DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part of the
legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute part of the law
or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HB 627 Original 2015 Regular Session Barrow
Abstract: Authorizes an increase in coroner's fees for certain services and requires each parish to
establish suitable quarters for the coroner's office and decedent storage.
Present law provides for certain fees a coroner may collect relative to duties as coroner.
Proposed law retains present law but provides for an increase in coroner's fees as follows:
(1)For investigations, from $50 to $100.
(2)For viewing bodies, from $50 to $100.
(3)For attendance or testimony in any case in court and matters arising from official duties, from
$75 per day per case to $250 per hour.
(4)For papers issued in each interdiction case or commitment of mental or incompetent case,
from $50 to $100.
Present law requires that each parish furnish essential supplies and equipment for the coroner's office
or morgue once quarters for an office or morgue have been established.
Proposed law requires that suitable quarters with necessary supplies and equipment for each
coroner's office and decedent storage be established by the respective parish within government
owned or leased facilities.
Present law authorizes a just fee or remuneration for attending parish prisoners.
Proposed law deletes present law.
Present law provides for an autopsy fee of $250-$300 and requires the approval of the governing
authority of the parish and municipality to charge more than $250 for an autopsy. Further requires
the coroner to list all fees for which a charge of $50 is authorized by law in a schedule to be filed
annually with the governing authority.
Proposed law deletes the monetary limits which can be charged for an autopsy and be included on
the schedule submitted annually from $50 to $100. Present law authorizes the coroner to contract with any competent physician or expert to assist in
conducting an investigation or autopsy but limits the fees of any physician or expert to $500 unless
mutually agreed upon by the coroner and the chief executive officer or chief fiscal officer of the
parish or municipality.
Proposed law maintains present law except that it changes the expert provisions from a limit of $500
to those customarily charged in other similarly qualified instances.
(Amends R.S. 13:5706(A) and (B)(2) and (3) and 5710)