(a) The Arkansas Commission on Law Enforcement Standards and Training, in coordination with the Department of Health, shall establish a training curriculum for medicolegal death investigators, coroners, and deputy coroners in Arkansas that consists of no less than sixteen (16) hours nor more than forty (40) hours of instruction, including without limitation courses on:

(1) Medicolegal death investigation leading to certification as a medicolegal death investigator;

(2) Scene investigation;

(3) Body recovery;

(4) Safety;

(5) Statutes and rules;

(6) Documentation and reporting;

(7) Communication and interviewing; and

(8) Proper completion of a death certificate and assignment of cause of death.

(b) The commission shall:

(1) Issue a certificate of satisfactory participation and completion to a coroner, deputy coroner, or medicolegal death investigator who completes the instructional program required under subsection (a) of this section; and

(2)

(A) Administer the funds for the payment and reimbursement for materials, speakers, mileage, lodging, meals, the cost of the certificate, and training equipment that are in addition to compensation allowed under §§ 14-14-1203, 14-14-1204, and 14-14-1206.

(B) The commission may receive funding for coroner training through grants-in-aid, donations, and the County Coroners Continuing Education Fund.

(c) The commission shall provide death investigation training:

(1) Free of charge to a law enforcement officer, a state death investigator, and an employee of the State Crime Laboratory; and

(2) For a fee under a memorandum of understanding between the commission and the Arkansas Coroner's Association to coroners and deputy coroners.