Ark. Code Ann. § 20-17-701 (2020)

1. As used in this subchapter:
   1. “Medical school” means a medical school or school of osteopathic medicine in this state that is:
      1. Accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the United States Department of Education; or
      2. Approved by the Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating Board to seek accreditation by an accrediting agency recognized by the United States Department of Education;
   2. “Next of kin” means a spouse, parent, child, sibling, or person otherwise authorized under § 20-17-702;
   3. “Unclaimed body” means a human body for which the next of kin:
      1. Cannot be located; or
      2. Does not exercise his or her right of disposition within the earlier of:
         1. Two (2) days of notification of the death of the deceased; or
         2. Five (5) days of the death of the deceased; and
   4. “Unclaimed remains” means the cremated remains of an unclaimed body.
2. This subchapter does not affect the right of a coroner to hold the dead body as described under § 20-17-703 for the purpose of investigating the cause of death or affect the right of any court of competent jurisdiction to enter an order affecting the disposition of the body.

History. Acts 1959, No. 22, § 13; A.S.A. 1947, § 82-405.10; Acts 2017, No. 147, § 4; 2019, No. 954, § 1.

Amendments. The 2017 amendment added “Definition” to the section heading; added (a); and designated the existing provisions as (b).

The 2019 amendment rewrote (a)(1); added (a)(2) through (a)(4); and rewrote (b).