A BILL

TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, SO AS TO ENACT "CAYLEE'S LAW"; TO AMEND SECTION 17-5-530, AS AMENDED, RELATING TO PERSONS WITH KNOWLEDGE OF A DEATH REQUIRED TO REPORT TO THE CORONER OR MEDICAL EXAMINER'S OFFICE UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, SO AS TO PROVIDE A PENALTY FOR FAILURE TO REPORT THE DEATH; AND TO AMEND SECTION 23-3-240, AS AMENDED, RELATING TO SUBMISSION OF MISSING PERSON REPORTS TO THE MISSING PERSON INFORMATION CENTER, SO AS TO REQUIRE MANDATORY REPORTING OF A MISSING CHILD AND TO PROVIDE A PENALTY FOR FAILURE TO REPORT.

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

SECTION    1.    This act may be cited as "Caylee's Law".

SECTION    2.    Section 17-5-530 of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 226 of 2010, is further amended by adding an appropriately lettered subsection at the end to read:

"( )    A person who fails to report a death as required by the provisions of subsection (A) is guilty of a felony and, upon conviction, must be imprisoned not more than ten years."

SECTION    3.    Section 23-3-240 of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 192 of 2010, is further amended to read:

"Section 23-3-240.    (A)    Any parent, spouse, guardian, legal custodian, public or private agency or entity, or any person responsible for a missing person, may submit a missing person report to the MPIC on any missing child or missing person and must submit a missing person report to the MPIC on any missing child, regardless of the circumstances, after having first submitted a missing person report on the individual to the law enforcement agency having jurisdiction of the area in which the individual became or is believed to have become missing, regardless of the circumstances.

(B)    A person who fails to notify the appropriate law enforcement agency and submit a missing person report to the MPIC on any missing child as required by the provisions of subsection (A) is guilty of a felony and, upon conviction, must be imprisoned not more than ten years."

SECTION    4.    This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.