medical examiners; sudden infant death

Plain English Breakdown

The bill does not specify how the information from the national case registry will be used or shared.

Medical Examiners; Sudden Infant Death

This bill requires medical examiners to review an infant's vaccination history and report sudden unexplained deaths to a national registry.

What This Bill Does

• Requires medical examiners or forensic pathologists to review the immunization and vaccination history of infants who die suddenly and unexpectedly.
• Medical examiners must notify the Department of Health Services if they determine that an infant died from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).
• The bill mandates reporting all sudden unexplained infant deaths to a national case registry following CDC protocols.

Who It Names or Affects

• Medical examiners and forensic pathologists in Arizona.
• Infants who die suddenly and unexpectedly, their families, and public health officials.

Terms To Know

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)

The unexplained death of a seemingly healthy baby less than one year old.

Forensic Pathologist

A medical doctor who performs autopsies and investigates sudden or suspicious deaths.

Limits and Unknowns

• There is no clear fiscal impact to the state General Fund.
• The bill does not specify how the information from the national case registry will be used or shared.

Official Summary Text

SB1011 - 572R - Senate Fact Sheet

Assigned to
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COMMITTEE

ARIZONA STATE SENATE

Fifty-Seventh
Legislature, Second Regular Session

FACT SHEET FOR
S.B. 1011

medical examiners;
sudden infant death

Purpose

Requires a county medical examiner or forensic pathologist to review an
infant's immunization and vaccination history in the case of sudden and
unexplained infant death.

Background

Current statute requires a forensic pathologist to perform an autopsy in
cases of sudden and unexplained infant death. If it is determined that an
infant died of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), the medical examiner or
forensic pathologist must notify the Department of Health Services and may
retain tissue samples, specimens and other biological materials for diagnostic
purposes (
A.R.S.
� 11-597
).

SIDS
is the unexplained death of an otherwise seemingly healthy
baby that is less than a year old, often occurring during sleep.� Although the
cause is unknown, various physical and sleep factors are associated with SIDS,
including brain defects, low birth weight, respiratory infection, sleeping on
the stomach or side, sleeping on a soft surface, sharing a bed and overheating
(
Mayo
Clinic
).

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),
sudden
unexpected infant deaths
include deaths caused by SIDS, unknown causes and
accidental suffocation and strangulation in bed. These deaths occur among
infants less than one year old and have no immediately obvious cause. In 2022,
there were about 3,700 sudden unexpected infant death cases in the United
States, including 1,529 deaths from SIDS, 1,131 deaths from unknown causes and
1,040 deaths from accidental suffocation and strangulation in bed (
CDC
).

There is no anticipated fiscal impact
to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.

Provisions

1.

Requires
a county medical examiner or forensic pathologist, in cases of a sudden and
unexplained infant death, to review the infant's immunization and vaccination
history and any countermeasures administered in the 90 days before the infant's
death.�

2.

Requires
the medical examiner or forensic pathologist to report all sudden and
unexplained infant deaths to a national case registry that records sudden and
unexplained infant deaths and sudden death in the young in accordance with CDC
protocols.

3.

Becomes
effective on the general effective date.

Prepared by Senate Research

January 14, 2026

MM/MS/hk

Current Bill Text

SB1011 - 572R - S Ver

Senate Engrossed

medical examiners;
sudden infant death

State of Arizona

Senate

Fifty-seventh Legislature

Second Regular Session

2026

SENATE BILL 1011

AN
ACT

amending section 11-597, arizona
revised statutes; relating to the county medical examiner.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:

Section 1. Section 11-597, Arizona Revised
Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE
11-597.

Autopsies; reports; exemption from liability

A. The county medical examiner or alternate medical
examiner shall conduct a death investigation to determine whether or not the
public interest requires an external examination, autopsy or other special
investigation.

B. An external examination or autopsy is not
required for deaths due to natural diseases that occur during surgical or
anesthetic procedures unless the medical examiner or alternate medical examiner
determines that an external examination or autopsy is necessary.

C. In the determination of the need for an autopsy,
the county medical examiner or alternate medical examiner may consider the
request for an autopsy made by private persons or public
officials. If the county attorney or a superior court judge of the
county where the death occurred requests an autopsy, the county medical
examiner shall perform the autopsy, or, in the case of an alternate medical
examiner, an autopsy shall be performed by a forensic pathologist.

D. A forensic pathologist shall perform an autopsy
in cases of sudden and unexplained infant death in accordance with protocols
adopted by the director of the department of health services. If the
medical examiner or forensic pathologist determines that the infant died of
sudden infant death syndrome, the medical examiner or forensic pathologist
shall notify the department of health services. The medical examiner
or forensic pathologist may retain tissue samples, specimens and other
biological materials for diagnostic purposes.
In
cases of a sudden and unexplained infant death, the medical examiner or
forensic pathologist shall review the infant's immunization and vaccination
history and any countermeasures that were administered in the ninety days
before the infant's death.� The medical examiner or forensic pathologist shall
report all sudden and unexplained infant deaths to a national case registry
that records sudden unexpected infant deaths and sudden death in the young in
accordance with the United States centers for disease control and prevention
protocols.

E. If an autopsy is performed, a full record or
report of the facts developed by the autopsy in the findings of the person
performing the autopsy shall be properly made and filed in the office of the
county medical examiner or the board of supervisors. If the person
performing the autopsy determines that the report should be forwarded to the
county where the death occurred or the county in which any injury contributing
to or causing the death was sustained, the report shall be forwarded to the
county attorney.

F. A county attorney may request and on request
shall receive from the county medical examiner or alternate medical examiner a
copy of the report on any autopsy performed.

G. The county medical examiner or alternate medical
examiner may perform other tests deemed necessary to determine identity and the
cause and manner of death and may retain tissues, specimens and other
biological materials for subsequent examination.

H. When a death investigation, including an external
examination, autopsy or other tests are performed by the county medical
examiner, alternate medical examiner or a forensic pathologist, no cause of
action shall lie against the physician or any other person for requesting,
performing, participating in or determining the cause and manner of death or
otherwise reporting the results from the external examination, death
investigation, autopsy or other tests or for retaining specimens, tissues or
other biological materials.
END_STATUTE