County coroners could publicly release an autopsy report concerning a minor’s death while in the care or custody of a government agency under a revised bill passed by the Colorado House on Monday.
As introduced, House Bill 24-1244 did not permit the public disclosure of any autopsy report on the death of a minor unless a judge determined that doing so “substantially outweighs any harm to the privacy interests of the deceased” and family members.
Lawmakers added the new provision, allowing disclosure of certain reports, following a committee hearing in which journalists and child-protection advocates pointed out the public-interest benefits of keeping all autopsy reports open, as they have been for many years.