AB 443

Current law prohibits cremation of a human corpse without a cremation permit

issued by a coroner or medical examiner (CME). Current law does not require the

use of any specific form for applying for a cremation permit or for the cremation

permit itself. This bill requires the Department of Health Services to design a

cremation permit application form. If the CME of a county requires applicants for

a cremation permit to apply using an application form, a person applying for a

cremation permit in that county must use the cremation permit application form

designed by DHS under this bill. The bill provides that the cremation permit

application form may be used also as a cremation permit if authorized by the CME

of the county in which the cremation permit is issued.

In addition, the bill requires a CME to issue a cremation permit within 24 hours

of viewing a corpse or the submission of a medical certification, whichever is later.

However, this 24-hour deadline does not apply if a CME has determined that further

examination or judicial inquiry into the death is necessary.