RCW 68.50.104
Cost of autopsy.
(1) The cost of autopsy shall be borne by the county in which the autopsy is performed, except when requested by the department of labor and industries, in which case, the department shall bear the cost of such autopsy.
(2)(a) Except as provided in (b) of this subsection, when the county bears the cost of an autopsy, it shall be reimbursed from the death investigations account, established by RCW 43.79.445, as follows:
(i) Up to forty percent of the cost of contracting for the services of a pathologist to perform an autopsy;
(ii) Up to 30 percent of the salary of pathologists who are primarily engaged in performing autopsies and are (A) county coroners or county medical examiners, or (B) employees of a county coroner or county medical examiner; and
(iii) One hundred percent of the cost of autopsies conducted under RCW 70.54.450.
(b) When the county bears the cost of an autopsy of a child under the age of three whose death was sudden and unexplained, the county shall be reimbursed for the expenses of the autopsy when the death scene investigation and the autopsy have been conducted under RCW 43.103.100 (4) and (5), and the autopsy has been done at a facility designed for the performance of autopsies.
(3) Payments from the account shall be made pursuant to biennial appropriation: PROVIDED, That no county may reduce funds appropriated for this purpose below 1983 budgeted levels.
(4) Where the county coroner's office or county medical examiner's office is not accredited pursuant to RCW 36.24.210, or a coroner, medical examiner, or other medicolegal investigative employee is not certified as required by RCW 36.24.205 and 43.101.480, the state treasurer's office shall withhold 25 percent of autopsy reimbursement funds until accreditation under RCW 36.24.210 or compliance with RCW 36.24.205 and 43.101.480 is achieved.
[ 2021 c 127 § 8; 2019 c 317 § 4; 2001 c 82 § 2; 1983 1st ex.s. c 16 § 14; 1963 c 178 § 3; 1953 c 188 § 7. Formerly RCW 68.08.104.]
NOTES:
Effective date—1983 1st ex.s. c 16: See RCW 43.103.901.
Structure Revised Code of Washington
Title 68 - Cemeteries, Morgues, and Human Remains
Chapter 68.50 - Human Remains.
68.50.010 - Coroner's jurisdiction over remains.
68.50.015 - Immunity for determining cause and manner of death—Judicial review of determination.
68.50.020 - Notice to coroner or medical examiner—Penalty.
68.50.032 - Transportation of remains directed by coroner or medical examiner—Costs.
68.50.035 - Unlawful to refuse burial to non-Caucasian.
68.50.040 - Deceased's effects to be listed.
68.50.050 - Removal or concealment of body—Penalty.
68.50.060 - Bodies for instruction purposes.
68.50.070 - Human remains—Disposition.
68.50.080 - Certificate and bond before receiving bodies.
68.50.100 - Dissection, when permitted—Autopsy of person under the age of three years.
68.50.101 - Autopsy, postmortem—Who may authorize.
68.50.102 - Court petition for autopsy—Cost.
68.50.103 - Autopsies in industrial deaths.
68.50.105 - Autopsies, postmortems—Reports and records confidential—Exceptions.
68.50.106 - Autopsies, postmortems—Analyses—Opinions—Evidence—Costs.
68.50.107 - State toxicological laboratory established—State toxicologist.
68.50.110 - Burial, cremation, alkaline hydrolysis, or natural organic reduction.
68.50.115 - Coroner and medical examiner liability—Release of information.
68.50.120 - Holding body for debt—Penalty.
68.50.130 - Unlawful disposal of remains.
68.50.140 - Unlawful disturbance, removal, or sale of human remains—Penalty.
68.50.170 - Effect of authorization.
68.50.185 - Individual final disposition—Exception—Penalty.
68.50.200 - Permission to remove human remains.
68.50.210 - Notice for order to remove remains.
68.50.230 - Human remains that have not been disposed—Rules.
68.50.232 - Remains—Entrusting to funeral homes or mortuaries.
68.50.240 - Record of human remains to be kept.
68.50.270 - Possession of human remains.
68.50.290 - Corneal tissue for transplantation—Presumption of good faith.
68.50.300 - Release of information concerning a death.
68.50.310 - Dental identification system established—Powers and duties.
68.50.320 - Procedures for investigating missing persons—Availability of files.
68.50.325 - Indigenous persons—Identification of remains—Spiritual practices.
68.50.900 - Effective date—1987 c 331.
68.50.901 - Application—1993 c 228.
68.50.902 - Application—Construction—1993 c 228.