1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to health; establishing the Grieving Parents Act; requiring a mother to be 
1.3 	notified of burial and cremation options in the case of a miscarriage;proposing 
1.4 	coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 145.
1.5 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.6 	Section 1. [145.1622] NOTIFICATION OF DISPOSITION OPTIONS 
1.7 	REQUIRED.
1.8 		Subdivision 1.Citation. This section may be cited as the "Grieving Parents Act."
1.9 		Subd. 2.Notification required. Hospitals, clinics, and medical facilities having 
1.10 	custody of a fetus following a miscarriage occurring after a gestation period of less than 
1.11 	20 weeks must provide written notification to the mother of her right to arrange for the 
1.12 	burial or cremation of the fetus. The notification may also include other options.
1.13 		Subd. 3.Election of disposition. If, within 24 hours of receiving notification, the 
1.14 	mother elects, in writing, to arrange for the burial or cremation of the fetus, the hospital, 
1.15 	clinic, or medical facility must release the remains for burial or cremation following all 
1.16 	applicable requirements.
1.17 		Subd. 4.Duties of commissioner. The commissioner of health shall prescribe the 
1.18 	form of and information to be included on a notification and election form to meet the 
1.19 	requirements of subdivisions 2 and 3, and make this form available to hospitals, clinics, 
1.20 	and medical facilities subject to the requirements of this section.

1.21 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective July 1, 2008.