SENATE HEALTH COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

SENATE, No. 814

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED: MAY 9, 1996

      The Senate Health Committee favorably reports Senate Bill No. 814.

      This bill amends R.S.26:8-52 to allow the State medical examiner to sign off on corrections to death certificates. The bill also gives the State Medical Examiner the authority to sign off on corrections or amendments to death certificates relating to the causes or duration of causes of death.

      The bill also provides that upon denial of an application for correction or amendment of a death certificate, a person who has applied to a county medical examiner may apply to the State Medical Examiner who may review the matter and amend the certificate or defer to the decision of the county medical examiner. The decision of the county medical examiner shall be deemed the final decision by a public officer in the matter unless the State Medical Examiner amends or corrects the death certificate.

      This bill is identical to Assembly Bill No. 1341(1R) (DeCroce), which the committee also reported favorably on this date.