State Senate passes ‘Nathan’s Law’ to help curb pain of death notifications

State Senate opens Legislature's fifth week with action

FRANKFORT, Ky. (WTVQ)  – Week 5 of the 2022 Regular Session of the Kentucky General Assembly began Monday with passing Senate Bill 66, also known as ‘Nathan’s Law,’ sponsored by Sen. Ralph Alvarado (R-Winchester).

Nathan’s Law takes the necessary step to give greater consideration to the grieving process of families by implementing requirements on how the news of a loved one’s death must be delivered.

A constituent of Alvarado, Stacey Burnett gave moving testimony during last week’s Senate State and Local Government Committee meeting concerning the devastating loss of her son, Nathan, and the unprofessional and cold manner in which she and her family were notified of his death.

Nathan Burnett, 18, died March 30, 2021, following a snowboarding accident while he was on vacation in Park City, Utah.

She told the committee about the day when a coroner van pulled up to her home as fear overwhelmed her and her family.

“We kept saying, ‘Is he dead? Is he dead?’ and the coroner said, ‘I have no details. You have to call Utah,’ and just walked away,” Burnett said.

She was given a handwritten paper with contact information to the Summit County Sheriff’s Office in Utah where Nathan was visiting for spring break. The paper incorrectly listed Burnett as ‘Shelly’ instead of Stacey. She said she was left screaming in her front lawn as the coroner left.

“The hardest thing I’ve ever had to hear was that my child died,” she said. “The hardest thing I’ll ever have to do is to live every day since that moment.”

Nathan’s Law would honor the life of a young man gone too soon by requiring coroners and deputy coroners, within three years of assuming office, to complete a minimum four-hour course that includes instruction of the grieving process and best practices for providing death notice to a spouse or next of kin. It also stipulates that news of the death must:

• Be provided verbally, in person and respectfully;
• Have emergency medical assistance on standby;
• Arrange to have another member of the coroner’s office, or when unavailable, a member of law enforcement, clergy, counselor or respected community member to assist; and
• Follow-up with the family member within 48 hours.

“It is often said that no parent should outlive their children,” Alvarado said. “I think all parents can agree that the mere thought of that tears at your heart. What the Burnett family experienced was avoidable. We have to prevent this trauma in the future. Nathan’s Law cannot reduce the trauma of losing a loved one, but it can make sure the importance of their life is not diminished.”

If made law, it would take effect January 1, 2023. Any coroner or deputy coroner already serving before that date would have to complete the course by January 1, 2026.