1. Files; information. The Office of Chief Medical Examiner shall maintain files on missing persons sufficient for the purpose of identification when there is reason to suspect that those persons may not be found alive. These files may include such material as medical and dental records and specimens, details of personal property and physical appearance, samples of hair, fingerprints and specimens that may be useful for identification. The Chief Medical Examiner may require hospitals, physicians, dentists and other medical institutions and practitioners to provide information, samples and specimens. A person participating in good faith in the provision of the information, samples or specimens under this section is immune from any civil or criminal liability for that act or for otherwise cooperating with the Chief Medical Examiner. [PL 1991, c. 339, §5 (NEW).] 2. Confidentiality; disclosure. Except as provided in subsection 5, all information and materials gathered and retained pursuant to this section must be used solely for the purposes of identification of deceased persons and persons found alive who are unable to identify themselves because of mental or physical impairment. The files and materials are confidential, except that compiled data that does not identify specific individuals may be disclosed to the public. Upon the identification of a deceased person, those records and materials used for the identification may become part of the records of the Office of Chief Medical Examiner and may then be subject to public disclosure as pertinent law provides. [PL 2011, c. 524, §2 (AMD).] 3. Reporting of missing persons. Missing persons may be reported directly to the Office of Chief Medical Examiner by interested parties. Law enforcement agencies or other public agencies that receive reports of missing persons, or that gain knowledge of missing persons, shall report that information to the Office of Chief Medical Examiner. Law enforcement agencies shall report all attempts to locate missing persons to the Office of Chief Medical Examiner. All absences without leave by individuals from state institutions must also be reported to the Office of Chief Medical Examiner when there exists a reasonable possibility of harm to that individual. [PL 1991, c. 339, §5 (NEW).] 4. Cooperation. All state and law enforcement agencies and public and private custodial institutions shall cooperate with the Office of Chief Medical Examiner in reporting, investigating, clearing and gathering further information and materials on missing persons. [PL 1991, c. 339, §5 (NEW).] 5. Release to assist in search. The Office of Chief Medical Examiner may release confidential information and materials about a missing person that are gathered and retained pursuant to this section if the Chief Medical Examiner determines that such release may assist in the search for the missing person. [PL 2011, c. 524, §3 (NEW).]
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