A bill

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 17-5-590, RELATING TO DISPOSITION OF REMAINS OF UNIDENTIFIED DEAD BODIES BY CORONERS, SO AS TO INCLUDE UNCLAIMED REMAINS IN THE PURVIEW OF THE STATUTE, AND TO AUTHORIZE CORONERS TO RELEASE REMAINS TO FAMILY MEMBERS, RATHER THAN THE NEXT OF KIN, WHEN THE NEXT OF KIN IS CHARGED IN CONNECTION WITH THE DEATH OR OTHERWISE UNCOOPERATIVE IN CLAIMING REMAINS.

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

SECTION 1.  Section 17-5-590 of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

    Section 17-5-590.  (A) If the body of a dead person is unidentifiable or unclaimed, the remains may not be cremated for at least thirty days from the date of death or date of discovery. The coroner or medical examiner must have the remains buried or interred in a cemetery in the county in which the remains were found.

    (B) When the next of kin of the deceased person is charged in connection with the death or is otherwise uncooperative in claiming remains, the coroner is authorized to release remains to another family member of the deceased person.

    (B)(C) If a coroner has possession of human remains that have been identified and the deceased person has been determined to be an unclaimed veteran, then the coroner must release the remains to a funeral home, funeral establishment, or mortuary for disposition pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 12, Title 25.

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

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