H*4687(Rat #0256, Act #0199 of 2012)  General Bill, By King, Parks, 
Butler Garrick, J.E. Smith and Lucas
 AN ACT TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION
 44-63-74 SO AS TO REQUIRE DEATH CERTIFICATES TO BE ELECTRONICALLY FILED WITH
 THE BUREAU OF VITAL STATISTICS, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL
 CONTROL, AND ELECTRONICALLY TRANSMITTED BETWEEN THE FUNERAL HOME AND THE
 PHYSICIAN, CORONER, OR MEDICAL EXAMINER, CERTIFYING THE CAUSE OF DEATH, TO
 DOCUMENT DEATH CERTIFICATE INFORMATION AND TO PROVIDE EXEMPTIONS; AND TO
 PROVIDE THAT REQUIRED SIGNATURES MUST BE PROVIDED ELECTRONICALLY AND TO DEFINE
 "ELECTRONIC SIGNATURE". - ratified title

   01/26/12  House  Introduced and read first time (House Journal-page 5)
   01/26/12  House  Referred to Committee on Medical, Military,
                     Public and Municipal Affairs (House Journal-page 5)
   03/15/12  House  Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Lucas
   03/28/12  House  Committee report: Favorable with amendment
                     Medical, Military, Public and Municipal Affairs
                     (House Journal-page 6)
   04/19/12  House  Debate adjourned until Tues., 04-24-12
                     (House Journal-page 39)
   04/24/12  House  Debate adjourned (House Journal-page 37)
   04/24/12  House  Amended (House Journal-page 53)
   04/24/12  House  Read second time (House Journal-page 53)
   04/24/12  House  Roll call Yeas-105  Nays-0 (House Journal-page 54)
   04/25/12  House  Read third time and sent to Senate
                     (House Journal-page 12)
   04/25/12  Senate Introduced and read first time (Senate Journal-page 8)
   04/25/12  Senate Referred to Committee on Medical Affairs
                     (Senate Journal-page 8)
   05/24/12  Senate Committee report: Favorable with amendment
                     Medical Affairs (Senate Journal-page 19)
   05/29/12  Senate Committee Amendment Adopted (Senate Journal-page 38)
   05/29/12  Senate Read second time (Senate Journal-page 38)
   05/29/12  Senate Roll call Ayes-40  Nays-0 (Senate Journal-page 38)
   05/30/12  Senate Read third time and returned to House with
                     amendments (Senate Journal-page 25)
   06/05/12  House  Concurred in Senate amendment and enrolled
                     (House Journal-page 106)
   06/05/12  House  Roll call Yeas-107  Nays-0 (House Journal-page 106)
   06/06/12         Ratified R 256
   06/07/12         Signed By Governor
   06/18/12         Effective date 09/01/12
   06/18/12         Act No. 199

(A199, R256, H4687)

AN ACT TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 44-63-74 SO AS TO REQUIRE DEATH CERTIFICATES TO BE ELECTRONICALLY FILED WITH THE BUREAU OF VITAL STATISTICS, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL, AND ELECTRONICALLY TRANSMITTED BETWEEN THE FUNERAL HOME AND THE PHYSICIAN, CORONER, OR MEDICAL EXAMINER, CERTIFYING THE CAUSE OF DEATH, TO DOCUMENT DEATH CERTIFICATE INFORMATION AND TO PROVIDE EXEMPTIONS; AND TO PROVIDE THAT REQUIRED SIGNATURES MUST BE PROVIDED ELECTRONICALLY AND TO DEFINE "ELECTRONIC SIGNATURE".

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

Electronic filing and transmission of death certificates, electronic signatures, and exemptions

SECTION    1.    Chapter 63, Title 44 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Section 44-63-74.(A)    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. Death certificates must be transmitted electronically between the 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, physicians certifying fewer than twelve deaths per year, and funeral homes that perform fewer than twelve funerals per year are exempt from this requirement.

(B)    For purposes of this section, an electronic signature shall be as defined pursuant to the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act, Chapter 6, Title 26."

Time effective

SECTION    2.    This act takes effect September 1, 2012.

Ratified the 6th day of June, 2012.

Approved the 7th day of June, 2012.