---
type: "Bill"
title: "AN ACT relating to deceased persons."
description: "Amend KRS 72.405 to apply definitions to entirety of KRS Chapter 72; create new definition of \"genetic tests\"; expand definition of \"post-mortem examination\"; create a new section of KRS Chapter 72 to require the Office of the Kentucky State Medical Examiner to perform and report the results of genetic testing on a deceased person in certain cases; require information to be entered on the death certificate; provide that the Act may be cited as the Micah Shantell Fletcher Law."
jurisdiction: "us/states/ky"
legislature: "Kentucky General Assembly"
session: "2023RS"
identifier: "SB 40"
citation: "Kentucky SB 40 (2023RS)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: ["Administrative Regulations and Proceedings", "Coroners", "Deaths", "Health and Medical Services", "Short Titles and Popular Names", "State Agencies"]
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: []
version_count: 3
action_count: 30
vote_count: 3
first_action: "2023-01-04T05:00:00+00:00"
last_action: "2023-03-31T04:00:00+00:00"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/870240fa-32c3-42fd-a51e-26127420153f"
source_url: "https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/record/23RS/sb40.html"
source_hash: "a7724406554d67a6e64f702cdafac651ae73cbb772b226bf51b1827fb124cc6e"
vintage: "2026-07-01"
source_snapshot: "https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-06"
confidence: "reported"
tags: ["legislation", "bill", "us-ky"]
---

# Kentucky SB 40 (2023RS) — AN ACT relating to deceased persons.

Amend KRS 72.405 to apply definitions to entirety of KRS Chapter 72; create new definition of "genetic tests"; expand definition of "post-mortem examination"; create a new section of KRS Chapter 72 to require the Office of the Kentucky State Medical Examiner to perform and report the results of genetic testing on a deceased person in certain cases; require information to be entered on the death certificate; provide that the Act may be cited as the Micah Shantell Fletcher Law.

## Version chain

The bill's text revisions, in order — the diff chain from filing to enrollment.

1. **Introduced** (filed) — [source](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/23RS/sb40/orig_bill.pdf)
2. **Acts Chapter 162** (committee substitute) — [source](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/acts/23RS/documents/0162.pdf)
3. **Current/Final** (committee substitute) — [source](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/23RS/sb40/bill.pdf)

## Votes

- PASS SB 40 W/ scs1 — **pass** (pass) · upper
- Pass — **pass** (pass) · upper
- FINAL PASS SB 40 W/ hfa1 hfta2 — **pass** (pass) · upper

## Timeline

The legislative action history — every referral, reading, and vote.

- **2023-01-04T05:00:00+00:00** introduced in Senate `introduction`
- **2023-01-04T05:00:00+00:00** to Committee on Committees (S) `referral-committee`
- **2023-01-05T05:00:00+00:00** to Judiciary (S) `referral-committee`
- **2023-02-16T05:00:00+00:00** reported favorably, 1st reading, to Calendar with Committee Substitute (1) `committee-passage`
- **2023-02-17T05:00:00+00:00** 2nd reading, to Rules `reading-2`
- **2023-02-22T05:00:00+00:00** posted for passage in the Regular Orders of the Day for Thursday, February 23, 2023
- **2023-02-23T05:00:00+00:00** 3rd reading, passed 34-0 with Committee Substitute (1) `passage, reading-3`
- **2023-02-24T05:00:00+00:00** received in House
- **2023-02-24T05:00:00+00:00** to Committee on Committees (H) `referral-committee`
- **2023-03-02T05:00:00+00:00** to Judiciary (H) `referral-committee`
- **2023-03-13T04:00:00+00:00** taken from Judiciary (H)
- **2023-03-13T04:00:00+00:00** 1st reading `reading-1`
- **2023-03-13T04:00:00+00:00** returned to Judiciary (H)
- **2023-03-14T04:00:00+00:00** taken from Judiciary (H)
- **2023-03-14T04:00:00+00:00** 2nd reading `reading-2`
- **2023-03-14T04:00:00+00:00** returned to Judiciary (H)
- **2023-03-15T04:00:00+00:00** reported favorably, to Rules `committee-passage`
- **2023-03-16T04:00:00+00:00** taken from Rules
- **2023-03-16T04:00:00+00:00** placed in the Orders of the Day
- **2023-03-29T04:00:00+00:00** floor amendments (1) and (2-title) filed `amendment-introduction`
- **2023-03-30T04:00:00+00:00** 3rd reading, passed 93-3 with Floor Amendment (1) and Floor Amendment (2-title) `passage, reading-3`
- **2023-03-30T04:00:00+00:00** received in Senate
- **2023-03-30T04:00:00+00:00** to Rules (S) `referral-committee`
- **2023-03-30T04:00:00+00:00** posted for passage for concurrence in House Floor Amendments (1) and (2-title)
- **2023-03-30T04:00:00+00:00** Senate concurred in House Floor Amendments (1) and (2-title)
- **2023-03-30T04:00:00+00:00** passed 37-0 `passage`
- **2023-03-30T04:00:00+00:00** enrolled, signed by President of the Senate `passage`
- **2023-03-30T04:00:00+00:00** enrolled, signed by Speaker of the House `passage`
- **2023-03-30T04:00:00+00:00** delivered to Governor
- **2023-03-31T04:00:00+00:00** signed by Governor (Acts Ch. 162) `executive-signature`

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/870240fa-32c3-42fd-a51e-26127420153f`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official Kentucky legislature records).