The salary of the Chief Medical Examiner of the State must be set by the Governor. Other nonsalaried medical examiners and nonsalaried medicolegal death investigators, upon the submission of their completed report to the Chief Medical Examiner, must be paid a fee of up to $150 for an inspection and view and are entitled to receive travel expenses to be calculated at the mileage rate currently paid to state employees pursuant to Title 5, section 8. An additional fee of $50 may be authorized by the Chief Medical Examiner for payment to other nonsalaried medical examiners and nonsalaried medicolegal death investigators for visits to death scenes other than hospitals. [PL 2025, c. 388, Pt. X, §1 (AMD).] The fees for autopsies performed by pathologists, at the request of a medical examiner or the Chief Medical Examiner, must be set by the Chief Medical Examiner at a level that provides reasonable payment for necessary costs and a reasonable fee in light of prevailing rates for the services of a pathologist in the State. [PL 2001, c. 222, §3 (AMD).] The Chief Medical Examiner may, in an unusual circumstance as determined by the Chief Medical Examiner, prescribe a special fee for the service of a medical examiner or medicolegal death investigator or for any consultant service the Chief Medical Examiner determines necessary. A special fee prescribed by the Chief Medical Examiner under this paragraph may not include a fee for a standard blood, urine or vitreous collection. [PL 2025, c. 388, Pt. X, §2 (AMD).] The Chief Medical Examiner may authorize any other expenses necessary to carry out the Chief Medical Examiner's duties. The Chief Medical Examiner shall reimburse a funeral establishment that transports a body to Augusta at the request of the Office of Chief Medical Examiner at the following rates: for up to and including the first 25 miles, $120; for the next 25 miles, $2 per mile traveled while actually transporting a body; and for miles in excess of 50, $1.75 per mile traveled while actually transporting a body. [PL 2011, c. 445, §1 (AMD); PL 2011, c. 445, §3 (AFF).] All compensation and expenses authorized by this chapter must be paid from the funds of the State appropriated by the Legislature for this purpose. [PL 2001, c. 222, §3 (AMD).] If the Chief Medical Examiner or employees of that office provide expert opinion or testimony relating to Maine medical examiner cases on behalf of private litigants, the Chief Medical Examiner may set a reasonable fee for these services, preparation leading to them and expenses incurred in providing them. All fees, charges or other receipts must be credited to the General Fund. Medical examiners, medicolegal death investigators and consultants who serve the State on a fee per case basis are excluded from this paragraph and may make private arrangements for these services. [PL 2013, c. 113, §3 (AMD).] Notwithstanding Title 5, section 1585 or any other provision of law, available balances in the Chief Medical Examiner account, Personal Services line category in excess of funds needed to offset attrition may be transferred by financial order to the Chief Medical Examiner account, All Other line category to provide for contracted medical examiner services upon the recommendation of the State Budget Officer and approval of the Governor. [PL 2013, c. 368, Pt. DD, §2 (NEW).]
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