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TO AMEND SECTION 17-5-530, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO A CORONER'S DUTIES WHEN A PERSON DIES, INCLUDING WHERE AN AUTOPSY MUST BE PERFORMED IF A PERSON DIES IN A HEALTH CARE FACILITY WITHIN TWENTY-FOUR HOURS OF ENTERING THE FACILITY OR WITHIN TWENTY-FOUR HOURS OF UNDERGOING AN INVASIVE SURGICAL PROCEDURE, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT UNLESS THE CORONER CERTIFIES THAT THERE IS NO REASONABLE ALTERNATIVE, THE AUTOPSY MUST NOT BE PERFORMED AT THE HEALTH CARE FACILITY WHERE THE DEATH OCCURRED OR BY A PHYSICIAN WHO TREATED THE PATIENT OR WHO WAS EMPLOYED BY THE HEALTH CARE FACILITY WHERE THE DEATH OCCURRED.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
SECTION 1. Section 17-5-530(E) of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 226 of 2010, is further amended to read:
"(E) If the coroner or medical examiner orders an autopsy upon review of a death pursuant to item (8) of subsection (A), the autopsy must not be performed:
(1) at the health care facility where the death occurred; or
(2) by a physician who treated the patient; or
(3) by a physician who is employed by the health care facility in which the death occurred;
unless the coroner or medical examiner certifies there is no reasonable alternative."
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.
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