(A) A record must be kept of every lot owner and every burial in the cemetery showing the date of purchase, date of burial, name of the person buried and of the lot owner, and space in which the burial was made. Sales, trust funds, accounting records, and other records of the licensee must be available at the licensee's principal place of business at reasonable times during regular business hours for examination by the department. In addition, the owner of a perpetual care cemetery shall have the records of the care and maintenance fund examined annually by a licensed public accountant and shall submit a copy of the report to the board or its designee.
(B) A record must be kept of each written complaint received, action taken, and disposition of the complaint. These records must be available for examination by the chairman or other authorized representative of the board.
(C) The owner of a cemetery shall adopt and enforce policies and procedures for the use, care, control, management, restriction, and protection of the cemetery and its parts and subdivisions, the use of property within a cemetery, the introduction and care of plants or shrubs within the grounds, the conduct of persons and prevention of improper assemblages, and other purposes considered necessary by the owner of the cemetery for the proper conduct of the business of the cemetery and the protection of the premises and the principles on which the cemetery was organized. The owner may amend or abolish the policies and procedures pursuant to subsection (H). The regulations must be printed or typewritten plainly, posted conspicuously, and maintained, subject to inspection by the board or its designee, at the usual place for transacting the regular business of the cemetery. The owner must also include in this posting a statement explaining that it is acceptable to purchase memorials and merchandise from vendors other than the cemetery if the items meet the reasonable policies and procedures established for those items by the cemetery. However, a cemetery licensed under this chapter may not adopt policies or procedures in conflict with this chapter or in derogation of the contract rights of lot owners.
(D) The owner of a cemetery shall establish reasonable policies and procedures regarding the type material, design, composition, finish, specifications, and installation of merchandise to be used in the cemetery. However, a policy or procedure may not be promulgated which:
(1) requires the owner or purchaser of a lot to purchase a monument or marker or the actual installation of a monument or marker from the cemetery company;
(2) restricts the right of the owner or purchaser of a lot to purchase a monument or marker or the actual installation of a monument from the vendor of his choice;
(3) charges the owner or purchaser of a lot a fee for purchasing a monument or marker or the actual installation of a monument from a vendor or charges a vendor a fee for delivering or installing the monument;
(4) discriminates against an owner or a purchaser of a lot who has purchased a monument or services related to installation of a monument from a vendor.
(E) Subsection (D) does not prohibit the cemetery from charging the owner or purchaser of a lot a reasonable fee for services actually performed by the cemetery relating to the installation, care, and maintenance of a monument or marker including, but not limited to, the survey, recording, and supervision of the installation of the monument or marker, whether or not it is purchased from a cemetery or an outside vendor.
(F) These policies and procedures must be posted conspicuously and maintained, subject to inspection by the department, at the usual place for transacting the regular business of the cemetery. A cemetery owner may not prevent the use of merchandise purchased by a lot owner or his representative, agent, heirs, or assigns from any source if the merchandise meets cemetery regulations.
(G) When an internment right is sold, the cemetery must provide a written listing of the current charges associated with all merchandise, memorials, and services that are then required by the cemetery. The cemetery also shall provide a list of cemetery services for which there may be a later charge. When a monument, marker, or memorial is sold by a cemetery company, the cemetery shall provide on the sales contract an itemized statement of the fees charged for installation, care, and maintenance of the monument, marker, or memorial. Fees charged for installation, care, and maintenance of a monument, marker, or memorial must be shown on the statement as charges separate from its price, and the statement shall disclose the amount of fees to be placed in trust by the cemetery company. The board shall promulgate regulations for the disclosure of fees and services.
(H) Policies and procedures established, amended, or abolished by a cemetery pursuant to this section must be submitted to the board for its approval.
HISTORY: 2002 Act No. 322, Section 10A.
Structure South Carolina Code of Laws
Title 40 - Professions and Occupations
Chapter 8 - South Carolina Perpetual Care Cemetery Act
Section 40-8-20. Perpetual Care Cemetery Board; creation.
Section 40-8-35. Cemetery contract disclosure requirements.
Section 40-8-40. Licensure requirements, "Perpetual Care" and "No Perpetual Care" designations.
Section 40-8-50. Board membership.
Section 40-8-60. Election of chairman and vice chairman; expense reimbursements; meetings.
Section 40-8-70. Board power and duties.
Section 40-8-80. License fees.
Section 40-8-140. Cemetery signs.
Section 40-8-150. Disciplinary action; grounds.
Section 40-8-160. Dissemination of order finding basis for disciplinary action; fine.
Section 40-8-170. Voluntary surrender of license.
Section 40-8-190. Punishment and fines for violation of chapter.
Section 40-8-200. Certain cemeteries excepted from provisions of chapter.
Section 40-8-210. Licensing of existing cemeteries.
Section 40-8-230. Severability.
Section 40-8-240. Application of chapter to new public cemeteries.