State group wants elected coroner in Columbia County

OLMPIA–The Washington Association of Coroners and Medical Examiners (WACME) wants all counties in Washington State to have a separately elected Coroner/Medical Examiner. Counties with smaller populations can elect a part time Coroner/Medical Examiner. Currently fourteen counties (to include Columbia County) allow the Prosecuting Attorney to serve as Coroner. This practice has drawn scrutiny in numerous studies and is rejected in National standards. WACME is offering the following options for achieving these objectives of an elected Coroner/Medical Examiner:

•Establish date in Revised Code of Washington (RCW) after which the prosecuting attorney serving as coroner shall continue to serve as ex-officio coroner until a coroner is elected, at the next general election at which the office of prosecuting attorney normally would be elected, regardless of county population.

•Allow counties with demonstrably lower caseloads / smaller populations to elect a part-time coroner

Commissioner Charles Amerein stated that the Commissioners will contact the legislative Steering Committee for WACME, and will comment on the requirements for coroners and medical examiners. They will try to work with the State to find ways to not bear the burden of a full time Coroner as it is felt that Columbia County does not have the requirements for a full-time employee in this capacity and this would create an unfunded mandate.