H*3455(Rat #0168, Act #0064 of 2003)  General Bill, By Talley
 AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 44-63-161, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976,
 RELATING TO UNLAWFUL ACTS INVOLVING VITAL STATISTICS, SO AS TO INCREASE THE
 PENALTY FOR VIOLATING CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION, AND TO MAKE
 TECHNICAL CHANGES. - ratified title

   01/29/03  House  Introduced and read first time HJ-8
   01/29/03  House  Referred to Committee on Judiciary HJ-8
   04/02/03  House  Committee report: Favorable Judiciary HJ-2
   04/03/03  House  Read second time HJ-13
   04/03/03  House  Unanimous consent for third reading on next
                     legislative day HJ-15
   04/04/03  House  Read third time and sent to Senate HJ-2
   04/08/03  Senate Introduced and read first time SJ-29
   04/08/03  Senate Referred to Committee on Judiciary SJ-29
   05/28/03  Senate Committee report: Favorable with amendment
                     Judiciary SJ-21
   05/29/03  Senate Amended SJ-82
   05/29/03  Senate Read second time SJ-82
   06/03/03  Senate Read third time and returned to House with
                     amendments SJ-52
   06/04/03  House  Concurred in Senate amendment and enrolled HJ-60
   06/05/03         Ratified R 168
   06/25/03         Signed By Governor
   06/30/03         Copies available
   06/30/03         Effective date 06/25/03
   07/01/03         Act No. 64

(A64, R168, H3455)

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 44-63-161, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO UNLAWFUL ACTS INVOLVING VITAL STATISTICS, SO AS TO INCREASE THE PENALTY FOR VIOLATING CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION, AND TO MAKE TECHNICAL CHANGES.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

Unlawful acts involving vital statistics; penalties

SECTION    1.    Section 44-63-161 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"Section 44-63-161.    (A)    It is unlawful for a person:

(1)    other than the Department of Health and Environmental Control and county health departments to issue copies or certified copies of birth and death certificates or a document purporting to be a birth or death certificate;

(2)    to wilfully make a false statement in a certificate, record, or report required to be filed by this chapter or a regulation, or in an application for an amendment to or for a certified copy of the certificate, record, or report, or to wilfully supply false information intending that the information be used in the preparation or amendment of the certificate, record, or report;

(3)    without lawful authority to wilfully make, sell, counterfeit, alter, amend, or mutilate a certificate, record, or report required to be filed by this chapter or a regulation or a certified copy of the certificate, record, or report;

(4)    to wilfully obtain, possess, use, sell, furnish to another, or attempt to obtain, possess, use, sell, or furnish to another, for the purpose of deception, a certificate, record, report required to be filed by this chapter or a regulation, or a certified copy of these, including a certificate, record, or report or certified copy that has been counterfeited, altered, amended, or mutilated or a document purporting to be the certificate, record, or report;

(5)    to wilfully violate a regulation or an order of the department relative to recording, reporting, or filing information for the Bureau of Vital Records.

(B)    A person who violates a provision of item (1), (2), (3), or (4) of subsection (A) is guilty of a felony and, upon conviction, must be fined not more than ten thousand dollars or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.

(C)    A person who violates a provision of item (5) of subsection (A) is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be fined not more than one thousand dollars or imprisoned not more than one year, or both."

Time effective

SECTION    2.    This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

Ratified the 5th day of June, 2003.

Approved the 25th day of June, 2003.