HATFIELD ENJOYS PRODUCTIVE DAY IN INDIANA HOUSE; BILLS ON AUTOPSY REPORTS, METH, CHILD PORNOGRAPHY ADVANCE

INDIANAPOLIS- State Rep. Ryan Hatfield (D-Evansville) enjoyed a most productive Tuesday at the Indiana Statehouse, with House members approving three separate measures bearing his name.

Hatfield authored House Bill 1571, which will allow a coroner, in certain circumstances, to make available an autopsy report to a peer review committee at the hospital where the decedent was treated immediately before death. The measure passed 95-0.

“This bill allows coroners to review autopsy reports to make sure that hospitals use best practices,” said Hatfield. “It will also ensure that hospitals have all the information needed to make essential decisions regarding their employees and procedures.”

“It is vital that hospitals are safe, productive health care environments that keep Hoosiers healthy. I believe this legislation will help do that,” Hatfield added.

Joining the lawmaker as a co-author on the legislation was State Rep. Ron Bacon (R-Chandler).

“As a respiratory therapist and a former coroner, I believe this policy would be beneficial for health-care professionals and the Hoosiers they treat,” said Bacon. “Providing health-care professionals access to autopsy reports allows those in the medical field to learn from what happened with each patient. This legislation could possibly lead to improved preventative care based on findings in these reports.”

Hatfield joined State Rep. Thomas Washburne (R-Evansville) on House Bill 1406, which raises the penalties for selling and manufacturing methamphetamine. The bill passed 95-0.

This legislation will increase the penalty for those who manufacture meth from a Level 5 Felony to a Level 4 Felony and the penalty for causing the death of a person while manufacturing meth from a Level 5 Felony to a Level 2 Felony.

“Methamphetamine is a scourge on our community,” Hatfield said. “Today, we send a message more clearly and more powerfully that you cannot manufacture methamphetamine in Indiana.”

Hatfield also joined Washburne on House Bill 1091, which increases the punishment for anyone who accesses the Internet with the intent to view child photography to a Level 6 felony. The measure was approved 96-0.

It also requires a person convicted of disseminating material harmful to minors to register as a sex offender if the person is a child care worker and distributes any material to a child who is under the person’s supervision or attends the school at which the person is employed.

“This legislation is vital to stopping child pornography and keeping our children safe from predators,” Hatfield added. “It catches the law up to the times and the advancements in online streaming.”

All three pieces of legislation are moving to the Senate for further review.