Today, the Orthodox Union, the nation’s largest Orthodox Jewish umbrella organization, through its Institute for Public Affairs, expressed satisfaction that the proposed final New York State budget restores funding to the Offices of Medical Examiner (OME).
The OU had reached out to Governor Paterson, Speaker Silver and Senate Majority Leader Smith on reports that the OME budget could be cut up to $16 million, an amount that would have led to delays in issuing death certificates and threatened the Jewish religious requirement of timely burial. Other concerned organizations which advocated on this issue included Misaskim, the Chevra Kadisha of the Vaad HaRabbonim of Queens and the JCRC of New York.
Rabbi Dr. Tzvi Hersh Weinreb, OU Executive Vice President stated: “This was a difficult budget year, but dignity for the dead and for their grieving relatives has no price tag. On behalf of Jews across New York, we thank our state’s leaders – Governor Paterson, Speaker Silver and Senator Smith – for ensuring a dignified burial to all.”
(Dov Gordon – YWN)
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and it saves the state the problem of getting sued – there is no constitutional requirement that the state issue a death certificate before burial, and the state would have to show an injury from prompt burial in order to order a delay — traditionally the attending physician did the paperwork (make sure the person is dead of apparent natural causes, with no bureaucracy involved)