Current Status Introducing Body:Senate Bill Number:607 Primary Sponsor:Rose Committee Number:11 Type of Legislation:GB Subject:Coroners, removal of dead body Residing Body:Senate Current Committee:Judiciary Computer Document Number:607 Introduced Date:19930330 Last History Body:Senate Last History Date:19930330 Last History Type:Introduced, read first time, referred to Committee Scope of Legislation:Statewide All Sponsors:Rose Type of Legislation:General Bill
Bill Body Date Action Description CMN Leg Involved
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607 Senate 19930330 Introduced, read first time, 11
referred to Committee
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TO AMEND ARTICLE 3, CHAPTER 5, TITLE 17, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 17-5-130 SO AS TO PROVIDE FOR THE AUTHORITY OF A COUNTY CORONER TO AUTHORIZE REMOVAL OF A DEAD BODY WHEN A COUNTY DOES NOT HAVE A MEDICAL EXAMINER COMMISSION; AND TO AMEND SECTION 17-5-300, RELATING TO UNAUTHORIZED REMOVAL OF A DEAD BODY, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT THE AUTHORIZATION FOR THE REMOVAL OF A BODY MUST BE OBTAINED FROM A COUNTY CORONER WHEN A COUNTY DOES NOT HAVE A MEDICAL EXAMINER COMMISSION.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
SECTION 1. Article 3, Chapter 5, Title 17 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:
"Section 17-5-130. In counties of the State which do not have a medical examiner commission as created by Section 17-5-220, a county coroner or his deputy may authorize the removal of a body pursuant to Section 17-5-300."
SECTION 2. Section 17-5-300 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:
"Section 17-5-300. (a) It shall be is unlawful for any person to move or authorize removal of such a body from the place where the same body is found until the investigation is completed and such removal is authorized by the county medical examiner or the deputy medical examiner in charge.
(b) It shall be is unlawful for any person to move or transport a body across the county line until the investigation of the case, the postmortem examination, or autopsy is complete and until removal of the body is authorized by the county medical examiner or one of his designated assistants.
Any person who violates this subsection shall be deemed is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, shall be punished by a fine of not less than five hundred dollars nor more than one thousand dollars or by imprisonment for not more than sixty days, or both.
(c) If a county does not have a medical examiner commission as created by Section 17-5-220, authorization for removal of a body must be obtained from the county coroner or a deputy county coroner.
(d) No coroner's jury shall be impaneled until the investigation is completed and copies of the reports of the county medical examiner and peace officer in charge are received by the coroner. The jury is not required to view the body."
SECTION 3. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.