| (a) The department shall reimburse the county in which an infant dies for the cost of an autopsy performed as required by Health and Safety Code, §673.002, only if the primary cause of death is SIDS. (b) Reimbursement by the department of all costs associated with an autopsy performed by any person or entity shall not exceed $500. (c) The county judge for the county in which the infant died shall sign and submit to the Department of State Health Services a state purchase voucher (voucher) requesting reimbursement for costs of the autopsy. A county's claim for reimbursement shall be submitted within 90 days following the completion of the written autopsy report, and shall include a copy of the signed autopsy report. (d) The department shall process the voucher and shall request that a warrant be issued for not more than $500 payable to the county in which the infant died, if the primary cause of death stated on the autopsy report or the death certificate is SIDS. (e) The department shall process no more than one voucher requesting reimbursement of autopsy costs for an infant. (f) Reimbursements to counties under this section shall be limited by the availability of funds. |
