26:6B-8 Deputy Chief State Medical Examiner.

8. a. The position of Deputy Chief State Medical Examiner is created in the Office of the Chief State Medical Examiner.

b. The Chief State Medical Examiner may appoint one or more persons to the position of Deputy Chief State Medical Examiner, as he determines is needed to provide for appropriate supervision of the medical examiner system in this State. If the Chief State Medical Examiner appoints more than one person as Deputy Chief State Medical Examiner, the Chief State Medical Examiner shall name one Deputy Chief Medical Examiner as the "First Deputy Chief State Medical Examiner."

c. The Deputy Chief State Medical Examiner, or the First Deputy Chief State Medical Examiner if one has been named pursuant to subsection b. of this section, shall perform all of the duties of the Chief State Medical Examiner in the case of the incapacity, prolonged absence, permanent resignation, or removal of the Chief State Medical Examiner.

d. The Deputy Chief State Medical Examiner shall: be a physician licensed and in good standing in the State; be 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 the American Osteopathic Board of Pathology; and possess such minimum training and experiential requirements as are established by the Chief State Medical Examiner.

e. Nothing shall preclude an appointed county or intercounty medical examiner from also serving as Deputy Chief State Medical Examiner, provided that person meets the eligibility requirements set forth in this section.

f. The Deputy Chief State Medical Examiner shall ensure compliance with the rules and regulations adopted by the Chief State Medical Examiner, and shall perform such duties as are assigned by the Chief State Medical Examiner.

g. The Deputy Chief State Medical Examiner may be removed from office by the Chief State Medical Examiner with or without cause. The removal shall be independent of any position that the Deputy Chief State Medical Examiner holds as a county or intercounty medical examiner.

h. If the Deputy Chief State Medical Examiner appointed pursuant to this section assumes the duties of a county or intercounty medical examiner, the Deputy Chief State Medical Examiner shall have all the authority conferred by law upon a county or intercounty medical examiner and may appoint such assistants, aides, investigators, or other personnel as the Deputy Chief State Medical Examiner deems necessary. In that event, the treasurer of the county or the treasurers of the counties, as the case may be, shall reimburse the Office of the Chief State Medical Examiner or its designated representative for all costs incurred in properly conducting death investigations on behalf of the county or counties and performing all other functions of the county or intercounty medical examiner.

L.2018, c.62, s.8.