SB1416 100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB100 00050 MJP 10051 b

100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2017 and 2018
SB1416

Introduced 2/9/2017, by Sen. William R. Haine

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

20 ILCS 2310/2310-443 new
20 ILCS 2310/2310-678 new
20 ILCS 2310/2310-679 new

Amends the Department of Public Health Powers and Duties Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Provides that the Director of Public Health shall establish a Statewide Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Program that shall include a referral service for the public and health care professionals on SIDS-related services and a 24-hour telephone hotline. Provides that the Director of Public Health shall encourage the development of local support programs for infants who may be at risk of SIDS. Creates the Sudden Child Death Autopsy Protocol Committee within the Department of Public Health. Provides that the Committee shall assist the Director of Public Health with developing specified sudden child death autopsy protocols and shall annually review the protocols and make suggestions for revisions. Provides that the Committee shall make recommendations by December 31 of each year through December 31, 2021. Repeals provisions concerning the Committee on December 31, 2022. Provides that the Director of Public Health, in consultation with the Committee, shall develop a specified standardized protocol for autopsies performed when the suspected cause of death of a child under one year of age is sudden infant death syndrome and when the death of a child under 2 years of age is sudden and unexpected.

FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning State government.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Department of Public Health Powers and Duties Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois is amended by adding Sections 2310-443, 2310-678, and 2310-679 as follows:

(20 ILCS 2310/2310-443 new)

Sec. 2310-443. Statewide Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Program. The Director of Public Health shall establish the Statewide Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Program to educate the public and health care professionals about sudden infant death syndrome. The Statewide Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Program shall include a referral service for the public and health care professionals on SIDS-related services and a 24-hour telephone hotline to provide needed information and referrals. The Director of Public Health shall encourage the development of local support programs to provide early detection, counseling, and referrals for infants who may be at risk of sudden infant death syndrome.

(20 ILCS 2310/2310-678 new)

Sec. 2310-678. Sudden Child Death Autopsy Protocol Committee. There is hereby established the Sudden Child Death Autopsy Protocol Committee within the Department of Public Health to assist in developing and reviewing a sudden child death autopsy protocol. The Committee shall consist of 13 members including:

(1) the Director of Public Health or his or her designee;

(2) the Director of Healthcare and Family Services or his or her designee;

(3) the Director of Children and Family Services or his or her designee;

(4) the head of the Statewide Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Program established under Section 2310-443 of this Act or his or her designee;

(5) an epidemiologist appointed by the Director of Public Health;

(6) a forensic pathologist appointed by the Director of Public Health;

(7) a pediatric pathologist appointed by the Director of Public Health;

(8) a county medical examiner or county coroner appointed by the Director of Public Health;

(9) a pediatrician who is knowledgeable about sudden infant death syndrome and child abuse appointed by the Director of Public Health;

(10) a law enforcement officer appointed by the Director of Public Health;

(11) an emergency medical technician or a paramedic appointed by the Director of Public Health;

(12) a family member of a sudden infant death syndrome victim appointed by the Director of Public Health; and

(13) a family member of a sudden unexpected death victim who was under 2 years of age at the time of death appointed by the Director of Public Health.

The members of the Committee shall serve 4-year terms. Membership vacancies on the Committee shall be filled by the Director of Public Health. Members shall serve without compensation or reimbursement for expenses. The Committee shall annually review the protocols and make recommendations to the Director of Public Health to revise the protocols, as appropriate, by December 31 of each year through December 31, 2021.

This Section is repealed on December 31, 2022.

(20 ILCS 2310/2310-679 new)

Sec. 2310-679. Sudden child death autopsy protocol. The Director of Public Health, in consultation with the Sudden Child Death Autopsy Protocol Committee established under Section 2310-678 of this Act, shall develop a standardized protocol for autopsies performed in those cases in which the suspected cause of death of a child under one year of age is sudden infant death syndrome and when the death of a child under 2 years of age is sudden and unexpected. The protocol shall include requirements and standards for scene investigation, criteria for ascertaining the cause of death based on autopsy, and such other requirements as the Committee deems appropriate. The protocol shall take into account nationally recognized standards for pediatric autopsies. The Director of Public Health shall be responsible for ensuring that the protocol is followed by all county medical examiners, county coroners, and other persons authorized to conduct autopsies when the suspected cause of death is sudden infant death syndrome or when the death of a child under 2 years of age is sudden and unexpected. The sudden infant death syndrome autopsy protocol shall provide that if the findings in the autopsy are consistent with the definition of sudden infant death syndrome specified in the protocol, then the person who conducts the autopsy shall state on the death certificate that sudden infant death syndrome is the cause of death.