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February 8, 2024 HB 24-1100
Legislative Council Staff
Nonpartisan Services for Colorado’s Legislature
Fiscal Note
Drafting Number:
Prime Sponsors:
LLS 24-0209
Rep. Vigil
Sen. Jaquez Lewis
Date:
Bill Status:
Fiscal Analyst:
February 8, 2024
House Trans., Hous., & Local Govt.
Shukria Maktabi | 303-866-4720
shukria.maktabi@coleg.gov
Bill Topic: CORONER QUALIFICATIONS
Summary of
Fiscal Impact:
☐ State Revenue
☐ State Expenditure
☐ State Transfer
☐ TABOR Refund
☒ Local Government
☐ Statutory Public Entity
The bill requires certification standards for coroners in counties with populations
greater than 150,000, and allows smaller counties to impose standards if they choose.
The bill may increase local government expenditures beginning in FY 2024-25.
Appropriation
Summary:
No appropriation is required.
Fiscal Note
Status:
The fiscal note reflects the introduced bill.
Summary of Legislation
Currently, county coroners must be residents of the county they serve and have a high school
diploma or college degree. Coroners must also obtain certification in basic death investigation
from the Colorado Coroners Association or another training provider within a year of
appointment.
This bill requires coroners in counties with populations greater than 150,000 to hold national
certifications. A county coroner must either be a death investigator certified by the American
Board of Medicolegal Death Investigators or a forensic pathologist certified by the American
Board of Pathology. Counties with a population of less than 150,000 may impose these
standards with a majority vote of their board of county commissioners.
Local Government
The fiscal note assumes that certification standards will apply to county coroners currently in
office. For larger counties, costs may increase if the county must pay for their coroner to obtain
the necessary training to meet the certification required in the bill. The training to become a
certified death investigator costs about $400. The fiscal note assumes most coroners in affected
counties currently meet this standard and any impact will be minimal. Similar, smaller counties
may have these training costs if they choose to apply the new certification requirement. Page 2
February 8, 2024 HB 24-1100
If the certification standards apply to new county coroners in future election cycles, there are no
cost impacts to counties, as a candidate for coroner must ensure compliance with the standards
prior to seeking office, presumably at the candidate’s expense.
Effective Date
The bill takes effect upon signature of the Governor, or upon becoming law without his
signature.
State and Local Government Contacts
Counties County Coroners Law
Public Health and Environment
The revenue and expenditure impacts in this fiscal note represent changes from current law under the bill for each
fiscal year. For additional information about fiscal notes, please visit the General Assembly website.