DENVER (AP) – Colorado’s coroners are lobbying for a late-session bill that would remove autopsy reports on minors’ deaths from the state’s open records act.
They cite a need to protect grieving families. And they say they want to prevent potential copycat suicides by youth who read about the deaths of other minors.
Press organizations oppose the bill, which has cleared the state Senate and gets a House hearing Thursday. They argue it would remove the work of elected county coroners from public scrutiny. They also say it will stymie reporting on such issues as the welfare of children under state supervision.
