HB 433

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


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