Whereas, current law authorizes only a medical examiner or the physician to enter the cause of death on a death certificate; and

Whereas, authorizing funeral directors and certain other persons to complete the certificate pursuant to the direction of a medical examiner or the physician will improve the filing process; and

Whereas, in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create an emergency within the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now, therefore,

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:

Sec. 1. 22 MRSA §2842, sub-§1, as amended by PL 1977, c. 232, §2, is further amended to read:

1. Certificate filed by funeral director. The funeral director or other authorized person in charge of the disposition of the dead human body or its removal from the State shall be is responsible for filing the certificate. He The funeral director or other authorized person shall obtain the personal data from the best qualified person or source available and he.__The funeral director or other authorized person shall present the certificate to the physician or medical examiner responsible for completing the medical certification of the cause of death. either:

A.__Present the certificate to the physician or medical examiner responsible for completing the medical certification of the cause of death for completion and signature; or

B.__Type or print the cause of death on the certificate of death if the cause of death was obtained from the physician or medical examiner in charge, then present the certificate to the physician or medical examiner for signature.

Sec. 2. 22 MRSA §2842, sub-§2, as amended by PL 2001, c. 574, §26, is further amended to read:

2. Medical certificate by physician. The medical certification of the cause of death must be completed as provided