Bill Text: SC S0653 | 2021-2022 | 124th General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: Allowing inmates funeral attendance and hospital visitation
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2021-03-10 - Referred to Committee on Corrections and Penology [S0653 Detail]
Download: South_Carolina-2021-S0653-Introduced.html
A BILL
TO AMEND SECTION 24-3-220, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO ALLOWING INMATES TO ATTEND CERTAIN FUNERAL SERVICES AND VISIT HOSPITALIZED FAMILY MEMBERS, SO AS TO PROVIDE THIS SECTION ALSO APPLIES TO INMATES CONFINED IN A DETENTION FACILITY.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
SECTION 1. Section 24-3-220 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:
"Section 24-3-220. (A) Notwithstanding another provision of law, when the parent or parent substitute identified on an inmate's visitation list, sibling, spouse, child, grandparent, or grandchild of an inmate becomes seriously ill to the point of imminent death, or dies, and when the department or detention facility has determined that there is no security risk to the public or institution, an inmate must be offered the choice either to attend the person's viewing or funeral service or, prior to the person's death, to visit the person in the hospital. The location of the viewing, funeral, or hospital visit must be in South Carolina.
(B) The department or detention facility must verify the person's relationship to the inmate and the person's illness or death.
(C) The department or detention facility shall provide the necessary security and transportation for the inmate. The department or detention facility also may engage the services of the sheriff or any other certified law enforcement officer in order to provide the necessary security and transportation for the inmate. The department, sheriff, detention facility, or other certified law enforcement officer that provides security and transportation for the inmate may collect the actual cost for security and transportation. The charge may not exceed the actual expense incurred by the department, sheriff, detention facility, or other law enforcement agency. The charge must be collected in advance from a third party on behalf of the inmate or, if no third party pays, through a deduction from the inmate's trust account.
(D) When applicable, the department or detention facility shall notify the victim of the crime of which the inmate was convicted, or adjudicated guilty of committing, and notify the relatives of the victim who have applied for notification, as provided in Section 16-3-1530."
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.
