3

 

Third Session, 47th General Assembly

63 Elizabeth II, 2014

BILL 3

AN ACT TO AMEND THE VITAL STATISTICS ACT, 2009

Received and Read the First Time.................................................................................................

Second Reading.................................................................................................................................

Committee..........................................................................................................................................

Third Reading.....................................................................................................................................

Royal Assent......................................................................................................................................

HONOURABLE DAN CRUMMELL

Minister of Service Newfoundland and Labrador

Ordered to be printed by the Honourable House of Assembly

 

 

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This Bill would amend the Vital Statistics Act, 2009 to accurately reflect the authority of the Chief Medical Examiner under the Fatalities Investigations Act.

A BILL

AN ACT TO AMEND THE VITAL STATISTICS ACT, 2009

Analysis


        1.   S.15 Amdt.
Registration of death required

        2.   S.17 Amdt.
Issuing of burial permit


Be it enacted by the Lieutenant-Governor and House of Assembly in Legislative Session convened, as follows:

SNL2009 cV-6.01 as amended

        1. Subsection 15(5) of the Vital Statistics Act, 2009 is repealed.

 

        2. Subsections 17(2) and (3) of the Act are repealed and the following substituted:

             (2)  Where there is reason to believe that a person has died in a circumstance referred to in section 5, 6, 7, or 8 of the Fatalities Investigations Act, a burial permit shall not be issued by the funeral director unless

             (a)  the body has been examined by the chief medical examiner, a medical examiner or an investigator under the Fatalities Investigations Act and an investigation is being made by that person into the circumstances of the death;

             (b)  the chief medical examiner or a medical examiner or, with the consent of a medical examiner under subsection 10(5) of the Fatalities Investigations Act, a medical practitioner or a nurse practitioner has signed the medical certificate portion of the death registration form indicating the cause of death; and

             (c)  there is compliance with the other provisions of this Act respecting the registration of the death.

             (3)  Where a person dies under circumstances referred to in subsection (2) and a person referred to in paragraph (2)(b) cannot complete the medical certificate portion of the death registration form because the investigation into the circumstances of the death has not yet concluded, that person shall submit the medical certificate portion of the death registration form as pending and the funeral director shall, upon the release of the body for burial, issue a burial permit.

             (4)  Where the medical certificate portion of the death registration form has been submitted as pending under subsection (3) and the investigation into the circumstances of the death has concluded, the chief medical examiner or other person identified in paragraph (2)(b) shall submit the completed medical certificate portion of the death registration form to the registrar general.