After emotional testimony, committee passes bill clarifying parents’ next‑of‑kin status for autopsy appeals

House Bill 1807 passed unanimously in the House Health Committee after testimony from Jamie Dickerson, whose account described being unable to seek reconsideration of her daughter’s death determination.

Sponsor introduced the bill as a narrow fix to ensure a surviving parent is always considered next of kin for purposes of suicide‑related autopsy determinations and appeals. The sponsor described a case in which the spouse’s statutory priority prevented parents from participating in or requesting reconsideration of an autopsy finding.

Jamie Dickerson testified that her daughter was found deceased in 2023 and that investigators initially treated the death as suicide; she said she repeatedly sought reconsideration of the manner of death but was denied because state rules gave standing to the spouse. Dickerson recounted discovering bruises on her daughter’s body and ultimately obtaining a confession from the daughter’s spouse months later; she urged lawmakers to pass HB 1807 so other parents would have the opportunity to challenge determinations.

Committee members responded with sympathy and the sponsor said the bill is a corrective measure to ensure parents can petition for reconsideration in certain cases. The committee passed HB 1807 and moved it to Calendar & Rules.