South Carolina General Assembly

116th Session, 2005-2006

S. 1295

STATUS INFORMATION

General Bill

Sponsors: Senators Cromer, Sheheen, Lourie, Hawkins, Alexander, Anderson, Bryant, Campsen, Cleary, Courson, Drummond, Elliott, Fair, Ford, Gregory, Grooms, Hayes, Hutto, Jackson, Knotts, Land, Leatherman, Leventis, Malloy, Martin, Matthews, McConnell, McGill, Mescher, Moore, O'Dell, Patterson, Peeler, Pinckney, Rankin, Reese, Richardson, Ritchie, Ryberg, Scott, Setzler, Short, J.Verne Smith, Thomas, Verdin and Williams

Document Path: l:\s-res\rwc\009fune.kmm.doc

Companion/Similar bill(s): 4965

Introduced in the Senate on March 29, 2006

Introduced in the House on May 2, 2006

Last Amended on April 27, 2006

Currently residing in the House Committee on Judiciary

Summary: Funeral service

HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS

DateBodyAction Description with journal page number

3/29/2006SenateIntroduced and read first time SJ6

3/29/2006SenateReferred to Committee on JudiciarySJ6

3/29/2006SenateReferred to Subcommittee: Hawkins (ch), Cromer, Sheheen, Lourie

4/26/2006SenatePolled out of committee JudiciarySJ27

4/26/2006SenateCommittee report: Favorable with amendment JudiciarySJ27

4/27/2006SenateAmended SJ94

4/27/2006SenateRead second time SJ94

4/28/2006Scrivener's error corrected

5/2/2006SenateRead third time and sent to House SJ8

5/2/2006HouseIntroduced and read first time HJ21

5/2/2006HouseReferred to Committee on JudiciaryHJ22

VERSIONS OF THIS BILL

3/29/2006

4/26/2006

4/27/2006

4/28/2006

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT ADOPTED AND AMENDED

April 27, 2006

S.1295

Introduced by Senators Cromer, Sheheen, Lourie, Hawkins, Alexander, Anderson, Bryant, Campsen, Cleary, Courson, Drummond, Elliott, Fair, Ford, Gregory, Grooms, Hayes, Hutto, Jackson, Knotts, Land, Leatherman, Leventis, Malloy, Martin, Matthews, McConnell, McGill, Mescher, Moore, O’Dell, Patterson, Peeler, Pinckney, Rankin, Reese, Richardson, Ritchie, Ryberg, Scott, Setzler, Short, J.Verne Smith, Thomas, Verdin and Williams

S. Printed 4/27/06--S.[SEC 4/28/06 2:54 PM]

Read the first time March 29, 2006.

[1295-1]

A BILL

TO AMEND ARTICLE 7, CHAPTER 17, TITLE 16 OF THE 1976 CODE, RELATING TO MISCELLANEOUS CRIMES AGAINST PUBLIC POLICY, BY ADDING SECTION 16-17-525 TO MAKE IT UNLAWFUL FOR A PERSON TO WILFULLY OR MALICIOUSLY DISTURB OR INTERRUPT A FUNERAL SERVICE.

Amend Title To Conform

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

SECTION1.Chapter 17, Title 16 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:

“Section 16-17-525.(A)It is unlawful for a person to wilfully, knowingly, or maliciously disturb or interrupt a funeral service.

(B)This section applies to a willful, knowing, or malicious disturbance or interruption within:

(1)one thousand feet of the funeral service; and

(2)a time period of one-half hour before the funeral service until one-half hour after the funeral service.

(C)A person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, shall be fined not more than five hundred dollars or imprisoned not more than thirty days.

(D)For purposes of this section, ‘funeral service’ means any ceremony, procession, or memorial held in connection with the memorialization, burial, cremation, or other disposition of a deceased person’s body.

(E)It is unlawful for a person to undertake an activity at a public or privately owned cemetery, other than the decorous participation in a funeral service or visitation of a burial space, without the prior written approval of the public or private owner. A person who violates this subsection is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be fined not more than one hundred dollars or imprisoned not more than thirty days.”

SECTION2.This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

XX

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