DATE:
April 22, 2025 and May 6, 2025
16
TO:
Board of Supervisors
SUBJECT
Title
NOTICED PUBLIC HEARING:
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE SAN DIEGO COUNTY ADMINISTRATIVE CODE ARTICLE XX SECTION 364.6, RELATING TO MEDICAL EXAMINER FEES AND CHARGES (DISTRICTS: ALL)
Body
OVERVIEW
The San Diego County Department of the Medical Examiner (Medical Examiner) is responsible for investigating and determining the cause and manner of death for all homicides, suicides, accidents, and sudden and/or unexpected deaths according to California Government Code Section 27491 and Health and Safety Code Section 102850.
The Medical Examiner recently conducted a review of all six (6) of its fees and rates to ensure compliance with Board Policy B-29 (Fees, Grants, and Revenue Contracts - Department Responsibility for Cost Recovery), which requires County departments to recover the costs to provide services to agencies or individuals. As a result, the Medical Examiner is proposing to increase five (5) fees and to decrease one (1) fee. The Auditor and Controller reviewed and approved the supporting documentation and methodology used to determine the proposed fees to be adjusted in this proposal for Fiscal Year 2025-26.
Today's action requests that the Board of Supervisors (Board) approve amendments to Article XX of the San Diego County Administrative Code. The Board last approved revisions to the Medical Examiner fees on May 21, 2024 (20), when the Board approved the introduction of an amended ordinance, which included a directive to phase in the fees over two years. Today's request includes two steps, first the ordinance will be introduced on April 22, 2025, then it will be scheduled for consideration and adoption on May 6, 2025. If the proposed ordinance is altered on May 6, 2025, then on that date, a subsequent meeting date will be selected for the ordinance's adoption. A waiver of Board Policy B-29 is also requested as the phased fees will not achieve full cost recovery in the s...
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