HB 433

1	A bill to be entitled
2	An act relating to infant death; amending s. 383.3362,
3	F.S.; revising legislative findings and intent with
4	respect to the sudden unexpected death of an infant
5	under a specified age; defining the term "Sudden
6	Unexpected Infant Death"; revising provisions relating
7	to training requirements for first responders;
8	revising requirements relating to autopsies performed
9	by medical examiners; requiring the Medical Examiners
10	Commission to provide for the development and
11	implementation of a protocol for the medical and legal
12	investigation of sudden unexpected infant deaths;
13	deleting references to the SIDS hotline and local SIDS
14	alliances; providing an effective date.
15
16	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
17
18	Section 1.  Section 383.3362, Florida Statutes, is amended
19	to read:
20	383.3362  Sudden Infant death Syndrome.-
21	(1)  FINDINGS AND INTENT.-The Legislature recognizes that
22	the sudden unexpected death of an infant who is in apparent good
23	health Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, or SIDS, is a leading cause
24	of death among infants children under the age of 1 year, both
25	nationally and in this state. The Legislature further recognizes
26	that first responders to emergency calls relating to such a
27	death need access to special training to better enable them to
28	recognize that such deaths may result from natural or accidental
29	causes or may be distinguish SIDS from death caused by criminal
30	acts and to appropriately interact with the deceased infant's
31	parents or caretakers. At the same time, the Legislature,
32	recognizing that the primary focus of first responders is to
33	carry out their assigned duties, intends to increase the
34	awareness of possible causes of a sudden unexpected infant death
35	SIDS by first responders, but in no way expand or take away from
36	their duties. Further, the Legislature recognizes the importance
37	of a multidisciplinary investigation and standardized
38	investigative protocols in cases of sudden unexpected infant
39	death standard protocol for review of SIDS deaths by medical
40	examiners and the importance of appropriate followup in cases of
41	certified or suspected SIDS deaths. Finally, the Legislature
42	finds that it is desirable to analyze existing data, and to
43	conduct further research on, the possible causes of infant death
44	SIDS and how to reduce lower the number of sudden unexpected
45	infant deaths.
46	(2)  DEFINITION.-As used in this section, the term:
47	(a)  "Sudden Infant Death Syndrome," or "SIDS," refers to
48	means the sudden unexpected death of an infant under 1 year of
49	age whose death appears to be a result of natural causes but
50	which remains unexplained after a complete autopsy, death-scene
51	investigation, and review of the case history. The term includes
52	only those deaths for which, currently, there is no known cause
53	or cure.
54	(b)  "Sudden Unexpected Infant Death" or "SUID" refers to
55	the sudden unexpected death of an infant under 1 year of age in
56	apparent good health and whose death may have been a result of
57	natural or unnatural causes.
58	(3)  TRAINING.-
59	(a)  The Legislature finds that an emergency medical
60	technician, a paramedic, a firefighter, or a law enforcement
61	officer is likely to be the first responder to a request for
62	assistance which is made immediately after the sudden unexpected
63	death of an infant. The Legislature further finds that these
64	first responders should be trained in appropriate responses to
65	sudden infant death.
66	(b)  After January 1, 1995, the basic training programs
67	required for certification as an emergency medical technician, a
68	paramedic, a firefighter, or a law enforcement officer as
69	defined in s. 943.10, other than a correctional officer or a
70	correctional probation officer, must include curriculum that
71	contains instruction on SUID Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.
72	(c)  The Department of Health, in consultation with the
73	Emergency Medical Services Advisory Council, the Firefighters
74	Employment, Standards, and Training Council, and the Criminal
75	Justice Standards and Training Commission, shall develop and
76	adopt, by rule, curriculum that, at a minimum, includes training
77	in SUID the nature of SIDS, standard procedures to be followed
78	by law enforcement agencies in investigating cases involving
79	sudden deaths of infants, and training in responding
80	appropriately to the parents or caretakers who have requested
81	assistance.
82	(4)  AUTOPSIES.-
83	(a)  The sudden unexpected death of any infant under 1 year
84	of age who was in apparent good health falls under the
85	jurisdiction of the medical examiner pursuant to s. 406.11 must
86	perform an autopsy upon any infant under the age of 1 year who
87	is suspected to have died of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. The
88	autopsy must be performed within 24 hours after the death, or as
89	soon thereafter as is feasible. When the medical examiner's
90	findings are consistent with the definition of sudden infant
91	death syndrome in subsection (2), the medical examiner must
92	state on the death certificate that sudden infant death syndrome
93	was the cause of death.
94	(b)  The Medical Examiners Commission shall provide for the
95	development and implementation of develop and implement a
96	protocol for medical and legal investigation of sudden
97	unexpected infant death dealing with suspected sudden infant
98	death syndrome. The protocol must be followed by all medical
99	examiners when conducting the autopsies required under this
100	subsection. The protocol may include requirements and standards
101	for scene investigations, requirements for specific data,
102	criteria for ascertaining cause of death based on the autopsy,
103	criteria for any specific tissue sampling, and any other
104	requirements that the commission considers necessary.
105	(c)  A medical examiner is not liable for damages in a
106	civil action for any act or omission done in compliance with
107	this subsection.
108	(d)  An autopsy must be performed under the authority of a
109	medical examiner under s. 406.11.
110	(5)  DEPARTMENT DUTIES RELATING TO SUDDEN UNEXPECTED INFANT
111	DEATH (SUID) DEATH SYNDROME (SIDS).-The Department of Health
112	shall:
113	(a)  Collaborate with other agencies in the development and
114	presentation of the Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SUID) Death
115	Syndrome (SIDS) training programs for first responders,
116	including those for emergency medical technicians and
117	paramedics, firefighters, and law enforcement officers.
118	(b)  Maintain a database of statistics on reported sudden
119	unexpected infant deaths SIDS deaths, and analyze the data as
120	funds allow.
121	(c)  Serve as liaison and closely coordinate activities
122	with the Florida SIDS Alliance, including the services related
123	to the SIDS hotline.
124	(d)  Maintain a library reference list and materials about
125	SUID SIDS for public dissemination.
126	(e)  Provide professional support to field staff.
127	(f)  Coordinate the activities of and promote a link
128	between the fetal and infant mortality review committees of the
129	local healthy start coalitions, the local SIDS alliance, and
130	other related support groups.
131	Section 2.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2012.

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.