determinations, Peskin said, while the new executive director would oversee operational management.
Supervisor Connie Chan voiced support for adding administrative accountability and increasing transparency while recognizing confidentiality needs for medical work. Public comment included endorsement from a member of the public who said the split clarified roles and would help the office function more efficiently.
With no objections, the committee voted to send the ordinance to the full Board with a committee recommendation.
