(1) A person is eligible to hold the office of coroner if the person: (a) Is a citizen of the United States and a resident of the state of Colorado and of the county in which the person will hold the office of coroner; (b) Has earned a high school diploma or its equivalent or a college degree; (c) Has given a set of fingerprints in accordance with subsection (2) of this section; and (d) For a coroner elected on or after November 5, 2024, in a county with a population greater than one hundred fifty thousand, is a death investigator certified by and in good standing with the American board of medicolegal death investigators or is a forensic pathologist certified by and in good standing with the American board of pathology. (2) (a) A person who is nominated by a political party or for whom a nominating petition is filed for the office of coroner shall have a complete set of fingerprints taken by a qualified law enforcement agency and submit proof of such fingerprinting when filing a written acceptance pursuant to section 1-4-601 (3), 1-4-906, or part 10 of article 4 of title 1. (b) A person wishing to be a write-in candidate for the office of coroner shall have a complete set of fingerprints taken by a qualified law enforcement agency and submit proof of such fingerprinting when filing an affidavit of intent pursuant to section 1-4-1101, C.R.S. (c) A board of county commissioners shall not appoint a person to fill a vacancy in the office of coroner unless the person has had a complete set of fingerprints taken by a qualified law enforcement agency and has submitted proof of such fingerprinting to the board. (3) (a) A law enforcement agency that takes fingerprints in accordance with subsection (2) of this section shall forward the fingerprints to the Colorado bureau of investigation for the purpose of conducting a state and national fingerprint-based criminal history record check utilizing the records of the Colorado bureau of investigation and the federal bureau of investigation. The Colorado bureau of investigation shall report the results of the criminal history record check to the county clerk and recorder of the county in which the person has been nominated for or is to be appointed to the office of coroner. (b) A person who has been convicted of or pleaded guilty or entered a plea of nolo contendere to any felony charge under federal or state law is unqualified for the office of coroner unless pardoned. The results of the criminal history record check performed in accordance with this subsection (3) shall be confidential; except that the county clerk and recorder may disclose whether a person is qualified or unqualified for the office of coroner.
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