SB 531

This bill expands a moratorium on fee increases for certain fees charged by a

county for coroner or medical examiner services and creates an exception to this

moratorium.

Under current law, from July 14, 2015, to April 17, 2017, a county may not

charge a funeral home, cemetery, or crematorium an amount that exceeds the

amount that was in effect on April 17, 2015, for any of the following fees: 1) fees for

services rendered by a coroner; 2) fees assessed for the signing of a death certificate

by a coroner or medical examiner; or 3) fees assessed related to transportation

services. If on or after April 18, 2017, a county increases the amount of any of the

fees specified above, any increase may not exceed the annual percentage change in

the U.S. consumer price index for all urban consumers, U.S. city average, for the 12

months ending on December 31 of the year before the increase.

Under this bill, the moratorium is expanded to cover a fee charged to any person

by a county for the purposes specified above, and the purpose listed under item 1)

above is expanded to cover fees for services rendered by a coroner or medical

examiner. The bill also clarifies that fees for services rendered by a medical examiner

may not exceed an amount that is reasonably related to the actual cost of providing

the service.

Also under this bill, with some exceptions, if a county that had been providing

coroner or lay medical examiner services begins providing physician medical

examiner services under an intergovernmental cooperation agreement, at the time

that the agreement takes effect, the board may establish the fee assessed for the

signing of a death certificate by a coroner or medical examiner at an amount that

exceeds the amount that was in effect on April 17, 2015, and without regard to any

changes in the U.S. consumer price index.