H*2730(Rat #0215, Act #0129 of 1983)  General Bill, By Elliott, M.O. Alexander, 
F.X. Archibald, D.L. Aydlette, D. Blackwell, Boan, Branton, T.A. Brett, 
D.M. Bruce, T.M. Burriss, Carnell, M.J. Cooper, W.N. Cork, F.L. Day, 
P.W. Derrick, G.W. Dukes, M.L. Eargle, J.C. Hearn, R.L. Helmly, B.E. Huff, 
W.H. Jones, H.H. Keyserling, Kirsh, J.G. McAbee, D.E. McTeer, M.P. Miles, 
H.E. Pearce, D. Sheppard, E.C. Stoddard, B.E. Thrailkill, J.H. Toal, Washington and 
R.R. Woods
 A Bill to amend Sections 44-43-140, 44-43-150 and 44-43-160, Code of Laws of
 South Carolina, 1976, relating to the donation of eyes, so as to authorize
 medically trained and certified technicians to remove eyes from a donor and
 where a donee is not specified such technicians are considered the donee; and
 to permit the South Carolina Eye Bank, Inc. to charge a reasonable processing
 fee.-amended title

   03/24/83  House  Introduced and read first time HJ-1674
   03/24/83  House  Referred to Committee on Medical, Military,
                     Public and Municipal Affairs HJ-1675
   04/20/83  House  Committee report: Favorable with amendment
                     Medical, Military, Public and Municipal Affairs
                     HJ-2303
   04/21/83  House  Amended HJ-2359
   04/21/83  House  Read second time HJ-2359
   04/22/83  House  Read third time and sent to Senate HJ-2376
   04/27/83  Senate Introduced and read first time SJ-1124
   04/27/83  Senate Referred to Committee on Medical Affairs SJ-1125
   06/02/83  Senate Committee report: Favorable Medical Affairs SJ-1757
   06/07/83  Senate Read second time SJ-1918
   06/08/83  Senate Read third time and enrolled SJ-1940
   06/10/83         Ratified R 215
   06/16/83         Signed By Governor
   06/16/83         Effective date 06/16/83
   06/16/83         Act No. 129
   06/24/83         Copies available

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTIONS 44-43-140, 44-43-150 AND 44-43-160, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE DONATION OF EYES, SO AS TO AUTHORIZE MEDICALLY TRAINED AND CERTIFIED TECHNICIANS TO REMOVE EYES FROM A DONOR AND WHERE A DONEE IS NOT SPECIFIED SUCH TECHNICIANS ARE CONSIDERED THE DONEE; AND TO PERMIT THE SOUTH CAROLINA EYE BANK, INC. TO CHARGE A REASONABLE PROCESSING FEE.

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

Donation of eyes

SECTION 1. Section 44-43-150 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"Section 44-43-150. The authority for any hospital, medical physician, surgeon, licensed embalmer, or medically trained and certified technicians to remove, and use the eyes of a person donating or bequeathing his eyes is by a written statement or last will and testament or codicil."

No charge to donee

SECTION 2. Section 44-43-160 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"Section 44-43-160. No charge or cost whatsoever may be made to the donee for the eyes to be used for eyesight-restoration purposes, but nothing in this section is construed to prohibit the payment of a reasonable processing fee to the South Carolina Eye Bank, Inc. or a fee to any medical physician or surgeon for performing an operation whereby the donee of the eyes has his eyesight restored."

Persons may designate donee

SECTION 3. Section 44-43-140 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"Section 44-43-140. Persons so donating or bequeathing their eyes for eyesight-restoration purposes may designate the donee, but such shall not be necessary. If no donee is named by the donor in such written instrument or last will and testament, then any hospital in which the donor may depart this life or any available medical physician, surgeon, medically trained and certified technician, or licensed embalmer who has completed a course of training in eye extraction which shall be under the supervision of the Medical University of South Carolina shall be considered the donee and have full authority to take and remove the eyes of the donor upon his death and thereafter to use such donated eyes for restoration of sight of the person so designated by the donor or, if such donee is not available or no donee is named by the donor, then the use of such eyes for such restoration-of-eyesight purposes shall be made available to any person in need thereof."

Time effective

SECTION 4. This act shall take effect upon approval by the Governor.