HOUSE BILL 586

54th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2019

INTRODUCED BY

Karen C. Bash and Joanne J. Ferrary and Deborah A. Armstrong

AN ACT

RELATING TO MEDICAL INVESTIGATIONS; REQUIRING THE BOARD OF MEDICAL INVESTIGATORS TO ESTABLISH A PROCESS FOR NEXT OF KIN TO REQUEST REVIEW OF THE CAUSE AND MANNER OF A DEATH.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

     SECTION 1. Section 24-11-2 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1971, Chapter 112, Section 2, as amended) is amended to read:

     "24-11-2. MEETINGS--DUTIES.--

          A. The board of medical [investigations] investigators shall meet at least annually and as often as necessary to conduct the business of the board. Additional meetings may be called by the [chairman] chair or by a majority of the members of the board.

          B. At the first annual meeting of the board, the members shall elect one of their number as [chairman] chair.

          C. The board of medical [investigations] investigators shall formulate broad policy for the operation of the office of the state medical investigator and the offices of the district medical investigators, including adopting and promulgating rules to provide for a process for a next of kin of an individual whose circumstances of death gave rise to a medical investigation to request review of the cause and manner of a death.

          D. The board of medical [investigations] investigators shall employ and fix the compensation of a qualified state medical investigator who shall be assigned as an employee of the university of New Mexico school of medicine."

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