A. Beginning November 1, 2018, the Center for Health Statistics of the State Department of Health shall forward to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner on a monthly basis, copies of all death certificates of persons over eighteen (18) years of age received by the Center for Health Statistics during the preceding month whereby the cause of death was due to an overdose of licit or illicit drugs including opioids meeting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines for opioid-related deaths.

B. The Office of Chief Medical Examiner shall conduct an initial review of overdose death certificates in accordance with the criteria established by the Opioid Overdose Fatality Review Board and refer to the Board those cases that meet the criteria established by the Board for specific case review.

C. Upon the request of the Board, every entity within the medical and law enforcement system shall provide to the Board any information requested by the Board relevant to the discharge of its duties, unless otherwise prohibited by state or federal law.