MARVIN MANDEL, Governor

2061

SECTION 11. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this
Act shall take effect July 1, 1976.

Approved May 17, 1976.

CHAPTER 747

(House Bill 126 6)

AN ACT concerning

Autopsies — Exceptions

FOR the purpose of providing that an autopsy on certain
deceased persons may not be performed when the
family of the deceased objects to the autopsy on
bona fide religious grounds, unless [[the
appropriate Circuit Court, with compelling reasons,
orders the autopsy to take place]] authorized by the
Chief Medical Examiner or his duly authorized agent;
and clarifying language.

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments,

Article 22 — Postmortem Examiners

Section 7

Annotated Code of Maryland

(1973 Replacement Volume and 1975 Supplement)

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF
MARYLAND, That Section 7 of Article 22 - Postmortem
Examiners, of the Annotated Code of Maryland (1973
Replacement Volume and 1975 Supplement) be and it is
hereby repealed and reenacted, with amendments, to read
as follows:

Article 22 — Postmortem Examiners

7.

(A) If the cause of [such] A death DESCRIBED IN
SECTION 6 OF THIS ARTICLE [shall be] IS established
beyond a reasonable doubt, [such] THE medical examiner
shall so report and file in his office within [thirty] 30
days after his notification of [such] THE death. If,
however, in the opinion of [such] THE medical examiner,
an autopsy is necessary, the same shall be performed by
the chief medical examiner, an assistant medical examiner
or by [such] ANY competent pathologists as may be
authorized by the chief medical examiner, EXCEPT THOSE