Bill > H4630

This bill requires coroners and medical examiners in South Carolina to conduct comprehensive autopsies and reporting for sudden, unexpected deaths of infants and young individuals under twenty years old. Specifically, the bill mandates that autopsies for such deaths must include microscopic and toxicology studies, as well as a review of the deceased's medical and immunization records. Coroners and medical examiners must document any immunizations or emergency countermeasures administered within 90 days prior to death and report these cases to the SUID and SDY Case Registry (a national surveillance system coordinated by the CDC and NIH). The bill defines several specific types of sudden death, including Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SUID), Sudden Death in the Young (SDY), and Sudden Arrhythmic Death Syndrome (SADS). For failing to report such cases, coroners and medical examiners can face administrative penalties, including fines of up to $1,000 for the first unreported case and up to $5,000 for the second, with potential disciplinary action for repeated noncompliance. The bill clarifies that these reporting requirements are considered permissible under medical privacy laws, and it will take effect upon approval by the Governor.

Justice

https://www.scstatehouse.gov/billsearch.php?billnumbers=4630&session=126&summary=B