35-1-241. Safe disposal of corpses in emergency circumstances.

(a) The state health officer in consultation with the appropriate county coroner, during the period that a public health emergency exists, may:

(i) Adopt and enforce measures to provide for the safe disposal of corpses as may be reasonable and necessary for emergency response. These measures may include the embalming, burial, cremation, interment, disinterment, transportation and disposal of corpses;

(ii) Take possession or control of any corpse;

(iii) Order the disposal of any corpse of a person who has died of an infectious disease through burial or cremation within twenty-four (24) hours after death;

(iv) Compel any person authorized to embalm, bury, cremate, inter, disinter, transport or dispose of corpses to accept any corpse or provide the use of his business or facility if the actions are reasonable and necessary for emergency response. The use of a business or facility may include transferring the management and supervision of the business or facility to the state health officer and granting the right for the state health officer to take immediate possession for a limited or unlimited period of time, but shall not exceed beyond the termination of the public health emergency.

(b) Every corpse prior to disposal pursuant to subsection (a) of this section shall be clearly labeled with all available information to identify the decedent and the circumstances of death. Any corpse of a deceased person with an infectious disease shall have an external, clearly visible tag indicating that the corpse is infected and, if known, the infectious disease.

(c) Every person in charge of disposing of any corpse pursuant to subsection (a) of this section shall maintain a written record of each corpse and all available information to identify the decedent and the circumstances of death and disposal. If a corpse cannot be identified, prior to disposal a qualified person shall, to the extent possible, take fingerprints and one (1) or more photographs of the corpse, and collect a DNA specimen. All information collected under this subsection shall be promptly forwarded to the state health official.

(d) As used in this section "public health emergency" means as defined by W.S. 35-4-115(a)(i).