Iowa 2025 2025-2026 Regular Session

Iowa Senate Bill SF602 Introduced / Bill

Filed 03/10/2025

                    Senate File 602 - Introduced   SENATE FILE 602   BY QUIRMBACH   A BILL FOR   An Act relating to modification and substitution of a death 1   certificate based on information obtained from a brain 2   autopsy. 3   BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 4   TLSB 2884XS (3) 91   dg/ko  

  S.F. 602   Section 1. Section 144.26, Code 2025, is amended by adding 1   the following new subsection: 2   NEW SUBSECTION   . 5A. a. The department shall establish 3   procedures to allow for a modification and substitution of a 4   death certificate when a brain autopsy performed by a person 5   or laboratory licensed or authorized by the state to perform 6   an autopsy, or by an accredited medical school located in 7   the United States, provides additional information regarding 8   conditions that may have contributed to a decedents death. 9   b. Notwithstanding subsection 4, a modification and 10   substitution of a death certificate under this subsection 11   shall not require a court order if a person applies for the 12   modification and substitution within ten years of the date of 13   the decedents death. 14   c. A substituted death certificate under this subsection 15   shall comply with requirements pursuant to sections 144.38 and 16   144.41. 17   d. The state shall not charge a fee for a modification and 18   substitution of a death certificate under this subsection. 19   e. The department shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 17A 20   to implement this subsection. 21   EXPLANATION 22   The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 23   the explanations substance by the members of the general assembly. 24   This bill relates to modification and substitution of a 25   death certificate based on information obtained from a brain 26   autopsy. The bill requires the department of health and 27   human services (HHS) to establish procedures to allow for a 28   modification and substitution of a death certificate when a 29   brain autopsy performed by a person or laboratory licensed 30   or authorized by the state to perform an autopsy, or by 31   an accredited medical school located in the United States,   32   provides additional information regarding conditions that may 33   have contributed to a decedents death. A modification and 34   substitution of a death certificate shall not require a court 35   -1-   LSB 2884XS (3) 91   dg/ko   1/ 2   

  S.F. 602   order if a person applies for the modification and substitution 1   within 10 years of the date of the decedents death. The 2   bill requires a substituted death certificate to comply with 3   Code sections 144.38 and 144.41, and prohibits the state from 4   charging a fee for a modification and substitution of the death 5   certificate. The bill directs HHS to adopt rules to implement 6   the bill. 7   -2-   LSB 2884XS (3) 91   dg/ko   2/ 2