Fees recoverable by a coroner or medical examiner modified.
Summary
HF4303 amends Minnesota law governing fees that coroners and medical examiners may recover. Under current law, they may charge fees for cremation approval, copying reports, and other administrative functions with county board approval. The bill adds a new fee category allowing a coroner or medical examiner to recover reasonable expenses when they must conduct a medical record review because an individual, facility, or organization refuses to act as the medical certifier and complete a death record as required by Minnesota rules.
The new fee may also include administrative costs tied to the medical record review and completion of the death record. In practical terms, the bill shifts some of the cost burden for completing death records in these refusal cases to the party or process triggering the review, rather than leaving those expenses entirely with the county office. It is a targeted administrative change rather than a broad policy overhaul.
Impact
The bill would amend Minnesota Statutes section 390.15 to expressly authorize coroners and medical examiners to charge an additional fee for medical record review and death-record completion when a required medical certifier does not complete the record. This expands recoverable expenses beyond cremation approvals and report duplication, and it reinforces the authority of county coroners/medical examiners to recoup administrative and review costs associated with death certification.
Sentiment
There is no recorded committee testimony or vote history in the provided materials, so the bill’s sentiment cannot be measured from debate or roll-call data. Based on the text alone, the proposal appears administrative and narrowly focused, suggesting a generally practical or technical purpose rather than a controversial policy change.
Contention
The main potential point of contention is whether allowing coroners and medical examiners to charge these additional fees could increase costs for families, facilities, or organizations involved in death certification disputes or delays. Another possible issue is whether the fee authority is sufficiently limited to “reasonable expenses” and whether county board approval or other oversight is adequate. No specific opposing or supporting viewpoints are provided in the available record.