# South Carolina H 4188: AN ACT TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 17-5-590, RELATING TO DISPOSITION OF REMAINS OF UNIDENTIFIABLE DEAD BODIES BY CORONERS, SO AS TO PROVIDE CIRCUMSTANCES FOR WHEN A BODY IS UNIDENTIFIABLE AND WHEN A BODY IS UNCLAIMED, AND TO AUTHORIZE CORONERS TO CREMATE SUCH REMAINS THIRTY DAYS FROM THE DATE OF DISCOVERY.

South Carolina H 4188, AN ACT TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 17-5-590, RELATING TO DISPOSITION OF REMAINS OF UNIDENTIFIABLE DEAD BODIES BY CORONERS, SO AS TO PROVIDE CIRCUMSTANCES FOR WHEN A BODY IS UNIDENTIFIABLE AND WHEN A BODY IS UNCLAIMED, AND TO AUTHORIZE CORONERS TO CREMATE SUCH REMAINS THIRTY DAYS FROM THE DATE OF DISCOVERY., is a 126th General Assembly (2025-2026) House bill sponsored by Thomas E. "Tommy" Pope (Republican); status signed, last action 2026-05-26 (Act No. 145) (as of 2026-10-12).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/SC-H4188-2025-2026
- As of: 2026-10-12
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: South Carolina H 4188
- State: South Carolina
- Session: 126th General Assembly (2025-2026)
- Title: AN ACT TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 17-5-590, RELATING TO DISPOSITION OF REMAINS OF UNIDENTIFIABLE DEAD BODIES BY CORONERS, SO AS TO PROVIDE CIRCUMSTANCES FOR WHEN A BODY IS UNIDENTIFIABLE AND WHEN A BODY IS UNCLAIMED, AND TO AUTHORIZE CORONERS TO CREMATE SUCH REMAINS THIRTY DAYS FROM THE DATE OF DISCOVERY.
- Status: signed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2025-03-20
- Last action: 2026-05-26, Act No. 145
- Sponsor: Thomas E. "Tommy" Pope (Republican)
- Cosponsors: 9
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 5 (477 yes, 0 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 2

## Summary

Coroners, disposition of unidentified or unclaimed remains

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Unclaimed veterans' remains to funeral homes: benefit, low. Beginning May 15, 2026, if a coroner has identified remains and the person is an unclaimed veteran, the coroner must release the remains to a funeral home, funeral establishment, or mortuary. The funeral provider handles the disposition under Chapter 12, Title 25.
- 30-day rule for unclaimed or unidentified remains: mixed, low. Beginning May 15, 2026, the law defines when a body is unidentifiable or unclaimed. Unidentifiable means the person’s identity is unknown or cannot be found after using all available methods. Unclaimed means no person can be found to take the body, or a found person cannot or will not pay for its d…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Thomas E. "Tommy" Pope (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Brandon Newton (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Brandon L. Cox (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Gary S. Brewer, Jr. (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Cody T. Mitchell (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Sylleste H. Davis (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Greg Ford (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Marvin "Mark" Smith (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Robby Robbins (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Richard L. "Richie" Yow (Republican), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-05-13 | House | (Coroners, disposition of unidentified or unclaimed remains)Concur in Senate Amendments | pass | 114 | 0 |   |
| 2026-05-05 | Senate | (Coroners, disposition of unidentified or unclaimed remains)2nd Reading | pass | 45 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-10 | House | (Coroners, disposition of unidentified or unclaimed remains)Passage of Bill | pass | 106 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-10 | House | (Coroners, disposition of unidentified or unclaimed remains)Passage of Bill | pass | 106 |   |   |
| 2026-02-10 | House | (Coroners, disposition of unidentified or unclaimed remains)Passage of Bill | pass | 106 |   |   |

## Actions (23)

- 2026-05-26: Act No. 145 (legislature)
- 2026-05-26: Effective date 05/15/26 (legislature)
- 2026-05-15: Signed By Governor (Governor)
- 2026-05-14: Ratified R 191 (legislature)
- 2026-05-13: Roll call Yeas-114 Nays-0 (House)
- 2026-05-13: Concurred in Senate amendment and enrolled (House)
- 2026-05-12: Debate adjourned (House)
- 2026-05-06: Read third time and returned to House with amendments (Senate)
- 2026-05-05: Roll call Ayes-45 Nays-0 (Senate)
- 2026-05-05: Read second time (Senate)
- 2026-05-05: Amended (Senate)
- 2026-05-05: Committee Amendment Adopted (Senate)
- 2026-04-29: Committee report: Favorable with amendment Judiciary (Senate)
- 2026-02-11: Referred to Committee on Judiciary (Senate)
- 2026-02-11: Introduced and read first time (Senate)
- 2026-02-11: Read third time and sent to Senate (House)
- 2026-02-10: Roll call Yeas-106 Nays-0 (House)
- 2026-02-10: Read second time (House)
- 2026-02-10: Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Yow, C.Mitchell (House)
- 2026-02-05: Committee report: Favorable Medical, Military, Public and Municipal Affairs (House)
- 2026-01-28: Member(s) request name added as sponsor: M.M.Smith, B.L.Cox, Brewer, Ford, Davis, Robbins (House)
- 2025-03-20: Referred to Committee on Medical, Military, Public and Municipal Affairs (House)
- 2025-03-20: Introduced and read first time (House)

## Bill text

- Introduced: [HTML](https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess126_2025-2026/bills/4188.htm)

## Related bills

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- S 0586: AN ACT TO AMEND ACT 172 OF 1995, RELATING TO THE KERSHAW COUNTY TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT EACH MEMBER OF THE KERSHAW COUNTY TRANSPORTATIO… (signed)
- H 5653: AN ACT TO AMEND ACT 843 OF 1952, AS AMENDED, RELATING TO THE LEE COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION, SO AS TO CLARIFY THE METHOD BY WHICH PERSONS FILE TO BECOME A CANDI… (signed)
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## Sources
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess126_2025-2026/bills/4188.htm)

## Related
- [S 0623: AN ACT TO EXEMPT GEORGETOWN COUNTY FROM CERTAIN BUILDING REQUIREMENTS AND TO AL…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/SC-S0623-2025-2026)
- [S 0586: AN ACT TO AMEND ACT 172 OF 1995, RELATING TO THE KERSHAW COUNTY TRANSPORTATION…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/SC-S0586-2025-2026)
- [H 5653: AN ACT TO AMEND ACT 843 OF 1952, AS AMENDED, RELATING TO THE LEE COUNTY BOARD O…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/SC-H5653-2025-2026)
- [S 1062: A JOINT RESOLUTION TO APPROVE REGULATIONS OF THE STATE COMMISSION ON HIGHER EDU…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/SC-S1062-2025-2026)
- [S 0779: A JOINT RESOLUTION TO PROVIDE THAT EACH MEMBER OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY SHALL RE…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/SC-S0779-2025-2026)
- [H 5261: A JOINT RESOLUTION TO EXTEND THE DEADLINE FOR RECEIVING ALCOHOL SERVER TRAINING…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/SC-H5261-2025-2026)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/SC-H4188-2025-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).