SB 26-105

Senate Bill 26-105 requires certain county officers like coroners and recorders to disclose any financial interests they have in businesses related to death care services, such as funeral homes or crematories. They must post this information on their official website within a month of taking office or acquiring the interest. The law also mandates that these officials cannot take part in decisions that directly affect their own business interests. Additionally, coroners are required to report annually how many times they referred remains to death-care providers without revealing personal details about the deceased or their families. Since the bill has been signed, it is now a law and must be followed by those affected.

Official Summary

Existing law specifies that an individual must be a certified death investigator or forensic pathologist to be eligible to hold the office of county coroner in a county with a population greater than 150,000. The act changes this requirement to apply in a county with a population greater than 300,000. The act also requires a county coroner to disclose, on the coroner's website, their financial interest in businesses regulated by their office, including a mortuary, funeral home, crematory, embalming service, or other death-care business. A coroner who has disclosed a financial interest shall not participate in an official action that would directly and specifically affect the business in which the coroner has a financial interest. The act does not prohibit a coroner or candidate for coroner from operating a death-care business.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

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