22a-215. District coroner; disposition of body of deceased; burial, when; expenses, how paid; penalties. (a) The coroner shall cause the body of a deceased person to be delivered to the immediate family or the next of kin of the deceased in accordance with the provisions of K.S.A. 65-904, and amendments thereto. If there is no immediate family or next of kin the coroner shall report and make delivery in accordance with the provisions of article 9 of chapter 65 of Kansas Statutes Annotated. If no such delivery is required, the coroner shall cause the body of such deceased person to be cremated or buried. The state or county officer responsible for the final disposition of the deceased person may authorize and order the cremation or burial of such deceased person. Cremation or burial expenses shall be paid from any property found with the body. If there is no property found with the body or if the property is not sufficient to cover such expenses and if the deceased was eligible for assistance under the provisions of article 7 of chapter 39 of Kansas Statutes Annotated, expenses of final disposition shall be paid in accordance with the provisions of K.S.A. 39-713d, and amendments thereto. Otherwise, such expenses shall be paid from the county general fund unless the deceased died in the custody of the secretary of corrections. Expenses of final disposition of the unclaimed bodies of deceased inmates in the custody of the secretary of corrections shall be paid by the department of corrections.

(b) Any coroner who, over the protest of the immediate family or next of kin of the deceased, delivers or causes to be delivered the body of a deceased person for final disposition to a particular embalmer, funeral director or funeral establishment, shall be deemed guilty of a class B nonperson misdemeanor and upon conviction thereof shall forfeit the coroner's office.

History: G.S. 1868, ch. 25, § 132; R.S. 1923, 19-1015; L. 1945, ch. 163, § 1; L. 1951, ch. 359, § 1; L. 1955, ch. 148, § 1; L. 1965, ch. 164, § 7; L. 1975, ch. 158, § 1; L. 1993, ch. 214, § 1; L. 1997, ch. 179, § 7; L. 1999, ch. 47, § 1; July 1.