Sec. 8. 22 MRSA §3024, as amended by PL 1997, c. 24, Pt. PP, §1, is further amended to read:

§3024. Salaries; fees; expenses

The salary of the Chief Medical Examiner of the State of Maine must be set by the Governor. Other nonsalaried medical examiners, upon the submission of their completed report to the Chief Medical Examiner, must be paid a fee of $70 for an inspection and view and are entitled to receive travel expenses to be calculated at the mileage rate currently paid to state employees pursuant to Title 5, section 8. An additional fee of $50 may be authorized by the Chief Medical Examiner for payment to other nonsalaried medical examiners for visits to death scenes other than hospitals.

The fees for autopsies performed by pathologists, at the request of a medical examiner or the Chief Medical Examiner, shall must be set by the Chief Medical Examiner at a level which shall provide that provides reasonable payment for necessary costs and a reasonable fee in light of prevailing rates for the services of a pathologist in Maine the State.

The Chief Medical Examiner, using his discretion, may, in an unusual circumstance, to be as determined by him the Chief Medical Examiner, prescribe a special fee for the service of a medical examiner or for any consultant service which he deems the Chief Medical Examiner determines necessary.

The Chief Medical Examiner, using his discretion, may authorize any other expenses necessary to carry out his the Chief Medical Examiner's duties.

All compensation and expenses authorized by this chapter shall must be paid from the funds of the State appropriated by the Legislature for this purpose.

If the Chief Medical Examiner or employees of his that office, at their discretion, provide expert opinion or testimony relating to Maine medical examiner cases on behalf of private litigants, the Chief Medical Examiner may, at his discretion, set a reasonable fee for these services, preparation leading to them