S*1014(Rat #0214, Act #0205 of 2012)  General Bill, By Knotts
 AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 17-5-130, AS AMENDED, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA,
 1976, RELATING TO QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED FOR CANDIDATES FOR CORONER, SO AS TO
 ELIMINATE TWO YEARS' EXPERIENCE AS A LICENSED PRIVATE DETECTIVE AS A
 QUALIFICATION FOR THE BALLOT AND ADD AS QUALIFICATIONS BEING A MEDICAL DOCTOR
 OR HOLDING A BACHELOR OF SCIENCE DEGREE IN NURSING, TO REPLACE ON THE CORONERS
 TRAINING ADVISORY COMMITTEE THE DIRECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY
 WITH THE DIRECTOR OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA CRIMINAL JUSTICE ACADEMY, AND TO
 PROVIDE THAT THE COMMITTEE SHALL DETERMINE THOSE FORENSIC SCIENCE DEGREE AND
 CERTIFICATION PROGRAMS THAT QUALIFY AS "RECOGNIZED" FOR PURPOSES OF THE
 TRAINING REQUIREMENTS REQUIRED FOR CANDIDATES FOR CORONER. - ratified title

   11/28/11  Senate Prefiled
   11/28/11  Senate Referred to Committee on Judiciary
   01/10/12  Senate Introduced and read first time (Senate Journal-page 13)
   01/10/12  Senate Referred to Committee on Judiciary
                     (Senate Journal-page 13)
   01/09/12  Senate Referred to Subcommittee: Knotts (ch), Massey, Coleman
   02/01/12  Senate Committee report: Favorable with amendment
                     Judiciary (Senate Journal-page 20)
   02/02/12         Scrivener's error corrected
   02/02/12  Senate Committee Amendment Adopted (Senate Journal-page 18)
   02/02/12  Senate Read second time (Senate Journal-page 18)
   02/02/12  Senate Roll call Ayes-38  Nays-2 (Senate Journal-page 18)
   02/07/12  Senate Read third time and sent to House
                     (Senate Journal-page 23)
   02/08/12  House  Introduced and read first time (House Journal-page 14)
   02/08/12  House  Referred to Committee on Judiciary
                     (House Journal-page 14)
   05/15/12  House  Committee report: Favorable with amendment
                     Judiciary (House Journal-page 27)
   05/16/12  House  Debate adjourned until Tues., 05-22-12
                     (House Journal-page 16)
   05/22/12  House  Debate adjourned until Wed., 05-23-12
                     (House Journal-page 8)
   05/23/12  House  Debate adjourned until Thur., 05-24-12
                     (House Journal-page 27)
   05/24/12  House  Amended (House Journal-page 18)
   05/24/12  House  Read second time (House Journal-page 18)
   05/24/12  House  Roll call Yeas-90  Nays-0 (House Journal-page 20)
   05/24/12  House  Unanimous consent for third reading on next
                     legislative day (House Journal-page 21)
   05/25/12  House  Read third time and returned to Senate with
                     amendments (House Journal-page 1)
   05/29/12  Senate Concurred in House amendment and enrolled
                     (Senate Journal-page 60)
   05/29/12  Senate Roll call Ayes-37  Nays-0 (Senate Journal-page 60)
   06/05/12         Ratified R 214
   06/11/12         Signed By Governor
   06/18/12         Effective date 06/11/12
   06/19/12         Act No. 205

(A205, R214, S1014)

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 17-5-130, AS AMENDED, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED FOR CANDIDATES FOR CORONER, SO AS TO ELIMINATE TWO YEARS' EXPERIENCE AS A LICENSED PRIVATE DETECTIVE AS A QUALIFICATION FOR THE BALLOT AND ADD AS QUALIFICATIONS BEING A MEDICAL DOCTOR OR HOLDING A BACHELOR OF SCIENCE DEGREE IN NURSING, TO REPLACE ON THE CORONERS TRAINING ADVISORY COMMITTEE THE DIRECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY WITH THE DIRECTOR OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA CRIMINAL JUSTICE ACADEMY, AND TO PROVIDE THAT THE COMMITTEE SHALL DETERMINE THOSE FORENSIC SCIENCE DEGREE AND CERTIFICATION PROGRAMS THAT QUALIFY AS "RECOGNIZED" FOR PURPOSES OF THE TRAINING REQUIREMENTS REQUIRED FOR CANDIDATES FOR CORONER.

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

Coroner qualifications

SECTION    1.    A.        Section 17-5-130(A) of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 222 of 2010, is further amended to read:

"(A)(1)    A coroner in this State shall have all of the following qualifications, the person shall:

(a)    be a citizen of the United States;

(b)    be a resident of the county in which the person seeks the office of coroner for at least one year before qualifying for the election to the office;

(c)    be a registered voter;

(d)    have attained the age of twenty-one years before the date of qualifying for election to the office;

(e)    have obtained a high school diploma or its recognized equivalent by the State Department of Education; and

(f)    have not been convicted of a felony offense or an offense involving moral turpitude contrary to the laws of this State, another state, or the United States.

(2)    In addition to the requirements of subsection (A)(1), a coroner in this State shall have at least one of the following qualifications, the person shall:

(a)    have at least three years of experience in death investigation with a law enforcement agency, coroner, or medical examiner agency;

(b)    have a two-year associate degree and two years of experience in death investigation with a law enforcement agency, coroner, or medical examiner agency;

(c)    have a four-year baccalaureate degree and one year of experience in death investigation with a law enforcement agency, coroner, or medical examiner agency;

(d)    be a law enforcement officer, as defined by Section 23-23-10(E)(1), who is certified by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Training Council with a minimum of two years of experience;

(e)    have completed a recognized forensic science degree or certification program or be enrolled in a recognized forensic science degree or certification program to be completed within one year of being elected to the office of coroner;

(f)    be a medical doctor; or

(g)    have a bachelor of science degree in nursing."

B.        Section 17-5-130(G) of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 222 of 2010, is further amended to read:

"(G)    The Director of the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy shall appoint a Coroners Training Advisory Committee to assist in the determination of training requirements for coroners and deputy coroners and to determine those forensic science degree and certification programs that qualify as 'recognized' pursuant to the requirements of this section. The committee must consist of no fewer than five coroners and at least one physician trained in forensic pathology as recommended by the South Carolina Coroners Association. The members of the committee shall serve without compensation."

Time effective

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

Ratified the 5th day of June, 2012.

Approved the 11th day of June, 2012.