Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Safety topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Police and funeral‑home stakeholders back HP 1348 amendment for cadaver training safeguards
Summary
Captain representing state police described an amendment to HP 1348 creating written‑consent, chain‑of‑custody and credentialing safeguards to allow law enforcement possession of portions of human remains for training; committee members questioned drafting details about sections and definitions.
Senate Judiciary reopened HP 1348 with testimony from a state police captain and participants who described an amendment intended to set lawful, ethical procedures for law‑enforcement possession of human remains for training.
Captain Manny Matuchi told the committee the amendment requires written consent from next of kin or prior consent from the individual, oversight by credentialed professionals, compliance with health and safety rules, chain‑of‑custody documentation and final disposition via licensed providers. He said stakeholders — law enforcement, funeral directors and academic partners — worked on the language and view it as a best‑practice remedy to a statutory gap.
Committee members asked technical drafting questions. One senator noted the amendment text appeared to replace, rather than supplement, section two of the introduced bill; the sponsor and staff agreed to fix the drafting so definitions are not removed. Another member asked whether the amendment mirrored prior related bills; the captain said the amendment tracks prior House and Senate versions and adds policy elements (academy policy on cadaver programs) that officials and the police academy prefer placed in statute rather than administrative rule.
No votes were taken at the hearing. Committee members indicated staff would coordinate drafting fixes to preserve definitions and correct references before further action.
