Download This Bill in Microsoft Word format
Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter
S. 40
STATUS INFORMATION
General Bill
Sponsors: Senator Ford
Document Path: l:\council\bills\nbd\11039ac09.docx
Companion/Similar bill(s): 39, 73, 75, 76
Introduced in the Senate on January 13, 2009
Currently residing in the Senate Committee on Medical Affairs
Summary: Authorized visitor designation
HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS
Date Body Action Description with journal page number ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12/10/2008 Senate Prefiled 12/10/2008 Senate Referred to Committee on Medical Affairs 1/13/2009 Senate Introduced and read first time SJ-91 1/13/2009 Senate Referred to Committee on Medical Affairs SJ-91
View the latest legislative information at the LPITS web site
VERSIONS OF THIS BILL
TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 44-7-65 SO AS TO REQUIRE HEALTH CARE FACILITIES TO ESTABLISH PROTOCOLS ALLOWING A PATIENT TO DESIGNATE AN INDIVIDUAL AS AN AUTHORIZED VISITOR REGARDLESS OF THE BLOOD OR LEGAL RELATIONSHIP OF THE PATIENT TO THE INDIVIDUAL.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
SECTION 1. Article 1, Chapter 7, Title 44 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:
"Section 44-7-65. A health care facility, as defined in Section 44-7-130, shall develop a protocol allowing a patient to designate any individual as an authorized visitor, regardless of the blood or legal relationship of the patient to the individual. This protocol also must allow for the acceptance of a notarized hospital visitation authorization designating an individual as an authorized visitor and for the acceptance of such an authorization from the individual designated as an authorized visitor when a patient is incapacitated or otherwise unable to designate an authorized visitor."
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.
This web page was last updated on Monday, October 10, 2011 at 12:13 P.M.