H*3742(Rat #0111, Act #0075 of 2017)  General Bill, By Pitts
 AN ACT TO AMEND SECTIONS 24-21-230 AND 24-21-280, BOTH AS AMENDED, CODE OF
 LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE EMPLOYMENT, DUTIES, AND POWERS
 OF DEPARTMENT OF PROBATION, PAROLE AND PARDON SERVICES' AGENTS, HEARING
 OFFICERS, AND STAFF, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT THE DIRECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT MAY
 EMPLOY OFFENDER SUPERVISION SPECIALISTS, TO PROVIDE THAT THE DEPARTMENT SHALL
 PROMULGATE REGULATIONS REGARDING THE QUALIFICATIONS FOR THESE EMPLOYEES, AND
 PROCEDURES FOR CLASSIFYING OFFENDERS AS STANDARD AND LOW-RISK, AND TO PROVIDE
 THE DUTIES AND AUTHORITY OF AN OFFENDER SUPERVISION SPECIALIST. - ratified
 title

   02/14/17  House  Introduced and read first time (House Journal-page 44)
   02/14/17  House  Referred to Committee on Judiciary
                     (House Journal-page 44)
   03/02/17  House  Recalled from Committee on Judiciary
                     (House Journal-page 18)
   03/02/17  House  Recommitted to Committee on Ways and Means
                     (House Journal-page 18)
   03/22/17  House  Committee report: Favorable Ways and Means
                     (House Journal-page 43)
   03/23/17  House  Read second time (House Journal-page 34)
   03/23/17  House  Roll call Yeas-102  Nays-0 (House Journal-page 35)
   03/23/17  House  Unanimous consent for third reading on next
                     legislative day (House Journal-page 36)
   03/24/17  House  Read third time and sent to Senate
                     (House Journal-page 1)
   03/29/17  Senate Introduced and read first time (Senate Journal-page 13)
   03/29/17  Senate Referred to Committee on Corrections and Penology
                     (Senate Journal-page 13)
   04/25/17  Senate Committee report: Favorable Corrections and
                     Penology (Senate Journal-page 16)
   05/09/17  Senate Read second time (Senate Journal-page 18)
   05/09/17  Senate Roll call Ayes-40  Nays-0 (Senate Journal-page 18)
   05/10/17  Senate Read third time and enrolled (Senate Journal-page 28)
   05/15/17         Ratified R 111
   05/19/17         Signed By Governor
   05/25/17         Effective date 5/19/17
   05/31/17         Act No. 75

(A75, R111, H3742)

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTIONS 24-21-230 AND 24-21-280, BOTH AS AMENDED, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE EMPLOYMENT, DUTIES, AND POWERS OF DEPARTMENT OF PROBATION, PAROLE AND PARDON SERVICES' AGENTS, HEARING OFFICERS, AND STAFF, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT THE DIRECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT MAY EMPLOY OFFENDER SUPERVISION SPECIALISTS, TO PROVIDE THAT THE DEPARTMENT SHALL PROMULGATE REGULATIONS REGARDING THE QUALIFICATIONS FOR THESE EMPLOYEES, AND PROCEDURES FOR CLASSIFYING OFFENDERS AS STANDARD AND LOW-RISK, AND TO PROVIDE THE DUTIES AND AUTHORITY OF AN OFFENDER SUPERVISION SPECIALIST.

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

Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services

SECTION    1.    Section 24-21-230 of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 273 of 2010, is further amended by adding the following appropriately lettered subsection at the end to read:

"( )    The director, in his discretion, may employ offender supervision specialists to oversee the supervision of standard and low-risk offenders. The department shall promulgate regulations for the qualifications of offender supervision specialists and procedures for classifying offenders as standard and low-risk offenders based on criminal risk factors."

Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services

SECTION    2.    Section 24-21-280 of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 154 of 2016, is further amended by adding the following appropriately lettered subsection at the end:

"( )    Offender supervision specialists have the same duties and authority granted to probation agents, except for the authority granted in subsection (B)."

Time effective

SECTION    3.    This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

Ratified the 15th day of May, 2017.

Approved the 19th day of May, 2017.