The Indiana Vital Records Association believes that Senate Bill 532, sponsored by Senator James Merritt, proposes an unreasonable increase to the cost of death certificates. In review of SB 532, it appears to be legislation to form a review board for our county coroners. However, tacked onto the end of SB 532 is a vaguely described gradual rate increase placed on death certificates that will surely be passed onto the citizens of Indiana.
When people are at their lowest and mourning the loss of a loved one, with Indiana residents scrambling to make ends meet, as jobs disappear and the unemployment rate climbs to over 8 percent, the coroners are seeking an increase again after receiving a significant increase in 2007. For example, Kosciusko County presently charges $5 for the first death certificate issued and $2 for each one thereafter. As of 2007, the Coroners' Training and Education Fund receives $1.75 per death certificate issued. If you take an average of 10 death certificates, it results in Kosciusko County income of $5.50 and Coroner Fund income of $17.50. This equals a total charge of $23 for 10 death certificates. If SB 532 becomes law, the county would receive $5.50 and the Coroners' Fund $47.50, totaling $53 to purchase 10 death certificates in Kosciusko County. The difference in cost for 10 death certificates is an additional $30 for the Coroners' Fund, which translates into a 170 percent increase. If SB 532 becomes law, this cost will certainly be passed onto the deceased's survivor.
Last year, the Coroners' Fund received over $95,000 from Marion County, $38,000 from Allen County, $26,000 from Vanderburgh County and over $7,000 from Kosciusko County. Keep in mind, there are 88 additional counties contributing to the fund.
According to the Indiana Office of Management and Budget Web page, it takes approximately $900 to train and certify a coroner. The Legislative Services Agency in Indianapolis reports that the Indiana Treasurer of State collected total revenue of $505,549 in Fiscal Year 2008 for the Coroners' Training and Continuing Education Fund. How much more will it take to form a review board that is composed of salaried state and county employees? Where is the concern for Indiana residents trying to make ends meet? How much is enough?
The Indiana Vital Records Association believes it would be in the best interest of every citizen to contact their State Senator and State Representative to express disapproval of Senate Bill 532.
