Vetoed by Governor John Hickenlooper

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to concur with House amendments and pass a bill that requires autopsy reports of minors to remain confidential beginning on July 1, 2018.

Highlights:

• Requires an autopsy report prepared in connection with the death of a minor to remain confidential (Sec. 1).

• Authorizes a coroner or his or her designee to provide a copy of the autopsy report to the following individuals pursuant to various procedural requirements (Sec. 1):

• A parent or legal guardian of the deceased;

• Legal counsel for the defendant, or the defendant if he or she has no counsel;

• A law enforcement or criminal justice agency, including a district attorney, that is either investigating the death or prosecuting a criminal violation arising out of the death;

• A county department of human or social services in connection with the investigation of alleged abuse or neglect of a minor;

• A community clinic or hospital for inclusion in the deceased's medical records;

• An eye bank, organ procurement organization, or tissue bank;

• The Division of Youth Services in the Department of Human Services for investigation a fatality that occured within a state-owned residential facility; and

• The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment as necessary for the collection of data on violent crimes.

• Specifies that this takes effect July 1, 2018, and applies to a request for an autopsy report submitted on or after that date (Sec. 2).