North Carolina 2025-2026 Regular Session

North Carolina House Bill H614 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1	1		GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
2	2		SESSION 2025
3		-	H 1
4		-	HOUSE BILL 614
	3	+	H D
	4	+	HOUSE BILL DRH40360-MG-45A
	5	+
5	6
6	7
7	8		Short Title: The Michael Mitchke F.I.N.E. Law. (Public)
8	9		Sponsors: Representative Almond.
9		-	For a complete list of sponsors, refer to the North Carolina General Assembly web site.
10		-	Referred to: Emergency Management and Disaster Recovery, if favorable, Judiciary 2, if
11		-	favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House
12		-	April 1, 2025
13		-	H614 -v-1
	10	+	Referred to:
	11	+
	12	+	DRH40360 -MG-45A
14	13		A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
15	14		AN ACT REQUIRING THE PERFORMANCE OF AN AUTOPSY IN ANY CASE RELATED 2
16	15		TO A FIRE INCIDENT IN WHICH HUMAN REMAINS ARE FOUND. 3
17	16		The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 4
18	17		SECTION 1. This act shall be known as "The Michael Mitchke F.I.N.E. Law." 5
19	18		SECTION 2. G.S. 130A-389(a) reads as rewritten: 6
20	19		"(a) The Chief Medical Examiner or a competent pathologist designated by the Chief 7
21	20		Medical Examiner shall perform an autopsy or other study in each of the following cases: 8
22	21		(1) If, in the opinion of the medical examiner investigating the case or of the Chief 9
23	22		Medical Examiner, it is advisable and in the public interest that an autopsy or 10
24	23		other study be made. 11
25	24		(2) If an autopsy or other study is requested by the district attorney of the county 12
26	25		or by any superior court judge. 13
27	26		(3) Notwithstanding subdivision (2) of this subsection, in any case in which the 14
28	27		district attorney of the county asserts to the Chief Medical Examiner or the 15
29	28		medical examiner of the county in which the body was located that there is 16
30	29		probable cause to believe that a violation of G.S. 14-18.4 has occurred, a 17
31	30		complete autopsy shall be performed. The district attorney has at least 72 18
32	31		weekday hours after pronouncement of death by a person authorized under 19
33	32		this Part to express the opinion that death has occurred to make the assertion 20
34	33		required by this subdivision, provided that the district attorney or the 21
35	34		investigating law enforcement agency provides notification within the first 24 22
36	35		hours after the pronouncement that such an assertion might be made. The 23
37	36		district attorney may, but is not required to, assert to the Chief Medical 24
38	37		Examiner the facts supporting probable cause to believe that a violation of 25
39	38		G.S. 14-18.4 has occurred. 26
40	39		(4) In any case related to a fire incident in which human remains are found. 27
41	40		A complete autopsy report of findings and interpretations, prepared on forms designated for 28
42	41		the purpose, shall be submitted promptly to the Chief Medical Examiner. Subject to the 29
43	42		limitations of G.S. 130A-389.1 relating to photographs and video or audio recordings of an 30
44	43		autopsy, a copy of the report shall be furnished to any person upon request." 31
45	44		SECTION 3. This act becomes effective October 1, 2025, and applies to cases 32
46	45		arising on or after that date. 33
	46	+	H.B. 614
	47	+	Mar 31, 2025
	48	+	HOUSE PRINCIPAL CLERK