H 3325 {Rat #200, Act #157 of 2022} General Bill, By King, Murray, Rivers, M.M.Smith and 
Parks
 AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 44-63-74, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976,
 RELATING TO THE MANDATORY ELECTRONIC FILING OF DEATH CERTIFICATES WITH THE
 BUREAU OF VITAL STATISTICS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL
 CONTROL, SO AS TO ELIMINATE EXEMPTIONS FOR PHYSICIANS WHO CERTIFY FEWER THAN
 TWELVE DEATHS ANNUALLY; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. - ratified title

   12/09/20  House  Prefiled
   12/09/20  House  Referred to Committee on Medical, Military,
                     Public and Municipal Affairs
   01/12/21  House  Introduced and read first time (House Journal-page 158)
   01/12/21  House  Referred to Committee on Medical, Military,
                     Public and Municipal Affairs (House Journal-page 158)
   02/10/21  House  Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Murray,
                     Rivers, M.M.Smith, Parks
   02/25/21  House  Committee report: Favorable with amendment
                     Medical, Military, Public and Municipal Affairs
                     (House Journal-page 4)
   03/02/21  House  Amended
   03/02/21  House  Amended (House Journal-page 44)
   03/02/21  House  Read second time (House Journal-page 44)
   03/02/21  House  Roll call Yeas-116  Nays-1 (House Journal-page 44)
   03/03/21  House  Read third time and sent to Senate
                     (House Journal-page 13)
   03/03/21  Senate Introduced and read first time (Senate Journal-page 13)
   03/03/21  Senate Referred to Committee on Medical Affairs
                     (Senate Journal-page 13)
   05/05/22  Senate Committee report: Favorable with amendment
                     Medical Affairs (Senate Journal-page 4)
   05/10/22  Senate Committee Amendment Adopted
   05/10/22  Senate Amended
   05/10/22  Senate Read second time (Senate Journal-page 69)
   05/10/22  Senate Roll call Ayes-44  Nays-0 (Senate Journal-page 69)
   05/11/22  Senate Read third time and returned to House with
                     amendments (Senate Journal-page 16)
   05/12/22  House  Concurred in Senate amendment and enrolled
                     (House Journal-page 85)
   05/12/22  House  Roll call Yeas-101  Nays-0 (House Journal-page 85)
   05/12/22         Ratified R  200
   05/13/22         Signed By Governor
   05/31/22         Effective date  07/01/22
   05/31/22         Act No.  157

(A157, R200, H3325)

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 44-63-74, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE MANDATORY ELECTRONIC FILING OF DEATH CERTIFICATES WITH THE BUREAU OF VITAL STATISTICS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL, SO AS TO ELIMINATE EXEMPTIONS FOR PHYSICIANS WHO CERTIFY FEWER THAN TWELVE DEATHS ANNUALLY; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.

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

Electronic filing of death certificates

SECTION    1.    A.        Section 44-63-74(A)(4) of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"(4)    Death certificates must be transmitted electronically between the funeral home, or funeral home director, and the physician, coroner, or medical examiner certifying the cause of death in order to document the death certificate information prescribed by this chapter. Required signatures on death certificates must be provided by electronic signature. An individual who acts, without compensation, as a funeral director on behalf of a deceased family member or friend, is exempt from the requirement to file electronically but must comply with the requirements of items (2) or (3), as applicable."

B. Section 44-63-74(A)(1) of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"(1)    Notwithstanding any other provision of law, death certificates must be electronically filed with the Bureau of Vital Statistics as prescribed by the State Registrar of Vital Statistics within five days after death. As prescribed by law, the Bureau of Vital Statistics shall notify the State Election Commission of the decedent's death who shall subsequently notify the County Board of Voter Registration and Elections in which the decedent was a resident of the decedent's death for purposes of removing the decedent from the voter roll."

Time effective

SECTION    2.    This act takes effect July 1, 2022.

Ratified the 12th day of May, 2022.

Approved the 13th day of May, 2022.