Overview
The Medical Examiners Commission staff provides assistance to Commission members on issues related to the statutory mandates of the Commission, Legislative issues, maintenance of Commission Rules and other administrative issues.
The section administers the quarterly meetings of the Commission, oversees the appointment and re-appointment process for all District Medical Examiners and annually publishes a workload report of the district medical examiners, as well as an annual and semi-annual detailed drug-related death report.
As part of its statutorily mandated duties, the Commission has certain disciplinary oversight of the medical examiners activities, in which staff has certain duties and responsibilities.
The Commission interacts with other local, state and federal agencies in an effort to enhance the medical examiners’ role of assisting the citizens of Florida in the area of death investigations and reporting.
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The Medical Examiners Act,
Chapter 406, Florida Statutes, was enacted by the 1970 Legislature in order to establish minimum and uniform standards of excellence in statewide medical examiner services.
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The 9-Member Commission is Composed of the Following Categories
* Two (2) licensed physicians who are active district medical examiners
* One (1) licensed funeral director
* One (1) state attorney
* One (1) public defender
* One (1) sheriff
* One (1) county commissioner
The Attorney General or designated proxy
The Secretary of Health or designated proxy
(* These members are appointed by the Governor.)
Primary Responsibilities of the Commission
-- Administers quarterly Commission meetings providing meeting packet containing staff researched agenda items with appropriate background documentation.
-- Surveys one third of Florida’s District Medical Examiner (DME) constituents each year for reappointments by Governors Appointment Office.
-- Assists Chairman of Local Search Committees in following rule mandated procedures in filling a DME vacancy.
-- Monitors legislature for proposed laws which may effect medical examiner system and carry Commission approved proposed rules and rule changes through the rule making process.
-- Responds to correspondence or telephone inquiries from public and press.
-- Publishes a statutorily mandated Annual Medical Examiners Report as well as other ad hoc reports requested by FDLE or other state agencies.
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Links to Information Dealing With Medical Examiner Activities
To contact Veterans Affairs to determine if an unclaimed body has the right to burial in a National Cemetery:
http://www.vba.va.gov/bln/21/topics/indigent/index.htm
Consular Notification of Deaths of Foreign Nationals:
http://travel.state.gov/law/consular/consular_753.html OR
http://travel.state.gov/pdf/CNA_book.pdf
Florida Emergency Mortuary Operations Response System (FEMORS)
www.femors.org
Additional Links