South Carolina General Assembly
125th Session, 2023-2024

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A66, R83, H3691

STATUS INFORMATION

General Bill
Sponsors: Reps. G.M. Smith, M.M. Smith, Davis, B.L. Cox, Pace, Guest, Leber, J.E. Johnson, Pope, Brittain, McGinnis, Hardee, Hewitt, Jordan, Thayer, Anderson, Rutherford, Trantham, Bailey, Schuessler, Gagnon, Beach, Oremus, Forrest, S. Jones, Taylor, Hixon, Blackwell, Collins, Bannister, Hiott, Carter, O'Neal, Ligon, Guffey, Sessions, T. Moore, Nutt, Hayes, Yow, Mitchell, Connell, Hager, B. Newton, White, Landing, Kirby, Moss, Bustos, Long, Caskey, Cromer and Weeks
Document Path: LC-0109AHB23.docx

Introduced in the House on January 12, 2023
Introduced in the Senate on April 6, 2023
Last Amended on May 9, 2023
Currently residing in the House

Summary: Coroners - First Responders

HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS

Date Body Action Description with journal page number
1/12/2023 House Introduced and read first time (House Journal-page 339)
1/12/2023 House Referred to Committee on Medical, Military, Public and Municipal Affairs (House Journal-page 339)
1/18/2023 House Member(s) request name added as sponsor: M.M. Smith, Davis, B.L. Cox, Pace
1/23/2023 Scrivener's error corrected
1/24/2023 House Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Guest, Leber, J.E. Johnson, Pope, Brittain, McGinnis, Hardee, Hewitt, Jordan, Thayer, Anderson, Rutherford, Trantham, Bailey, Schuessler, Gagnon, Beach, Oremus, Forrest, S. Jones, Taylor, Hixon, Blackwell, Collins, Bannister, Hiott, Carter, O'Neal, Ligon, Guffey, Sessions, T. Moore, Nutt, Hayes
1/25/2023 House Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Yow, Mitchell, Connell, Hager
1/26/2023 House Member(s) request name added as sponsor: B. Newton
1/31/2023 House Member(s) request name added as sponsor: White
2/7/2023 House Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Landing, Kirby
2/9/2023 House Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Moss, Bustos
3/29/2023 House Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Long, Caskey
3/29/2023 House Committee report: Favorable with amendment Medical, Military, Public and Municipal Affairs (House Journal-page 56)
3/30/2023 House Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Cromer, Weeks
4/4/2023 House Debate adjourned (House Journal-page 38)
4/5/2023 House Amended (House Journal-page 45)
4/5/2023 House Read second time (House Journal-page 45)
4/5/2023 House Roll call Yeas-107 Nays-0 (House Journal-page 47)
4/6/2023 House Read third time and sent to Senate (House Journal-page 22)
4/6/2023 Senate Introduced and read first time (Senate Journal-page 37)
4/6/2023 Senate Referred to Committee on Judiciary (Senate Journal-page 37)
4/17/2023 Senate Referred to Subcommittee: M.Johnson (ch), Sabb, Matthews, Talley, Adams
4/26/2023 Senate Committee report: Favorable with amendment Judiciary (Senate Journal-page 7)
5/9/2023 Senate Committee Amendment Adopted
5/9/2023 Senate Amended
5/9/2023 Senate Read second time (Senate Journal-page 63)
5/9/2023 Senate Roll call Ayes-44 Nays-0 (Senate Journal-page 63)
5/10/2023 Senate Read third time and returned to House with amendments (Senate Journal-page 14)
5/11/2023 House Concurred in Senate amendment and enrolled (House Journal-page 45)
5/11/2023 House Roll call Yeas-114 Nays-0 (House Journal-page 46)
5/17/2023 Ratified R 83
5/19/2023 Signed By Governor
5/26/2023 Effective date 05/19/23
5/26/2023 Act No. 66

View the latest legislative information at the website

VERSIONS OF THIS BILL

01/12/2023
03/29/2023
04/05/2023
04/27/2023
05/09/2023

(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

(A66, R83, H3691)

AN ACT TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ADDING SECTION 17-5-135 SO AS TO ALLOW CORONERS, DEPUTY CORONERS, OR CORONERS' DESIGNEES TO POSSESS AND ADMINISTER OPIOID ANTIDOTES UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES; BY ADDING SECTION 44-130-90 SO AS TO PROVIDE PROCEDURES FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF OPIOID ANTIDOTES BY CORONERS, DEPUTY CORONERS, AND CORONERS' DESIGNEES AND FOR THE REPORTING OF THEIR USE; BY AMENDING SECTION 17-5-510, RELATING TO DUTIES OF CORONERS AND MEDICAL EXAMINERS, SO AS TO RESTATE THE SECTION; AND BY ADDING SECTION 17-5-150 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT CORONERS AND DEPUTY CORONERS ARE CONSIDERED PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICERS IF KILLED IN THE LINE OF DUTY.

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

Coroners, opioid antidote administration

SECTION 1.    Article 3, Chapter 5, Title 17 of the S.C. Code is amended by adding:

Section 17-5-135.    A coroner, deputy coroner, or coroner's designee may possess and administer an opioid antidote pursuant to the requirements of the South Carolina Overdose Prevention Act. The coroner, deputy coroner, or coroner's designee must comply with all of the requirements of Section 44-130-90 and is entitled to immunity from civil or criminal liability or professional disciplinary action when administering an opioid antidote to a person he believes in good faith is experiencing an opioid overdose.

Coroners, opioid antidote administration procedures

SECTION 2.    Chapter 130, Title 44 of the S.C. Code is amended by adding:

Section 44-130-90.    (A) A coroner, deputy coroner, or coroner's designee may administer an opioid antidote if the coroner, deputy coroner, or coroner's designee believes in good faith that the person is experiencing an opioid overdose and exercises reasonable care.

(B) The coroner, deputy coroner, or coroner's designee must comply with all applicable requirements for possession, administration, and disposal of the opioid antidote and administration device. The department may promulgate regulations to implement this section, including appropriate training for coroners, deputy coroners, or coroners' designees who carry or have access to an opioid antidote.

(C) A coroner, deputy coroner, or coroner's designee who administers an opioid antidote in accordance with the provisions of this section to a person who the coroner, deputy coroner, or coroner's designee believes in good faith is experiencing an opioid overdose is not by an act or omission subject to civil or criminal liability or to professional disciplinary action.

(D)(1) A coroner, deputy coroner, or coroner's designee who administers an opioid antidote as provided in this section shall report to the department's Bureau of Emergency Medical Services information regarding the opioid antidote administered for inclusion in the prescription monitoring program. The information submitted must include:

(a) date the opioid antidote was administered; and

(b) name, address, and date of birth of the person to whom the opioid antidote was administered, if available.

(2) A coroner, deputy coroner, or coroner's designee shall submit the information required pursuant to item (1) electronically or by facsimile to the Bureau of Medical Emergency Services within thirty days of administration. The Bureau of Emergency Medical Services shall transmit the information to the department's Bureau of Drug Control.

(3)(a) If a coroner, deputy coroner, or coroner's designee submits the name, address, and date of birth of a person to whom an opioid antidote was administered, Drug Control shall verify whether any prescription history of the person appears in the prescription monitoring program and, if prescription history exists, shall document for review by a practitioner or an authorized delegate the date on which the opioid antidote was administered to the person. If no history exists, then Drug Control shall confirm that the antidote was administered in response to a verified opioid overdose. If the antidote was administered in error, then Drug Control shall document the error.

(b) Drug Control also shall maintain data on the administering of opioid antidotes by coroners, deputy coroners, or coroners' designees including, but not limited to, the frequency with which coroners, deputy coroners, or coroners' designees administer opioid antidotes by geographic location, coroner, deputy coroner, or coroner's designee, and dispenser.

Coroners and medical examiners duties

SECTION 3.    Section 17-5-510 of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

Section 17-5-510.    In counties which have both a coroner and a medical examiner:

(1) the coroner has the ultimate responsibility for carrying out the duties required by this article;

(2) the medical examiner's duties must be specified in an annual written contract between the county governing body and the medical examiner.

Coroners and deputy coroners considered public safety officers

SECTION 4.    Article 3, Chapter 5, Title 17 of the S.C. Code is amended by adding:

Section 17-5-150.    Coroners and deputy coroners are considered public safety officers under 34 U.S.C. Section 10281, et seq., if killed in the line of duty.

Time effective

SECTION 5.    This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

Ratified the 17th day of May, 2023.

Approved the 19th day of May, 2023.

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This web page was last updated on June 15, 2023 at 12:00 PM