South Carolina General Assembly
123rd Session, 2019-2020

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Bill 4669

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

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COMMITTEE REPORT

February 20, 2020

H. 4669

Introduced by Reps. King and Henegan

S. Printed 2/20/20--H.

Read the first time January 14, 2020.

            

THE COMMITTEE ON MEDICAL,

MILITARY, PUBLIC AND MUNICIPAL AFFAIRS

To whom was referred a Bill (H. 4669) to amend Section 44-63-74, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, relating to the mandatory electronic filing of death certificates with the bureau of vital statistics, etc., respectfully

REPORT:

That they have duly and carefully considered the same and recommend that the same do pass with amendment:

Amend the bill, as and if amended, by striking all after the enacting words and inserting:

/    SECTION    1.    Section 44-63-74(A)(4) of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"(4)    Death certificates must be transmitted electronically between the funeral home, or funeral home director, and the physician, coroner, or medical examiner certifying the cause of death in order to document the death certificate information prescribed by this chapter. Required signatures on death certificates must be provided by electronic signature. An individual who acts, without compensation, as a funeral director on behalf of a deceased family member or friend, physicians certifying fewer than twelve deaths per year, and funeral homes that perform fewer than twelve funerals per year are is exempt from the requirement to file electronically but must comply with the requirements of items (2) or (3), as applicable."

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

Renumber sections to conform.

Amend title to conform.

LEON HOWARD for Committee.

            

STATEMENT OF ESTIMATED FISCAL IMPACT

Explanation of Fiscal Impact

Prefiled on November 20, 2019

State Expenditure

Death certificates must be electronically filed with DHEC's Bureau of Vital Statistics. Physicians who certify fewer than twelve deaths per year are currently among those that are exempt from the electronic filing requirements. This bill removes this exemption and will require all physicians to file electronically. DHEC indicates that while the physicians affected by this bill may require training, the training would be administered using existing staff and resources. Therefore, this bill will have no expenditure impact on DHEC.

Frank A. Rainwater, Executive Director

Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Office

A BILL

TO AMEND SECTION 44-63-74, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE MANDATORY ELECTRONIC FILING OF DEATH CERTIFICATES WITH THE BUREAU OF VITAL STATISTICS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL, SO AS TO ELIMINATE EXEMPTIONS FOR PHYSICIANS WHO CERTIFY FEWER THAN TWELVE DEATHS ANNUALLY.

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

SECTION    1.    Section 44-63-74(A)(4) of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"(4)    Death certificates must be transmitted electronically between the funeral home director and the physician, coroner, or medical examiner certifying the cause of death in order to document the death certificate information prescribed by this chapter. Required signatures on death certificates must be provided by electronic signature. An individual who acts, without compensation, as a funeral director on behalf of a deceased family member or friend, physicians certifying fewer than twelve deaths per year, and funeral homes that perform fewer than twelve funerals per year are exempt from the requirement to file electronically but must comply with the requirements of items (2) or (3), as applicable."

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

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