A bill

to amend the South Carolina Code of Laws by amending Section 17-5-600, relating to PERMITS FOR CREMATION WHICH MUST BE ISSUED BY CORONERS, so as to PROVIDE THAT NO FEE FOR A PERMIT FOR CREMATION MAY BE CHARGED; and by amending Section 44-63-40, relating to COUNTY REGISTRARS AND THE ISSUANCE OF BURIAL-REMOVAL-TRANSIT PERMITS, so as to PROHIBIT A CORONER OR MEDICAL EXAMINER FROM CHARGING A FEE FOR SUCH PERMIT.

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

SECTION 1.   Section 17-5-600 of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

   Section 17-5-600.   When the body of any a dead person who died in the county is to be cremated, the person who has requested the cremation must secure a permit for the cremation from the coroner, deputy coroner, medical examiner, or deputy medical examiner. A person who wilfully fails to secure a permit for cremation is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be fined not less than twenty dollars and not more than five hundred dollars. A permit for cremation promptly must be acted upon by the coroner or medical examiner and no fee for a permit for cremation may be charged.

SECTION 2.   Section 44-63-40 of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

   Section 44-63-40.   (A) The State Registrar must appoint the chief administrative officer of each county health department as the county registrar. All persons in the county required by law to file reports of birth, death, and fetal death must transmit these reports to the State Registrar at intervals prescribed by the State Registrar. The county registrar may appoint a deputy registrar who is vested with the right to carry on the duties of the office. The county registrar and deputy registrar must carry out the duties formerly carried out by local registrars without additional compensation. The county registrar must appoint a subregistrar for each hospital, nursing home, and other institution as required within the county whose duty it is to issue Burial-Removal-Transit Permits for deaths occurring at the hospitals, nursing homes, and other institutions. The county registrar must require the coroner of the county to issue Burial-Removal-Transit Permits for deaths occurring outside hospitals, nursing homes, or other institutions.

   (B) No coroner or medical examiner may charge a fee for a Burial-Removal-Transit Permit.

SECTION 3.   This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

----XX----