An Act to Create a
Maine Legislature, Session 132, LD 1485
Committee Amendment CA_A_H549 (House)
Amends: 22 MRSA §3028

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A"" to H.P. 976, L.D. 1485, "An Act to Create a
Minimum Standard of Pathology for Children Under 3 Years of Age Who Die of Sudden
Infant Death Syndrome or an Unknown Cause"
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the enacting clause and inserting the
following:
'See. 1. 22 MRSA §3028» sub-§9-A is enacted to read:
9-A. Certain deaths of children under 3 years of aee. If a medical examiner has
determined that a child under 3 years of ase has died as a result of sudden unknown infant
deafh syndrome, suffocation or straneulation or the medical examiner is unable to
determine the cause of _death of the child, the Chief ^M^^^^ shall conduc.t;
A. A toxicoloev test that includes a complete blood coual test and testine for c-reacriYg
orotein. alummuiu.^rsenic, cadmium. hexavalent chromium. u'on. lead, maneanese,
merc-urv and branched and linear perfluoroalkvl and DolvfluoroaUcvl substances; and
B. At the request of the parent or puardian of the child, any additional forensic
tox.icolo&vjesting as lone as the testina is readily available or accessible.
The_ChLefM,edical_Exainmer shall obtain, presen'e and retain sufficient tissue and fluid
samples and other evidence necessary to make a subsequent detennmation of the cause of
death_for2 years foUowinfi: the date of the death of the child. Such evidence must be made
available to an accredited or licensed testing facility at the request of the parent or guardian
of the child.
Sec. 2. Appropriations and allocations. The following appropriatiotis and
allocations are made.
ATTORNEY GENERAL, DEPARTMENT OF THE
Chief Medical Examiner - Office of 0412
Initiative: Provides funding for additional toxicology testing of certain deaths of children
under 3 years of age.
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
^oe
^w" coMMrrrEE AMENDMENT "A. " to H.P. 976, L.D. 1485
GENERAL FUND 2025-26 2026-27
AHOther $14,295 $14,295
GENERAL FUND TOTAL $14,295 $14,295
Amend the bill by reletterlng or renumbering any nonconsecutive Part letter or section
number to read consecutively,
SUMMARY
Tliis amendment, which is the minority report of the committee, makes the following
changes to the bill.
1. It replaces "sudden infant death" with the more oucrent terminology of "sudden
unknown infant desth."
2. It requires the Chief Medical Examiuer to conduct a toxicology test for any child
under 3 years of age who died as a result of sudden unknown infant death syndrome,
suffocation or strangulation or whose death is unexplained. The test must include a
complete blood count test and testing for c-reactive protein, aluminum, arseoic, cadmium,
hexavalent chromium, iron, lead, manganese, mercury and branched and linear
] 8 perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyi substances.
3. It requires the Chief Medical Examiner, at the request of the parent or guardian of
tbe child, to conduct any additional forensic toxicology testing as long as it is readily
available or accessible.
4. It requires the Chief Medical Examiner to obtain, preserve and retain sufficient tissue
and fluid samples for 2 years after the death of the child. The evidence must be made
available to a testing facility at the request of the parent or guardian of the child.
5. It adds an appropriatioDS and allocatioos section,
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED
(See attached)
Page2-132Lfi21!»2(02)
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
Approved; 06/02/25 t-Ki-
LD 1485 LR 2192(02)
An Act to Create a Minimum Standard of Pathology for Children Under 3 Years of Age Who Die of
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome or an Unknown Cause
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment ^
Committee: Health and Human Services
Fiscal Note Required: Yes
Fiscal Note
Projections Projections
FY 2025-26 FY 2026-27 FY 2027-28 FY 2028-29
Net Cost (Savings)
General Fund $14,295 $14,295 $14,295 $14,295
Appropriattons/AlIocations
General Fund $14,295 $14,295 $14,295 $14,295
Fiscal Detail and Notes
The bill includes General Fund appropriations to the Office of the Attorney General of $14,295 beginning in fiscal
year 2025-26 for additional toxicology testing of certain deaths of children under 3 years of age,
LR2192(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1