NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL ASSEMBLY

1977 SESSION

CHAPTER 189

SENATE BILL 175

AN ACT TO AUTHORIZE THE CORONERS OF CLEVELAND AND RUTHERFORD COUNTIES TO ORDER AUTOPSIES TO BE PERFORMED AND TO COMPLETE THE MEDICAL CERTIFICATION OF DEATH WITH RESPECT TO DEATHS WITHIN THEIR JURISDICTIONS.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

Section 1.  The coroners of Cleveland and Rutherford Counties shall have the authority to order autopsies to be performed by persons authorized by law to perform autopsies with respect to all deaths within their jurisdictions.  The coroners may order autopsies to be performed on those deceased persons receiving Veteran's Administration disability benefits at the time of their death.  The coroners shall also have the authority to make and sign the medical certification of death with respect to all deaths where there is no evidence of foul play within their jurisdictions.  The provisions of this section shall not affect the authority of the medical examiner under Article 21 of Chapter 130 of the General Statutes.

Sec. 2. Notwithstanding the provisions of G.S. 130-198, the coroners of Cleveland and Rutherford Counties shall have the authority to remove, or order the removal of, the body or anatomical material suspected of being or determined to be a part or parts of a human body from the scene of the death, in order that an investigation may continue.

Sec. 3. This act shall become effective upon ratification.

In the General Assembly read three times and ratified, this the 12th day of April, 1977.