Death certificate; APRNs and physician assistants may sign instead of physician in certain circumstances.

HB 37 would allow Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) and Physician Assistants (PAs) to certify the cause of death and sign a death certificate instead of a physician, but only if they were the primary caregiver for the deceased person before death. This change directly affects APRNs and PAs who provide end-of-life care, removing a current requirement for a physician's signature in specific cases. The bill, which died in committee on March 4, 2025, would have taken effect on July 1, 2025, if enacted. It represents a policy shift in death certification procedures for certain healthcare providers.