First Regular Session
Seventy-fifth General Assembly
STATE OF COLORADO
REENGROSSED
This Version Includes All Amendments
Adopted in the House of Introduction
LLS NO. 25-0259.01 Josh Schultz x5486
HOUSE BILL 25-1082
House Committees Senate Committees
State, Civic, Military, & Veterans Affairs
Appropriations
A BILL FOR AN ACT
C
ONCERNING AUTHORIZING CERT AIN INDIVIDUALS TO COMPLETE101
ACTIONS RELATED TO DEATH
CERTIFICATES, AND, IN102
CONNECTION THEREWITH , MAKING AN APPROPRIATION .103
Bill Summary
(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced and does
not reflect any amendments that may be subsequently adopted. If this bill
passes third reading in the house of introduction, a bill summary that
applies to the reengrossed version of this bill will be available at
http://leg.colorado.gov
.)
In current law, a "qualified individual" is authorized to determine
the cause of death of an individual and complete the medical certification
for a certificate of death. The bill defines the term "qualified individual"
to include a physician, a physician assistant, an advanced practice
registered nurse, or the chief medical officer of the institution in which
HOUSE
3rd Reading Unamended
March 31, 2025
HOUSE
Amended 2nd Reading
March 27, 2025
HOUSE SPONSORSHIP
Weinberg and Brown, Caldwell, Clifford, Keltie, Soper, Titone, Valdez
SENATE SPONSORSHIP
Pelton R. and Michaelson Jenet, Bridges
Shading denotes HOUSE amendment. Double underlining denotes SENATE amendment.
Capital letters or bold & italic numbers indicate new material to be added to existing law.
Dashes through the words or numbers indicate deletions from existing law. the death occurred.
The bill requires that qualified individuals register to use the
electronic death registration system used by the department of public
health and environment and the state registrar prior to signing a death
certificate.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:1
SECTION 1. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 25-2-110, amend2
(1)(b)(I), (1)(b)(III), (3)(a), (3)(a.5)(I) introductory portion, (3)(a.5)(I)(B),3
(3)(a.5)(I)(C), (3)(a.5)(II), (4), (4.5), and (6); and add (1)(e) and (12) as4
follows:5
25-2-110. Certificates of death - definitions. (1) (b) (I) The6
department of public health and environment shall create and the state7
registrar shall use an electronic death registration system for the purpose8
of collecting death information from funeral directors, coroners,9
physicians, PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS, ADVANCED PRACTICE REGISTERED10
NURSES, local registrars, health facilities, and other authorized11
individuals, as determined by the department. Death information12
submitted electronically by a funeral director, coroner, physician,13
PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT, ADVANCED PRACTICE REGISTERED NURSE, local14
registrar, health facility, or authorized individual, as determined by the15
department, to the electronic death registration system for purposes of16
fulfilling the requirements of this section satisfies the signature and filing17
requirements of this section and section 30-10-606. C.R.S.18
(III) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (4.5) of this19
section, any individual, other than a family member of the decedent or20
other individual acting ASSISTING in a nonprofessional capacity as the21
funeral director for the decedent, who is required to initiate, complete,22
respond to, or file a certificate of death pursuant to this section must use23
1082-2- the electronic death registration system used by the state registrar.1
(e) A PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT OR ADVANCED PRACTICE REGISTERED2
NURSE SHALL REVIEW THE TRAINING MATERIALS REGARDING SIGNING A3
DEATH CERTIFICATE PROVIDED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH4
AND ENVIRONMENT BEFORE THE FIRST TIME THEY SIGN A DEATH5
CERTIFICATE.6
(3) (a) The funeral director or person acting as such INDIVIDUAL7
ASSISTING IN A NONPROFESSIONAL CAPACITY who first assumes custody8
of a dead body, stillborn fetus, or dead fetus is responsible for the filing9
of the certificate of death required by subsection (1) of this section within10
seventy-two hours after receipt of the electronic death registration request11
unless the physician, their associate physician, THE PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT,12
THE ADVANCED PRACTICE REGISTERED NURSE, the chief medical officer13
of the institution in which the death occurred, or the physician who14
performs an autopsy upon the decedent is unable to complete the medical15
certification for the certificate of death within the required time frame.16
The funeral director shall obtain the personal data required by the17
certificate from the next of kin or the best qualified person or source18
available. The funeral director shall obtain the medical certification19
necessary to complete the portion of the certificate pertaining to the cause20
of death from the best qualified person or source available, pursuant to21
subsection (4) of this section.22
(a.5) (I) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (3)(a.5)(II) of23
this section, if a decedent had an established primary care physician,24
PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT, OR ADVANCED PRACTICE REGISTERED NURSE , the25
primary care physician, PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT, OR ADVANCED PRACTICE26
REGISTERED NURSE is responsible for completing the medical certification27
1082
-3- for the certificate of death in accordance with subsections (1)(a) and (4)1
of this section if:2
(B) The decedent received medical care from the primary care3
physician, PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT, OR ADVANCED PRACTICE REGISTERED4
NURSE within a year of the death;5
(C) The death occurred when the decedent was not under the6
direct care of another physician, PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT, OR ADVANCED7
PRACTICE REGISTERED NURSE charged with the patient's care during the8
illness or condition that resulted in death; and9
(II) If, within a year of the death, the decedent had been treated by10
a physician, PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT, OR ADVANCED PRACTICE REGISTERED11
NURSE other than the decedent's established primary care physician,12
PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT, OR ADVANCED PRACTICE REGISTERED NURSE for a13
chronic condition or terminal illness related to the decedent's death and14
the conditions set forth in subsections (3)(a.5)(I)(A) and (3)(a.5)(I)(D) of15
this section are met, that physician, PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT, OR ADVANCED16
PRACTICE REGISTERED NURSE is responsible for completing the medical17
certification for the certificate of death in accordance with subsection (4)18
of this section.19
(4) Except when inquiry is required by any provision of section20
30-10-606 other than section 30-10-606 (1)(b), the physician, PHYSICIAN21
ASSISTANT, OR ADVANCED PRACTICE REGISTERED NURSE in charge of the22
patient's care for the illness or condition that resulted in death shall23
complete the medical certification for the certificate of death within24
seventy-two hours after receipt of the electronic death registration request25
or, before March 1, 2024, only, for a physician, PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT, OR26
ADVANCED PRACTICE REGISTERED NURSE who is not yet registered to use27
1082
-4- and using the electronic death registration system used by the department1
of public health and environment and the state registrar pursuant to2
subsection (1)(b)(I) of this section, within seventy-two hours after3
receiving notice that a medical certification for a certificate of death must4
be completed. In the absence of said THE physician, PHYSICIAN5
ASSISTANT, OR ADVANCED PRACTICE REGISTERED NURSE or with the6
physician's, PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT'S, OR ADVANCED PRACTICE REGISTERED7
NURSE'S approval, the certificate may be completed and signed by an8
associate physician, PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT, ADVANCED PRACTICE9
REGISTERED NURSE, by the chief medical officer of the institution in10
which the death occurred, or by the physician who performed an autopsy11
upon the decedent, if such individual has access to the medical history of12
the case, if said individual views the decedent at or after the time of13
death, and if the death is due to natural causes. If the death is or may be14
due to unnatural causes, a physician, PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT, OR15
ADVANCED PRACTICE REGISTERED NURSE required to complete a medical16
certification for a certificate of death in accordance with this subsection17
(4) shall notify the coroner or the medical examiner when an inquiry or18
an autopsy is required to be performed pursuant to sections 30-10-606 and19
30-10-606.5. On and after March 1, 2024, a physician's, PHYSICIAN20
ASSISTANT'S, OR ADVANCED PRACTICE REGISTERED NURSE'S repeated or21
willful failure without reasonable cause to comply with timely completion22
of a medical certification for a certificate of death in accordance with23
subsection (1)(a) of this section and this subsection (4) constitutes24
unprofessional conduct, as defined in section 12-240-121 (1)(hh). If an25
autopsy is performed, the certification shall indicate whether the decedent26
was pregnant at the time of death, and said THE information shall be27
1082
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section. Except as otherwise provided in subsection (4.5) of this section,2
the physician, PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT, OR ADVANCED PRACTICE3
REGISTERED NURSE or, in their absence, their designee in accordance with4
this subsection (4), shall complete the medical certification for a5
certificate of death required by this subsection (4) using the electronic6
death registration system used by the department of public health and7
environment and the state registrar pursuant to subsection (1)(b)(I) of this8
section.9
(4.5) (a) The department of public health and environment shall10
ensure that all physicians are registered to use the electronic death11
registration system created and used pursuant to subsection (1)(b)(I) of12
this section on or before March 1, 2024. A physician shall use the system13
for all medical certifications for certificates of death required by14
subsection (4) of this section immediately upon being registered but is not15
required to do so before being registered.16
(b) A
QUALIFIED INDIVIDUAL SHALL REGISTER TO USE THE17
ELECTRONIC DEATH REGISTRATION SYSTEM PRIOR TO SIGNING A
MEDICAL18
CERTIFICATE OF DEATH.19
(6) If the cause of death cannot be determined within forty-eight20
hours after a death, the medical certification shall be completed as21
provided by rule. If an autopsy is performed, the certification shall22
indicate whether the decedent was pregnant at the time of death, and said23
THE information shall be reported on the death certificate as required by24
subsection (9) of this section. The attending physician, PHYSICIAN25
ASSISTANT, ADVANCED PRACTICE REGISTERED NURSE, or coroner shall26
give the funeral director or person acting as such INDIVIDUAL ASSISTING27
1082
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final disposition of the body shall not be made until authorized by the2
office designated or established pursuant to section 25-2-103 in the3
county where the death occurred or, if such an office does not exist in the4
county where the death occurred, final disposition of the body shall not5
be made until authorized by the coroner or the coroner's designee.6
(12) A
S USED IN THIS SECTION, "QUALIFIED INDIVIDUAL" MEANS A7
PHYSICIAN; A PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT LICENSED PURSUANT TO ARTICLE 2408
OF TITLE 12; AN ADVANCED PRACTICE REGISTERED NURSE , AS DEFINED IN9
SECTION 12-255-104 (1); OR THE CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER OF THE10
INSTITUTION IN WHICH THE DEATH OCCURRED .11 SECTION 2. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 25-2-111, amend (1)12
as follows:13
25-2-111. Dead bodies - disposition - removal from state -14
records. (1) Any person requested to act as funeral director for a dead15
body or otherwise whoever A FUNERAL DIRECTOR OR INDIVIDUAL16
ASSISTING IN A NONPROFESSIONAL CAPACITY WHO first assumes custody17
of a dead body shall, prior to final disposition of the body, obtain18
authorization for final disposition of the body. The office designated or19
established pursuant to section 25-2-103 in the county where the death20
occurred or, if such an office does not exist in the county where the death21
occurred, the coroner or the coroner's designee shall authorize final22
disposition of the body on a form prescribed and furnished by the state23
registrar. No body shall be buried, cremated, deposited in a vault or tomb,24
or otherwise disposed of, nor shall any body be removed from this state,25
until such authorization has been obtained, completed, and approved. The26
coroner or the coroner's designee shall include in the authorization notice27
1082
-7- of the requirements of subsection (7) of this section.1
SECTION 3. Appropriation. For the 2025-26 state fiscal year,2
$25,000 is appropriated to the department of public health and3
environment for use by the center for health and environmental data. This4
appropriation is from the vital statistics records cash fund created in5
section 25-2-121 (2)(b)(I), C.R.S. To implement this act, the center may6
use this appropriation for operating expenses related to health statistics7
and vital records.8
SECTION 4. Act subject to petition - effective date. This act9
takes effect at 12:01 a.m. on the day following the expiration of the10
ninety-day period after final adjournment of the general assembly; except11
that, if a referendum petition is filed pursuant to section 1 (3) of article V12
of the state constitution against this act or an item, section, or part of this13
act within such period, then the act, item, section, or part will not take14
effect unless approved by the people at the general election to be held in15
November 2026 and, in such case, will take effect on the date of the16
official declaration of the vote thereon by the governor.17
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