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Commission adopts coroner/medical-examiner compliance policy tied to RCW requirements
Summary
CJTC approved a new coroner/medical examiner compliance policy establishing annual audits, a three-stage notice process and a financial-reimbursement penalty for noncompliance; agencies will have a 30-day plan window and three months to comply (or until the next available course), with county governments and the state treasurer notified for enforcement.
The Criminal Justice Training Commission adopted a new compliance policy for the Washington State coroner/medical examiner program that spells out how CJTC will enforce certification requirements and recover state autopsy-reimbursement funds under state law.
Jennifer Pendray, the coroner/medical-examiner program manager, told commissioners the policy implements RCW provisions that make certification a condition of continued employment for coroner and death-investigation personnel and allow the state to withhold up to 25% of autopsy reimbursement for noncompliance. The policy creates a three-step enforcement sequence: an initial notice with a 30-day window to submit a plan of action, a three-month remediation period (or the next available training opening when course capacity prevents completion), and a formal notice that triggers notification of county government and the state treasurer's office.
Pendray said the program will conduct annual audits to identify noncompliance and will track hire and separation notices. The commission approved the policy by voice vote and asked for a six-month and a 12-month follow-up report on implementation and outcomes.
Why it matters: The policy clarifies how CJTC will handle noncertified coroner personnel and ties state reimbursement directly to compliance, potentially affecting county budget receipts for death-investigation work.
What comes next: The program manager will finalize implementation procedures, establish communication lines with the state treasurer for withholding measures as needed, and return with periodic reports at six and 12 months.
