Uniform Anatomical Gift – General – South Carolina

44-43-315 Parties authorized to make anatomical gifts

An anatomical gift of a donor’s body or part may be made during the life of the donor for the purpose of transplantation, therapy, research, or education in the manner provided in Section 44-43-320 by:

(1) the donor, if the donor is an adult or if the donor is a minor and is at least sixteen years of age;

(2) an agent of the donor, unless the power of attorney for health care or other record prohibits the agent from making an anatomical gift;

(3) a parent of the donor, if the donor is less than sixteen years of age; or

(4) the donor’s guardian.

44-43-320 Methods of making anatomical gifts

A donor may make an anatomical gift:

(1) by authorizing a statement or symbol indicating that the donor has made an anatomical gift to be imprinted on the donor’s driver’s license or identification card;

(2) in a will;

(3) during a terminal illness or injury of the donor, by any form of oral or written communication addressed to at least two adults, at least one of whom is a disinterested witness.

A donor or other person authorized to make an anatomical gift under Section 44-43-315 may make a gift by a donor card or other record signed by the donor or other person making the gift or by authorizing that a statement or symbol indicating that the donor has made an anatomical gift be included on a donor registry. If the donor or other person is physically unable to sign a record, the record may be signed by another individual at the direction of the donor or other person and must:

(1) be witnessed by at least two adults, at least one of whom is a disinterested witness, who have signed at the request of the donor or the other person; and

(2) state that it has been signed and witnessed as provided in item (1).

Revocation, suspension, expiration, or cancellation of a driver’s license or identification card upon which an anatomical gift is indicated does not invalidate the gift.

An anatomical gift made by will takes effect upon the donor’s death whether or not the will is probated. Invalidation of the will after the donor’s death does not invalidate the gift.

44-43-325 Amendment or revocation of anatomical gift

A donor or other person authorized to make an anatomical gift under Section 44-43-315 may amend or revoke an anatomical gift by:

(1) a record signed by:

(a) the donor;

(b) the other person; or

(c) another individual acting at the direction of the donor or the other person if the donor or other person is physically unable to sign; or

(2) a later-executed document of gift that amends or revokes a previous anatomical gift or portion of an anatomical gift, either expressly or by inconsistency.

A record signed pursuant to subsection (A)(1)(c) must:

(1) be witnessed by at least two adults, at least one of whom is a disinterested witness, who have signed at the request of the donor or the other person; and

(2) state that it has been signed and witnessed as provided in item (1).

A donor or other person authorized to make an anatomical gift under Section 44-43-315 may revoke an anatomical gift by the destruction or cancellation of the document of gift, or the portion of the document of gift used to make the gift, with the intent to revoke the gift.

A donor may amend or revoke an anatomical gift that was not made in a will by any form of communication during a terminal illness or injury addressed to at least two adults, at least one of whom is a disinterested witness.

A donor who makes an anatomical gift in a will may amend or revoke the gift in the manner provided for amendment or revocation of wills or as provided in subsection (A).

44-43-335 Amendment or revocation by person other than donor of anatomical gift made by donor

In the absence of an express, contrary indication by the donor, a person other than the donor is barred from making, amending, or revoking an anatomical gift of a donor’s body or part if the donor made an anatomical gift of the donor’s body or part under Section 44-43-320 or an amendment to an anatomical gift of the donor’s body or part under Section 44-43-325.

A donor’s revocation of an anatomical gift of the donor’s body or part under Section 44-43-325 is not a refusal and does not bar another person specified in Section 44-43-315 or 44-43-340 from making an anatomical gift of the donor’s body or part under Section 44-43-320 or 44-43-345.

If a person other than the donor makes an unrevoked anatomical gift of the donor’s body or part under Section 44-43-320 or an amendment to an anatomical gift of the donor’s body or part under Section 44-43-325, another person may not make, amend, or revoke the gift of the donor’s body or part under Section 44-43-345.

A revocation of an anatomical gift of a donor’s body or part under Section 44-43-325 by a person other than the donor does not bar another person from making an anatomical gift of the body or part under Section 44-43-320 or 44-43-345.

In the absence of an express, contrary indication by the donor or other person authorized to make an anatomical gift under Section 44-43-315, an anatomical gift of a part is neither a refusal to give another part nor a limitation on the making of an anatomical gift of another part at a later time by the donor or another person.

In the absence of an express, contrary indication by the donor or other person authorized to make an anatomical gift under Section 44-43-315, an anatomical gift of a part for one or more of the purposes set forth in Section 44-43-315 is not a limitation on the making of an anatomical gift of the part for any of the other purposes by the donor or any other person under Section 44-43-320 or 44-43-345.

If a donor who is an unemancipated minor dies, a parent of the donor who is reasonably available may revoke or amend an anatomical gift of the donor’s body or part.

If an unemancipated minor who signed a refusal dies, a parent of the minor who is reasonably available may revoke the minor’s refusal.

44-43-340 Parties authorized to make anatomical gift of decedent’s body or part

An anatomical gift of a decedent’s body or part for purpose of transplantation, therapy, research, or education may be made by any member of the following classes of persons who is reasonably available, in the order of priority listed:

(1) an attorney-in-fact appointed by the decedent in a durable power of attorney executed pursuant to Section 62-5-501, if the decision is within the scope of his authority;

(2) a spouse of the decedent unless the spouse and the decedent are separated pursuant to one of the following:

(a) entry of a pendente lite order in a divorce or separate maintenance action;

(b) formal signing of a written property or marital settlement agreement;

(c) entry of a permanent order of separate maintenance and support or of a permanent order approving a property or marital settlement agreement between the spouse and the decedent;

(3) adult children of the decedent;

(4) parents of the decedent;

(5) adult siblings of the decedent;

(6) adult grandchildren of the decedent;

(7) grandparents of the decedent;

(8) an adult who exhibited special care and concern for the decedent;

(9) the persons who were acting as the guardians of the person of the decedent at the time of death; and

(10) any other person authorized or under obligation to dispose of the body.

If there is more than one member of a class listed in subsection (A)(1), (3), (4), (5), (6), (7), or (9) entitled to make an anatomical gift, an anatomical gift may be made by a member of the class unless that member or a person to which the gift may pass under Section 44-43-350 knows of an objection by another member of the class. If an objection is known, the gift may be made only by a majority of the members of the class who are reasonably available.

A person may not make an anatomical gift if, at the time of the decedent’s death, a person in a prior class under subsection (A) is reasonably available to make or to object to the making of an anatomical gift.

44-43-345 Gift of decedent’s body or part; documentation; revocation

A person authorized to make an anatomical gift under Section 44-43-340 may make an anatomical gift by a document of gift signed by the person making the gift or by that person’s oral communication that is electronically recorded or is contemporaneously reduced to a record and signed by the individual receiving the oral communication.

An anatomical gift by a person authorized under Section 44-43-340 may be amended or revoked orally or in a record by any member of a prior class who is reasonably available. If more than one member of the prior class is reasonably available, the gift made by a person authorized under Section 44-43-340 may be:

(1) amended only if a majority of the reasonably available members agree to the amending of the gift; or

(2) revoked only if a majority of the reasonably available members agree to the revoking of the gift or if they are equally divided as to whether to revoke the gift.

A revocation is effective only if, before an incision has been made to remove a part from the donor’s body or before invasive procedures have begun to prepare the recipient, the procurement organization, transplant hospital, physician, or technician knows of the revocation.

44-43-360 Delivery of document of gift upon or after individual’s death; examination and copying

A document of gift need not be delivered during the donor’s lifetime to be effective. Upon or after an individual’s death, a person in possession of a document of gift or a refusal to make an anatomical gift with respect to the individual shall allow examination and copying of the document of gift or refusal by a person authorized to make or object to the making of an anatomical gift with respect to the individual or by a person to which the gift could pass under Section 44-43-350.

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