South Carolina H 4188: A HOUSE RESOLUTION TO CONGRATULATE GABRIEL ASHTON SWAD OF SPARTANBURG COUNTY UPON HIS RECENT GRADUATION FROM THE DARLA MOORE SCHOOL OF BUSINESS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA, TO THANK HIM FOR HIS FINE SERVICE AS A PAGE TO THE SOUTH CAROLINA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AND TO WISH HIM SUCCESS IN ALL HIS FUTURE ENDEAVORS.

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 4188 Text of Previous Version (May. 05, 2026) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 4188

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

Committee Amendment Adopted and Amended

May 5, 2026

H. 4188

Introduced by Reps. Pope, B. Newton, M. M. Smith, 
Cox, Brewer, Ford, Davis, Robbins, Yow and C. Mitchell 

S. Printed 5/5/26--S.

Read the first time February 11, 2026

________

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.

 Amend Title To Conform

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) For 
purposes of this section:

 (1) a body is unidentifiable if the 
dead person's identity is unknown or cannot be established after all available 
methods have been exhausted; and

 (2) a body is unclaimed if:

 (a) a person cannot be located to take 
custody of the body, or

 (b) there is a person to take custody 
of the body, but that person cannot or will not assume financial responsibility 
for disposition of the body.

 (B) 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 mustmay have the remains buried or interred in a cemetery in 
the county in which the remains were found.

 (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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