Sec. 24. (a) Except as provided in subsection (b), if a coroner does not release a written report required under section 10 of this chapter or a full copy of an autopsy report required under section 18 of this chapter as required by law, the county executive, or in the case of a county containing a consolidated city, the city-county council, shall order the auditor to withhold the paycheck of the coroner until the coroner properly releases the written report or full autopsy report, unless the county executive or city-county council adopts a resolution finding that:

(1) the failure of the coroner or deputy coroner to release the written report or full autopsy report is the result of unusual circumstances;

(2) the coroner or deputy coroner is making reasonable progress, under the circumstances, toward completing and releasing the written report or full autopsy report; and

(3) in light of the unusual circumstances described in subdivision (1), withholding the paycheck of the coroner or deputy coroner would be unjust.

     (b) A county auditor may not withhold the paycheck of a coroner if a coroner is legally prohibited from releasing a written report or from releasing a full autopsy report. However, a coroner is required to release a written report or full autopsy report as soon as possible after the legal prohibition on releasing the written report or full autopsy report ceases to exist.

     (c) If the county executive or city-county council orders an auditor to withhold a paycheck under subsection (a) and a coroner properly releases the written report or full autopsy report, the county executive or city-county council shall order the auditor to release all of the coroner’s paychecks that were withheld from the coroner.

As added by P.L.157-2007, SEC.8.