CHAPTER 713

An Act to amend and reenact § 19.1-46 of the Code of Virginia, relating
to disposition of bodies following postmortem examinations and pay-
ment of resultant expenses.

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Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That § 19.1-46 of the Code of Virginia be amended and reenacted
as follows:

§ 19.1-46. Disposition of dead body; how expenses paid.—After
the investigation has been completed, including an autopsy if one is made,
the dead body shall be delivered to the relatives or friends of the deceased
person for burial. Jt shall be the duty of the deceased’s husband or wife,
or uf there be not or cannot be found any husband or wife, it shall be the
duty of deceased’s parents if they had at the time of death the duty to
support deceased, or of deceased’s children if they had at the time of death
the duty to support deceased, to provide for the proper disposition of the
body. If no person claims the body it shall be turned over to the sheriff
of the county or the sergeant or other like law enforcement officer of the
city where death occurred for proper disposition. The expenses incurred
by such officer in the disposal of the dead body shall be borne by the
husband, wife, parents or children whose duty it is to provide for the
proper disposition of the body to the extent that they are financtally able
to pay such expenses, but if there be none or to the extent that they are
financially unable to pay such expenses, then by the county or city where
death occurred if the deceased person had no known place of residence
within the State, * or if the deceased person was a resident of Virginia
at the time of death such expenses shall be paid by the county or city of
residence. No such expenses shall be paid until allowed by the court of
such officer’s county or city. If the deceased person has estate out of which
burial expenses can be paid, either in whole or in part, such estate shall be
taken for such purpose before any expense under this section is imposed
upon * any person, county or city.