HUMAN REMAINS: Enacts the Gracey Claire Rushing Act to provide for documentation, notification, and communication in the handling and disposition of human remains and internal organs (EN NO IMPACT See Note)

The bill is now formally titled the 'Gracey Claire Rushing Act' to memorialize a specific child whose death in 2009 prompted this legislation.

Forensic pathologists must notify next of kin within 24 hours if organs are retained for testing and must provide a written certification confirming all tissues were returned or identifying retained items.

Coroners must notify next of kin within 48 hours of receiving notice about organ retention, including the reason and expected return timeline.

Written certifications regarding organ return must be kept as public records for a minimum of ten years.

New enforcement mechanisms were added, granting the Attorney General authority to investigate violations and impose administrative fines of up to $5,000 per violation.

The bill was restructured from a minor amendment to an existing statute into a new, standalone chapter covering audits, notifications, and record retention.

The effective date for the new requirements is set for January 1, 2027.

Added formal signatures and approval stamps from the Speaker of the House, President of the Senate, and Governor to indicate the bill has passed all legislative stages.

Updated the document header from 'REENGROSSED' to 'ENROLLED' and adjusted page counts to reflect the final version.

Added names of Senators who voted in favor of the bill to the list of sponsors.

Removed the 'Digest' section, which is a non-binding summary prepared by legislative services and is not part of the official law.

Removed the 'Summary of Amendments Adopted by House' section, as the bill is now in its final, unamended form.

Added a long list of new co-sponsors (Representatives Adams, Amedee, Bacala, and others) to the bill header.

Corrected the title from 'ENGROSSED' to 'REENGROSSED' and updated the page count from 4 to 3.

Fixed a typo in the title of the act, changing 'Representative Butler' to 'Representatives Butler, Adams, Amedee, etc.' to match the new sponsor list.