Wisconsin Legislative Council
AMENDMENT MEMO
One Ea st Ma in Stre e t, Suite 401 • Ma dison, W I 53703 • (608) 266-1304 • le g.council@le gis.wisconsin.gov • http://www.le gis.wisconsin.gov/lc
Memo published: October 13, 2023 Contact: Amber Otis, Senior Staff Attorney, or Kelly McGraw, Staff Attorney
2023 Senate Bill 178 Senate Amendment 1
2023 SENATE BILL 178
Under current law, physicians, authorities of various medical institutions, and other persons having
knowledge of a death must report certain types of deaths, including suicide, to the sheriff, police chief,
medical examiner, or coroner of the county where the death took place.
2023 Senate Bill 178 creates a requirement to contact a medical examiner or coroner in certain
circumstances to determine whether the medical examiner or coroner is required to investigate the
death. Specifically, the bill requires that, if a physician, authority, or other person required to report
deaths has knowledge of a death that occurred within 24 hours after an individual either has presented
at or is admitted to a hospital or similar institution, whichever is earlier, that person with knowledge
must contact the medical examiner or coroner to determine whether the death is reportable under the
current laws requiring a medical examiner or coroner to investigate certain deaths.
SENATE AMENDMENT 1
Senate Amendment 1 specifies that the bill’s requirements to not apply to a hospice, as defined under
current law.
BILL HISTORY
The Joint Legislative Council introduced Senate Bill 178 on April 3, 2023. On September 29, 2023,
Senator Ballweg offered Senate Amendment 1. On October 12, 2023, the Senate Committee on Health
recommended adoption of the amendment, and passage of the bill, as amended, on votes of Ayes, 6;
Noes, 0.
For a full history of the bill, visit the Legislature’s bill history page.
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