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                                                   SENATE BILL NO. 3220

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State of Washington                              49th Legislature                              1985 Regular Session

By Senator Owen

Read first time 1/22/85 and referred to Committee on Governmental Operations.

AN ACT Relating to autopsies; and amending RCW 68.08.105.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

        Sec. 1.  Section 9, chapter 188, Laws of 1953 as amended by section 2, chapter 79, Laws of 1977 and RCW 68.08.105 are each amended to read as follows:

          Reports and records of autopsies or post mortems shall be confidential, except ((to)) that the following persons may examine and obtain copies of any such report or record:  Any family member or personal representative of the decedent, the attending physician, the prosecuting attorney or law enforcement agencies having jurisdiction, public health officials, or to the department of labor and industries in cases in which it has an interest under RCW 68.08.103.

          The coroner, the medical examiner, or the attending physician shall, upon request, meet with the family of the decedent to discuss the findings of the autopsy or post mortem.  For the purposes of this section, the term "family" means the surviving spouse, or any child, parent, brother, or sister of the decedent, or any person who was guardian of the decedent at the time of death.