SB65 - Revises provisions relating to certain records of investigations of deaths. (BDR 20-452)

S.B. 65 - *SB65* SENATE BILL NO. 65–COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS (ON BEHALF OF THE NEVADA ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES) PREFILED NOVEMBER 20, 2024 ____________ Referred to Committee on Government Affairs SUMMARY—Revises provisions relating to certain records of investigations of deaths. (BDR 20-452) FISCAL NOTE: Effect on Local Government: No. Effect on the State: No. ~ EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new; matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted. AN ACT relating to coroners; providing, with certain exceptions, that the final report of a coroner concerning certain investigations of deaths is a public record; and providing other matters properly relating thereto. Legislative Counsel’s Digest: Under existing law, with certain exceptions, all sheriffs in this State are ex 1 officio coroners. (NRS 259.020) Existing law requires a coroner to conduct an 2 investigation when the coroner or the coroner’s deputy is informed that a person 3 has been killed, has committed suicide or has suddenly died under certain 4 circumstances. (NRS 259.050) Section 2 of this bill provides, with certain 5 exceptions, that the final report of a coroner for the investigation is a public record. 6 Section 2 also: (1) authorizes a coroner to redact or withhold from public disclosure 7 certain information, records, documents or materials under certain circumstances; 8 and (2) provides that, with certain exceptions, certain records, documents and 9 materials contained in the case file or final report of a coroner for the investigation 10 are confidential. 11 Existing law authorizes a board of county commissioners to create the office of 12 the county coroner by ordinance and prescribe the qualifications and duties of the 13 county coroner. (NRS 244.163) If created, the office of county coroner enacted by 14 ordinance is governed by the ordinance and certain provisions of existing law 15 relating to coroners. (NRS 244.163, 259.010) Sections 1 and 3 of this bill provide 16 that the case files and final reports of a coroner whose office is enacted by 17 ordinance are also governed by the provisions of section 2. 18 Section 4 of this bill makes a conforming change to reflect that certain records 19 are confidential pursuant to section 2. 20 – 2 – - *SB65* THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: Section 1. NRS 244.163 is hereby amended to read as follows: 1 244.163 1. The boards of county commissioners in their 2 respective counties may create by ordinance the office of the county 3 coroner, prescribe the qualifications and duties of the county 4 coroner and make appointments to the office. 5 2. Any coroner so appointed is governed by the ordinances 6 pertaining to such office which may be enacted by the board of 7 county commissioners, and the provisions of NRS 259.025, 259.045 8 and 259.150 to 259.180, inclusive [.] , and section 2 of this act. 9 3. The boards of county commissioners shall require that the 10 county coroner make a reasonable effort to notify a decedent’s next 11 of kin who is authorized to order the burial or cremation of the 12 human remains of the decedent pursuant to NRS 451.024 of the fact 13 of the decedent’s death without unreasonable delay. 14 4. For any offense relating to the violation or willful disregard 15 of such duties or trusts of office as may be specified by the 16 respective boards of county commissioners, all coroners holding 17 office by appointment pursuant to this section are subject to such 18 fines and criminal penalties, including misdemeanor penalties and 19 removal from office by indictment, accusation or otherwise, as the 20 ordinance prescribes. This subsection applies to all deputies, agents, 21 employees and other persons employed by or exercising the powers 22 and functions of the coroner. 23 Sec. 2. Chapter 259 of NRS is hereby amended by adding 24 thereto a new section to read as follows: 25 1. Except as otherwise provided in this section, the final 26 report of a coroner for an investigation into the death of a person 27 conducted pursuant to NRS 259.050 or an ordinance enacted 28 pursuant to NRS 244.163 is a public record. Notwithstanding the 29 provisions of NRS 239.010 and the provisions of this chapter, a 30 coroner may: 31 (a) Redact or withhold from public disclosure any information, 32 record, document or material in the final report that is 33 confidential, privileged or unrelated to the cause and manner of 34 death of the decedent; and 35 (b) Withhold from public disclosure any record, document or 36 material related to a homicide or death where the manner of death 37 has not been determined until: 38 (1) The investigation of the coroner is complete; 39 (2) The investigation of a law enforcement agency is 40 complete; or 41 – 3 – - *SB65* (3) The final disposition of a criminal case related to the 1 death of the decedent. 2 2. Except as otherwise provided in subsection 3, the following 3 records, documents and materials contained in the case file or 4 final report of a coroner for an investigation into the death of a 5 person conducted pursuant to NRS 259.050 or an ordinance 6 enacted pursuant to NRS 244.163 are confidential and not public 7 records: 8 (a) Photographs or video recordings of an autopsy, crime 9 scene, the scene of the death of a decedent, the location at which 10 an incident occurred that resulted in the death of a decedent or the 11 residence of a decedent; 12 (b) Postmortem imaging, including, without limitation, a 13 radiograph, ultrasound, computed tomography or magnetic 14 resonance imaging; 15 (c) Fingerprints; 16 (d) Documents with identifying information of a decedent; 17 (e) Biological specimens, including, without limitation, slides 18 prepared for a histological analysis; 19 (f) Incomplete or unfinished reports, including, without 20 limitation, any notes, dictations or diagrams; 21 (g) Notes of the coroner; 22 (h) Medical records obtained from a third party; 23 (i) Any records, documents or materials obtained by a 24 subpoena issued pursuant to subsection 4 of NRS 259.050; and 25 (j) Any records, documents or materials of which the coroner 26 is not the custodian. 27 3. Nothing in subsection 2 prohibits a coroner from: 28 (a) Disclosing the records, documents and materials set forth 29 in subsection 2 in response to a lawfully issued subpoena or court 30 order; 31 (b) Releasing the final report of the coroner and the records, 32 documents and materials set forth in subsection 2 as authorized by 33 subsection 2 of NRS 259.045; or 34 (c) At the discretion of the coroner, releasing the records, 35 documents and materials set forth in subsection 2 for the purposes 36 of scientific research, educational training or any governmental 37 purpose. 38 4. As used in this section, “case file” includes, without 39 limitation, any materials obtained or created during an 40 investigation conducted by a coroner into the death of a person. 41 Sec. 3. NRS 259.010 is hereby amended to read as follows: 42 259.010 1. Every county in this State constitutes a coroner’s 43 district, except a county where a coroner is appointed pursuant to 44 the provisions of NRS 244.163. 45 – 4 – - *SB65* 2. The provisions of this chapter, except NRS 259.025, 1 259.045, 259.047, 259.049, subsections 3 and 4 of NRS 259.050, 2 NRS 259.053 and 259.150 to 259.180, inclusive, and section 2 of 3 this act, do not apply to any county where a coroner is appointed 4 pursuant to the provisions of NRS 244.163. 5 Sec. 4. NRS 239.010 is hereby amended to read as follows: 6 239.010 1. Except as otherwise provided in this section and 7 NRS 1.4683, 1.4687, 1A.110, 3.2203, 41.0397, 41.071, 49.095, 8 49.293, 62D.420, 62D.440, 62E.516, 62E.620, 62H.025, 62H.030, 9 62H.170, 62H.220, 62H.320, 75A.100, 75A.150, 76.160, 78.152, 10 80.113, 81.850, 82.183, 86.246, 86.54615, 87.515, 87.5413, 11 87A.200, 87A.580, 87A.640, 88.3355, 88.5927, 88.6067, 88A.345, 12 88A.7345, 89.045, 89.251, 90.730, 91.160, 116.757, 116A.270, 13 116B.880, 118B.026, 119.260, 119.265, 119.267, 119.280, 14 119A.280, 119A.653, 119A.677, 119B.370, 119B.382, 120A.640, 15 120A.690, 125.130, 125B.140, 126.141, 126.161, 126.163, 126.730, 16 127.007, 127.057, 127.130, 127.140, 127.2817, 128.090, 130.312, 17 130.712, 136.050, 159.044, 159A.044, 164.041, 172.075, 172.245, 18 176.01334, 176.01385, 176.015, 176.0625, 176.09129, 176.156, 19 176A.630, 178.39801, 178.4715, 178.5691, 178.5717, 179.495, 20 179A.070, 179A.165, 179D.160, 180.600, 200.3771, 200.3772, 21 200.5095, 200.604, 202.3662, 205.4651, 209.392, 209.3923, 22 209.3925, 209.419, 209.429, 209.521, 211A.140, 213.010, 213.040, 23 213.095, 213.131, 217.105, 217.110, 217.464, 217.475, 218A.350, 24 218E.625, 218F.150, 218G.130, 218G.240, 218G.350, 218G.615, 25 224.240, 226.462, 226.796, 228.270, 228.450, 228.495, 228.570, 26 231.069, 231.1285, 231.1473, 232.1369, 233.190, 237.300, 27 239.0105, 239.0113, 239.014, 239B.026, 239B.030, 239B.040, 28 239B.050, 239C.140, 239C.210, 239C.230, 239C.250, 239C.270, 29 239C.420, 240.007, 241.020, 241.030, 241.039, 242.105, 244.264, 30 244.335, 247.540, 247.545, 247.550, 247.560, 250.087, 250.130, 31 250.140, 250.145, 250.150, 268.095, 268.0978, 268.490, 268.910, 32 269.174, 271A.105, 281.195, 281.805, 281A.350, 281A.680, 33 281A.685, 281A.750, 281A.755, 281A.780, 284.4068, 284.4086, 34 286.110, 286.118, 287.0438, 289.025, 289.080, 289.387, 289.830, 35 293.4855, 293.5002, 293.503, 293.504, 293.558, 293.5757, 293.870, 36 293.906, 293.908, 293.909, 293.910, 293B.135, 293D.510, 331.110, 37 332.061, 332.351, 333.333, 333.335, 338.070, 338.1379, 338.1593, 38 338.1725, 338.1727, 348.420, 349.597, 349.775, 353.205, 39 353A.049, 353A.085, 353A.100, 353C.240, 353D.250, 360.240, 40 360.247, 360.255, 360.755, 361.044, 361.2242, 361.610, 365.138, 41 366.160, 368A.180, 370.257, 370.327, 372A.080, 378.290, 378.300, 42 379.0075, 379.008, 379.1495, 385A.830, 385B.100, 387.626, 43 387.631, 388.1455, 388.259, 388.501, 388.503, 388.513, 388.750, 44 388A.247, 388A.249, 391.033, 391.035, 391.0365, 391.120, 45 – 5 – - *SB65* 391.925, 392.029, 392.147, 392.264, 392.271, 392.315, 392.317, 1 392.325, 392.327, 392.335, 392.850, 393.045, 394.167, 394.16975, 2 394.1698, 394.447, 394.460, 394.465, 396.1415, 396.1425, 396.143, 3 396.159, 396.3295, 396.405, 396.525, 396.535, 396.9685, 4 398A.115, 408.3885, 408.3886, 408.3888, 408.5484, 412.153, 5 414.280, 416.070, 422.2749, 422.305, 422A.342, 422A.350, 6 425.400, 427A.1236, 427A.872, 427A.940, 432.028, 432.205, 7 432B.175, 432B.280, 432B.290, 432B.4018, 432B.407, 432B.430, 8 432B.560, 432B.5902, 432C.140, 432C.150, 433.534, 433A.360, 9 439.4941, 439.4988, 439.5282, 439.840, 439.914, 439A.116, 10 439A.124, 439B.420, 439B.754, 439B.760, 439B.845, 440.170, 11 441A.195, 441A.220, 441A.230, 442.330, 442.395, 442.735, 12 442.774, 445A.665, 445B.570, 445B.7773, 449.209, 449.245, 13 449.4315, 449A.112, 450.140, 450B.188, 450B.805, 453.164, 14 453.720, 458.055, 458.280, 459.050, 459.3866, 459.555, 459.7056, 15 459.846, 463.120, 463.15993, 463.240, 463.3403, 463.3407, 16 463.790, 467.1005, 480.535, 480.545, 480.935, 480.940, 481.063, 17 481.091, 481.093, 482.170, 482.368, 482.5536, 483.340, 483.363, 18 483.575, 483.659, 483.800, 484A.469, 484B.830, 484B.833, 19 484E.070, 485.316, 501.344, 503.452, 522.040, 534A.031, 561.285, 20 571.160, 584.655, 587.877, 598.0964, 598.098, 598A.110, 21 598A.420, 599B.090, 603.070, 603A.210, 604A.303, 604A.710, 22 604D.500, 604D.600, 612.265, 616B.012, 616B.015, 616B.315, 23 616B.350, 618.341, 618.425, 622.238, 622.310, 623.131, 623A.137, 24 624.110, 624.265, 624.327, 625.425, 625A.185, 628.418, 628B.230, 25 628B.760, 629.043, 629.047, 629.069, 630.133, 630.2671, 26 630.2672, 630.2673, 630.2687, 630.30665, 630.336, 630A.327, 27 630A.555, 631.332, 631.368, 632.121, 632.125, 632.3415, 28 632.3423, 632.405, 633.283, 633.301, 633.427, 633.4715, 633.4716, 29 633.4717, 633.524, 634.055, 634.1303, 634.214, 634A.169, 30 634A.185, 634B.730, 635.111, 635.158, 636.262, 636.342, 637.085, 31 637.145, 637B.192, 637B.288, 638.087, 638.089, 639.183, 32 639.2485, 639.570, 640.075, 640.152, 640A.185, 640A.220, 33 640B.405, 640B.730, 640C.580, 640C.600, 640C.620, 640C.745, 34 640C.760, 640D.135, 640D.190, 640E.225, 640E.340, 641.090, 35 641.221, 641.2215, 641A.191, 641A.217, 641A.262, 641B.170, 36 641B.281, 641B.282, 641C.455, 641C.760, 641D.260, 641D.320, 37 642.524, 643.189, 644A.870, 645.180, 645.625, 645A.050, 38 645A.082, 645B.060, 645B.092, 645C.220, 645C.225, 645D.130, 39 645D.135, 645G.510, 645H.320, 645H.330, 647.0945, 647.0947, 40 648.033, 648.197, 649.065, 649.067, 652.126, 652.228, 653.900, 41 654.110, 656.105, 657A.510, 661.115, 665.130, 665.133, 669.275, 42 669.285, 669A.310, 670B.680, 671.365, 671.415, 673.450, 673.480, 43 675.380, 676A.340, 676A.370, 677.243, 678A.470, 678C.710, 44 678C.800, 679B.122, 679B.124, 679B.152, 679B.159, 679B.190, 45 – 6 – - *SB65* 679B.285, 679B.690, 680A.270, 681A.440, 681B.260, 681B.410, 1 681B.540, 683A.0873, 685A.077, 686A.289, 686B.170, 686C.306, 2 687A.060, 687A.115, 687B.404, 687C.010, 688C.230, 688C.480, 3 688C.490, 689A.696, 692A.117, 692C.190, 692C.3507, 692C.3536, 4 692C.3538, 692C.354, 692C.420, 693A.480, 693A.615, 696B.550, 5 696C.120, 703.196, 704B.325, 706.1725, 706A.230, 710.159, 6 711.600, and section 2 of this act, sections 35, 38 and 41 of chapter 7 478, Statutes of Nevada 2011 and section 2 of chapter 391, Statutes 8 of Nevada 2013 and unless otherwise declared by law to be 9 confidential, all public books and public records of a governmental 10 entity must be open at all times during office hours to inspection by 11 any person, and may be fully copied or an abstract or memorandum 12 may be prepared from those public books and public records. Any 13 such copies, abstracts or memoranda may be used to supply the 14 general public with copies, abstracts or memoranda of the records or 15 may be used in any other way to the advantage of the governmental 16 entity or of the general public. This section does not supersede or in 17 any manner affect the federal laws governing copyrights or enlarge, 18 diminish or affect in any other manner the rights of a person in any 19 written book or record which is copyrighted pursuant to federal law. 20 2. A [Text truncated for display. Full text available on LegiScan.]