Download This Bill in Microsoft Word format
Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter
H. 4948
STATUS INFORMATION
General Bill
Sponsors: Rep. Rutherford
Document Path: l:\council\bills\bh\7537ahb22.docx
Introduced in the House on February 8, 2022
Introduced in the Senate on April 7, 2022
Last Amended on April 6, 2022
Currently residing in the Senate Committee on Judiciary
Summary: Autopsy photographs
HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS
Date Body Action Description with journal page number
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2/8/2022 House Introduced and read first time (House Journal-page 58)
2/8/2022 House Referred to Committee on Medical, Military, Public and
Municipal Affairs (House Journal-page 58)
4/5/2022 House Committee report: Favorable with amendment Medical,
Military, Public and Municipal Affairs
(House Journal-page 29)
4/6/2022 House Amended (House Journal-page 115)
4/6/2022 House Read second time (House Journal-page 115)
4/6/2022 House Roll call Yeas-107 Nays-2 (House Journal-page 118)
4/7/2022 House Read third time and sent to Senate
4/7/2022 Senate Introduced and read first time (Senate Journal-page 10)
4/7/2022 Senate Referred to Committee on Judiciary
(Senate Journal-page 10)
View the latest legislative information at the website
VERSIONS OF THIS BILL
Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter
AMENDED
April 6, 2022
H. 4948
S. Printed 4/6/22--H.
Read the first time February 8, 2022.
TO AMEND SECTION 17-5-535, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO PERSONS AUTHORIZED TO VIEW PHOTOGRAPHS AND VIDEOS OF AN AUTOPSY, SO AS TO RESTRUCTURE THE CIRCUMSTANCES UNDER WHICH PHOTOGRAPHS AND VIDEOS OF AN AUTOPSY MAY BE DISSEMINATED.
Amend Title To Conform
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
SECTION 1. Section 17-5-535 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:
"Section 17-5-535. (A) Photographs, videos, or other visual images and audio recordings of or related to the performance of an autopsy shall only be viewed by or disseminated to:
(1) the coroner or the medical examiner, or both, and their staff;
(2) members of law enforcement agencies, for official use only;
(3) parents of the deceased, surviving spouse, children, guardian, personal representative next of kin, and any other person given permission or authorization to view or possess the visual images by the personal representative of the deceased's estate;
(4) those involved in a judicial or administrative proceeding related to the death of the subject of the photograph, video, other visual image or audio recordings including, but not limited to:
(a) parties to a civil suit arising from, related to, or relevant to the death or autopsy of the subject of the photograph, video, other visual image or audio recordings, and the attorneys for the parties and the staff of the attorneys;
(b) a person charged with a crime arising from, related to or relevant to the death or autopsy of the subject of the photograph, video, other visual image or audio recordings, and the person's attorney and the staff of the attorney;
(c) staff of the prosecutor's office considering or prosecuting criminal charges arising from, related to or relevant to the death or autopsy of the subject of the photograph, video, other visual image or audio recordings;
(d) lay and expert witnesses conferred with, consulted or retained by a party or an attorney considering or involved in a legal or administrative proceeding arising from, related to or relevant to the death or autopsy of the subject of the photograph, video, other visual image or audio recordings;
(e) judges and administrative hearing officers, as well as their staff, involved in a judicial or administrative proceeding arising from, related to or relevant to the death or autopsy of the subject of the photograph, video, other visual image or audio recordings; and
(f) members of any jury, including grand juries, petit juries and coroner's juries, empanelled to hear or decide any issue arising from, related to or relevant to the death or autopsy of the subject of the photograph, video, other visual image or audio recordings;
(5)(4) physicians and other persons consulted by or supervising the physicians or persons who were involved in the performance of the autopsy of the subject of the photograph, video, other visual images, or audio recordings; and
(6)(5) a person who receives such photographs, videos, or other visual images pursuant to a validly issued court order, after notice and opportunity to object are provided to the personal representative of the deceased's estate.
These photographs and videos must be released and disseminated only as authorized by this section.
(B) Photographs, videos, or other visual images and audio recordings of or related to the performance of an autopsy are allowed to be viewed by and may be disseminated, at the discretion of the coroner, to parents of the deceased, surviving spouse, children, guardian, personal representative, next of kin, and any other person given permission or authorization to view or possess the visual images by the personal representative of the deceased's estate.
(C) Notwithstanding the provisions contained in subsection (A), a photograph, video, other visual image of an autopsy, or an audio recording of an autopsy, or a combination of each of these items, after all information immediately identifying the decedent has been redacted and after making facial recognition anonymous to the extent reasonably possible if lawfully obtained or possessed may be used for:
(1) legitimate medical scientific teaching or training purposes;
(2) legitimate teaching or training of law enforcement personnel;
(3) teaching or training of attorneys or other individuals with a professional need to use or understand forensic science or public health;
(4) conferring with medical or scientific experts in the field of forensic science or public health; or
(5) publication in a scientific or medical or legal journal or textbook.
(C)(D) A person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be fined not less than five thousand dollars nor more than fifty thousand dollars. Each violation under this section must be considered a separate offense.
(E) Nothing contained in this section may be construed to limit any victims' rights pursuant to the Constitution of this State or Article 15, Chapter 3, Title 16."
SECTION 2. The repeal or amendment by this act of any law, whether temporary or permanent or civil or criminal, does not affect pending actions, rights, duties, or liabilities founded thereon, or alter, discharge, release or extinguish any penalty, forfeiture, or liability incurred under the repealed or amended law, unless the repealed or amended provision shall so expressly provide. After the effective date of this act, all laws repealed or amended by this act must be taken and treated as remaining in full force and effect for the purpose of sustaining any pending or vested right, civil action, special proceeding, criminal prosecution, or appeal existing as of the effective date of this act, and for the enforcement of rights, duties, penalties, forfeitures, and liabilities as they stood under the repealed or amended laws.
SECTION 3. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.
This web page was last updated on April 7, 2022 at 3:00 PM