§ 611-B:28 — Medico-Legal Investigation Fund

I. There is established in the office of the state treasurer a nonlapsing fund to be known as the medico-legal investigation fund, which shall be kept distinct and separate from all other funds. The medico-legal investigation fund is established to receive all fees paid to the state related to medico-legal investigations and reports, to receive autopsy expenses paid to the state, to pay autopsy expenses authorized by the office of the chief medical examiner, fees due to assistant deputy medical examiners for investigations conducted, related administrative salaries, and the costs of recruitment, training, administration, and supervision of assistant deputy medical examiners.
II. The treasurer shall deposit in the medico-legal investigation fund all fees collected by the department of justice, office of the chief medical examiner pursuant to RSA 611-B. The treasurer shall also deposit in the medico-legal investigation fund such other funds received under state or federal law, or donated to the state by private parties, for the purposes related to medico-legal investigations, the recruitment, training, administration, and supervision of assistant deputy medical examiners, and related technology projects and improvements, and the treasurer shall credit any interest or income earned on moneys on deposit to the fund.
III. The attorney general is authorized to accept, budget, and expend moneys in the medico-legal investigation fund received from any party without the approval of the governor and council for the purposes of paying fees due by law to assistant deputy medical examiners, and for recruitment, training, administration, and supervision of assistant deputy medical examiners, administrative support costs, and related information technology.
IV. All moneys in the medico-legal investigation fund shall be continually appropriated to the department of justice and shall not lapse.
V. The treasurer, upon approval of the attorney general, shall pay assistant deputy medical examiners fees to which they are entitled by law, the expenses of recruiting, training, administering, and supervising assistant deputy medical examiners, administrative support costs, and the expenses of related information technology.
VI. The attorney general shall include the medico-legal investigation fund in the department budget submitted pursuant to RSA 9:4.

Legislative History

2007, 324:1, eff. Sept. 14, 2007.