The Florida Senate

245.06  Unclaimed dead bodies; disposition, procedure.--All public officers, agents or employees of every county, city, village, town or municipality and every person in charge of any prison, morgue, hospital, funeral parlor or mortuary and all other persons coming into possession, charge or control of any dead human body which is unclaimed or which is required to be buried or cremated at public expense are hereby required to notify, immediately, the anatomical board, whenever any such body or bodies come into its possession, charge or control. Notification of the anatomical board is not required if the death was caused by crushing injury, the deceased had a contagious disease, an autopsy was required to determine cause of death, the body was in a state of severe decomposition, or a family member objects to use of the body for medical education and research. The person or entity in charge or control of the dead body shall make reasonable effort to determine the identity of the body and shall further make reasonable effort to contact any relatives of such deceased person. Such dead human bodies as described in this chapter shall be delivered to the anatomical board as soon as possible after death. Nothing herein shall affect the right of a medical examiner to hold such dead body for the purpose of investigating the cause of death, nor shall this chapter affect the right of any court of competent jurisdiction to enter an order affecting the disposition of such body. For purposes of this chapter, the term "anatomical board" means the anatomical board of this state located at the University of Florida Health Science Center.

History.--s. 6, ch. 28163, 1953; ss. 15, 35, ch. 69-106; s. 22, ch. 73-334; s. 1, ch. 91-168; s. 1, ch. 96-251.