H 3976 General Bill, By Henegan, M.S. McLeod, King, Yow, D.C. Moss, Dillard, 
Robinson-Simpson, Govan, Tinkler, Southard, W.J. McLeod, Alexander, Neal, 
Gagnon, Bradley, Bamberg, Kirby, Chumley, Burns, R.L. Brown, Collins, 
G.A. Brown, Putnam, Jefferson, Hart, Howard, Bernstein, Bowers, Gambrell, 
Merrill, Thayer and Willis
 A BILL TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION
 16-17-605 SO AS TO CREATE THE OFFENSE OF MISTREATMENT OF A CHILD CORPSE, TO
 DEFINE NECESSARY TERMS, TO PROHIBIT THE TAKING OR DISSEMINATING OF THE IMAGE
 OF A CHILD CORPSE UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, AND TO PROVIDE A PENALTY.

   04/14/15  House  Introduced and read first time (House Journal-page 108)
   04/14/15  House  Referred to Committee on Judiciary
                     (House Journal-page 108)

TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 16-17-605 SO AS TO CREATE THE OFFENSE OF MISTREATMENT OF A CHILD CORPSE, TO DEFINE NECESSARY TERMS, TO PROHIBIT THE TAKING OR DISSEMINATING OF THE IMAGE OF A CHILD CORPSE UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, AND TO PROVIDE A PENALTY.

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

SECTION    1.    Article 7, Chapter 17, Title 16 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Section 16-17-605.    (A)    As used in this section, the term:

(1)    'Child corpse' means the body of a deceased person under the age of eighteen.

(2)    'Image' means a photograph or video recording taken that depicts a deceased child.

(B)    It is unlawful for a person, wilfully and knowingly, and without proper legal authority to treat a child corpse in a way that the person knows would outrage the reasonable sensibilities of the family or of the community including, but limited to, the taking or disseminating of the image of a child corpse.

(C)    A person who violates the provisions of this section is guilty of the misdemeanor of mistreatment of a child corpse and, upon conviction, must be fined not more than five hundred dollars or imprisoned for not more than thirty days."

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