House Bill 1025 would extend coroner training deadlines, sponsor says

Representative Watson, speaking to the Senate City, County & Local Affairs Committee, presented House Bill 1025 "to amend the law concerning the training of coroners and to declare an emergency," saying the COVID-19 pandemic has prevented many coroners from completing statutorily required training.

"Coroners are in a bind. They need help," Representative Watson said, describing the measure as intended "to allow [deputy coroners] to complete required training" and noting the workload pressures in counties including Pulaski, Washington and his home Hempstead County, where he said deputy coroners are thinly staffed.

Why it matters: the bill adds an emergency clause and would give coroners additional time to meet training requirements that sponsors say were disrupted by pandemic-related cancellations and time constraints. Representative Watson said the change targets deputy coroners who lack the office resources that some county chief coroners have.

Committee members asked how the bill intersects with death certification. Representative Solomon asked whether physicians and treating providers typically record causes of death and raised the possibility that training gaps for coroners could affect the accuracy of COVID-19 death reporting: "it sounds like if they're not sufficiently trained, that maybe those numbers that we're seeing as directly related to COVID or COVID related may not be accurate." Representative Watson said he could not answer detailed certification procedures at the hearing and offered to direct members to Kevin Clayhorn of the coroner's association for technical questions.

The committee recorded a motion to report the bill do pass (motion made by Senator Rice, seconded by Senator Flippo) and approved the measure by voice vote. No members requested recorded roll-call votes and no public witnesses spoke on the bill during the committee's consideration. The bill will proceed to the next legislative step.