South Carolina H 3048: Coroner Qualifications

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 3048 Text of Previous Version (Feb. 25, 2025) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 3048

Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

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

Indicates Matter 
Stricken

Indicates New Matter

Amended

February 25, 2025

H. 3048

Introduced by Reps. W. Newton, G. M. Smith, 
Robbins, Pope, Chapman, Pedalino, Hartnett, Teeple, Davis, M. M. Smith, Wetmore 
and Long 

S. Printed 2/25/25--H.

Read the first time January 14, 2025

________

A bill

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING 
SECTION 17-5-130, RELATING TO CORONER QUALIFICATIONS, SO AS TO REVISE CORONER 
QUALIFICATIONS AND REQUIRE A FINGERPRINT AND BACKGROUND CHECK OF CORONERS 
BEFORE THE GENERAL ELECTION.

 Amend Title To Conform

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

SECTION 1. Section 17-5-130 of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

 Section 
17-5-130. (A)(1) A coroner in this 
State shall have all of the following qualifications, the person shall:

 (a) 
be a citizen of the United States;

 (b) 
be a resident of the county in which the person seeks the office of coroner for 
at least one year before qualifying for the election to the office;

 (c) 
be a registered voter;

 (d) 
have attained the age of twenty-one years before the date of qualifying for 
election to the office;

 (e) 
have obtained a high school diploma or its recognized equivalent by the State 
Department of Education; and

 (f) 
have not been convicted of a felony offense or an offense involving moral 
turpitude contrary to the laws of this State, another state, or the United 
States.; and

 (2) 
In addition to the requirements of subsection (A)(1), a coroner in this State 
shall have at least one of the following qualifications, the person shall:

 (a) 
have at least three years of experience in death investigation with a law 
enforcement agency, coroner, or medical examiner agency;

 (b) 
have a two-year associate degree and two years of experience in death 
investigation with a law enforcement agency, coroner, or medical examiner 
agency;

 (c) 
have a four-year baccalaureate degree and one year of experience in death 
investigation with a law enforcement agency, coroner, or medical examiner 
agency;

 (d) 
be a law enforcement officer, as defined by Section 23-23-10(E)(1), who is 
certified by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Training Council with a minimum 
of two years of experience;

 (e) 
have completed a recognized forensic science degree or certification program or be enrolled in a recognized forensic science degree or 
certification program to be completed within one year of being elected to the 
office of coroner;

 (f) 
be a medical doctor; or

 (g) 
have a bachelor of science degree in nursing.

 (B)(1) A person who offers his candidacy 
for the office of coroner, no later than the close of filing, shall file a 
sworn affidavit with the county executive committee of the person's political 
party.

 (2) 
The county executive committee of a political party with whom a person has 
filed his affidavit must file a copy of the affidavit with the appropriate 
county election commission by noon on the tenth day following the deadline for 
filing affidavits by candidates. If the tenth day falls on a Saturday, Sunday, 
or holiday, the affidavit must be filed by noon the following day.

 (3) 
A person who seeks nomination by petition for the office of coroner, no later 
than the close of filing, shall file a sworn affidavit with the county election 
commission in the county of his residence.

 (4) 
The affidavit required by the provisions of this subsection must contain the 
following information:

 (a) 
the person's date and place of birth;

 (b) 
the person's citizenship;

 (c) 
the county the person is a resident of, and how long the person has been a 
resident of that county;

 (d) 
whether the person is a registered voter;

 (e) 
the date the person obtained a high school diploma or its recognized equivalent 
by the State Department of Education;

 (f) 
whether the person has been convicted of a felony offense or an offense 
involving moral turpitude contrary to the laws of this State, another state, or 
the United States;

 (g) 
the date the person obtained an associate or baccalaureate degree, if 
applicable;

 (h) 
the date the person completed a recognized forensic science degree or 
certification program, or information regarding the 
person's enrollment in a recognized forensic science degree or certification 
program, if applicable; and

 (i) 
the number of years of experience the person has as a death investigator, 
certified law enforcement officer, or licensed private investigator, if 
applicable.

 (C) 
Each person serving as coroner in the person's first term is required to 
complete a basic training session to be determined by the South Caroli