AN ACT requiring hospitals to allow immediate family members to privately view the body of a deceased relative.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.  Part 2 of Article 5 of Chapter 131E of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:

§ 131E‑79.5.  Immediate family members' right to view body of deceased patient.

Each hospital licensed under this Article shall allow every individual who presents proof that the individual is an immediate family member of a deceased patient the opportunity to privately view the body of the deceased patient as soon as it is safe and practical to do so. As used in this section, the term immediate family member includes a spouse, child, sibling, parent, grandparent, grandchild, or the spouse of an immediate family member. This term includes stepparents, stepchildren, stepsiblings, and adoptive relationships.

SECTION 2.  This act is effective when it becomes law.