Committee advances change to death‑certificate filing deadline tied to burial/transit permit

The committee voted to advance Senate Bill 894 after adopting a committee‑friendly amendment. Sponsor Representative Heath Sessions described the bill as a ‘‘cleanup’’ to prior statutory changes that currently tie the filing deadline to the date of death; the measure would allow a death certificate to be filed on the next business day when the five‑day deadline ends on a weekend or state/federal holiday and would more explicitly tie filing obligations to the burial removal/transit permit (BRT) in practice.

Mark Smith, who the sponsor asked to be recognized as someone the proposed change directly affects, described operational challenges for funeral homes when notification of death occurs days or weeks after the date of death and urged that legal deadlines be tied to a government‑issued permit that establishes custody and a reliable date for processing. Members questioned whether the change could be abused by funeral homes or create a loophole for "bad actors" to delay filings; Smith and Sessions said the intent is to target negligent funeral‑home practices and rely on DHEC oversight and permit documentation to reduce unfair fines for late filings when notification is delayed.

The committee adopted the amendment and then voted to report the bill favorably as amended.