26:6B-6 Supervision by Chief State Medical Examiner over State medical examiner system; qualifications, appointment.

6. a. The Office of the Chief State Medical Examiner shall be under the immediate and sole supervision and authority of the Chief State Medical Examiner, who shall direct, control, and oversee the medical examiner system in this State.

b. The Chief State Medical Examiner shall be a physician licensed and in good standing in the State of New Jersey, a graduate of a regularly chartered and legally constituted medical school or college or osteopathic medical school or college, and certified in forensic pathology by the American Board of Pathology or by the American Osteopathic Board of Pathology.

c. The Chief State Medical Examiner shall be appointed by the Governor, with the advice and consent of the Senate, and shall serve for a term of five years and until a successor is appointed and has qualified. In the case of the death, removal, resignation, or permanent incapacity of the Chief State Medical Examiner, the Governor shall appoint a new Chief State Medical Examiner, in the same manner as the original appointment, within six months.

d. The Chief State Medical Examiner shall receive a salary, which shall be within a salary range established by the Civil Service Commission with the approval of the Director of the Division of Budget and Accounting, as provided by section 2 of P.L.1974, c.55 (C.52:14-15.108), and as approved by the Governor.

e. The Chief State Medical Examiner shall report directly to the Commissioner of Health and shall function independently within the department with respect to the supervision of the medical examiner system and the conducting of medicolegal death investigations.

f. During the term of office set forth in this subsection, the Chief State Medical Examiner may be removed by the Governor only for cause as set forth in this act, upon notice and opportunity to be heard.

L.2018, c.62, s.6.