A. The state medical investigator shall be a physician licensed to practice in New Mexico. Insofar as practicable, the medical investigator shall be trained in the fields of pathology and forensic medicine.

B. The state medical investigator shall maintain his office at the school of medicine at the university of New Mexico.

C. The state medical investigator shall appoint district medical investigators and where necessary deputy medical investigators who shall serve at his pleasure. The state medical investigator may assign deputy medical investigators to districts to work under the supervision of a district medical investigator. The district medical investigator shall be a licensed physician. When deemed necessary by the state medical investigator, he may direct a deputy or district medical examiner to enter another district for the purpose of carrying out medical investigations.

D. Any district created by the state medical investigator to be staffed by a district medical investigator shall be co-extensive with one or more counties.

E. The state medical investigator may enter into agreements for services to be performed by persons in the course of medical investigations.

F. The state medical investigator shall, subject to the approval of the board of medical investigations, promulgate rules and regulations for the proper investigation of deaths occurring within this state.

G. The state medical investigator shall maintain records of the deaths occurring within this state which are investigated by either state or district medical investigators.

H. In addition to other duties prescribed in this section, the state medical investigator shall also serve as the district medical investigator for Bernalillo county.

I. Funds for the operation of the state and district medical investigators' offices shall be appropriated to and administered by the university of New Mexico school of medicine.

History: 1953 Comp., § 12-17-3, enacted by Laws 1971, ch. 112, § 3; recompiled as 1953 Comp., § 12-29-3, by Laws 1972, ch. 51, § 9; 1973, ch. 286, § 3.

Am. Jur. 2d, A.L.R. and C.J.S. references. — 18 C.J.S. Coroners §§ 3 to 9.