S*0547(Rat #0124, Act #0081 of 1985)  General Bill, By Senate Medical Affairs

Similar(S 409)
 A Bill to amend Section 44-29-20, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976,
 relating to transportation of bodies dead of dangerous, contagious, or
 infectious disease, so as to require that funeral directors, ambulance
 drivers, and others who are to transport human remains known to be infected by
 any dangerous, contagious, or infectious disease be informed that the remains
 are so infected, to require similar notification when human remains so
 infected and known to be infected are not to be moved immediately but are to
 be operated on for autopsy or otherwise handled, and to require the Department
 of Health and Environmental Control (Department) to, among other things, make
 and distribute to certain entities and persons a list of diseases regarded as
 dangerous, contagious, or infectious and designate the diseases so dangerous
 that transportation of human remains infected by them is forbidden except
 under conditions prescribed by the Department.

   04/18/85  Senate Introduced, read first time, placed on calendar
                     without reference SJ-1595
   04/23/85  Senate Read second time SJ-1732
   04/23/85  Senate Ordered to third reading with notice of
                     amendments SJ-1732
   04/25/85  Senate Read third time and sent to House SJ-1774
   04/30/85  House  Introduced, read first time, placed on calendar
                     without reference HJ-2739
   05/02/85  House  Read second time HJ-2898
   05/03/85  House  Read third time and enrolled HJ-2932
   05/07/85         Ratified R 124
   05/13/85         Signed By Governor
   05/13/85         Effective date 05/13/85
   05/13/85         Act No. 81
   05/21/85         Copies available

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 44-29-20, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION OF BODIES DEAD OF DANGEROUS, CONTAGIOUS, OR INFECTIOUS DISEASE, SO AS TO REQUIRE THAT FUNERAL DIRECTORS, AMBULANCE DRIVERS, AND OTHERS WHO ARE TO TRANSPORT HUMAN REMAINS KNOWN TO BE INFECTED BY ANY DANGEROUS, CONTAGIOUS, OR INFECTIOUS DISEASE BE INFORMED THAT THE REMAINS ARE SO INFECTED, TO REQUIRE SIMILAR NOTIFICATION WHEN HUMAN REMAINS SO INFECTED AND KNOWN TO BE INFECTED ARE NOT TO BE MOVED IMMEDIATELY BUT ARE TO BE OPERATED ON FOR AUTOPSY OR OTHERWISE HANDLED, AND TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL (DEPARTMENT) TO, AMONG OTHER THINGS, MAKE AND DISTRIBUTE TO CERTAIN ENTITIES AND PERSONS A LIST OF DISEASES REGARDED AS DANGEROUS, CONTAGIOUS, OR INFECTIOUS AND DESIGNATE THE DISEASES SO DANGEROUS THAT TRANSPORTATION OF HUMAN REMAINS INFECTED BY THEM IS FORBIDDEN EXCEPT UNDER CONDITIONS PRESCRIBED BY THE DEPARTMENT.

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

Transportation of human remains

SECTION 1. Section 44-29-20 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"Section 44-29-20. Prior to transportation of human remains known to be infected by any dangerous, contagious, or infectious disease into, through, or out of this State or any city, town, or county within this State, the hospital, health or medical clinic, physician, medical facility, person, or other entity in possession of the human remains shall inform any funeral director, ambulance driver, or any other person or entity who is to transport the remains that the remains are infected by a dangerous, contagious, or infectious disease.

In the event that human remains as described above are not to be moved immediately but are to be operated on for purposes of autopsy or otherwise handled, any doctor, technician, or other person charged with the responsibility of handling the remains known to be infected by any dangerous, contagious, or infectious disease must be informed that the remains are so infected.

For the purpose of enforcing this section, the Department of Health and Environmental Control (department) shall make and distribute, at intervals considered necessary by the department, to all hospitals, health or medical clinics, other medical facilities, persons, or other entities who may normally be in possession of human remains a list declaring what diseases are regarded as dangerous, contagious, or infectious and shall classify these diseases and shall designate the diseases as are of so dangerous a character that transportation of human remains infected by them is forbidden except under conditions as prescribed by the department which it considers proper for the transportation of those remains."

Time effective

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon approval by the Governor.