Bill 2120

                    Current Status

Bill Number:               2120
Ratification Number:       149
Act Number:                104
Introducing Body:          House
Subject:                        Punishment for murder

(A104, R149, H2120)

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 16-3-20, AS AMENDED, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE PUNISHMENT FOR MURDER, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT WHEN THE GOVERNOR COMMUTES A SENTENCE OF DEATH THE COMMUTEE IS NOT ELIGIBLE FOR PAROLE AND TO PROVIDE THAT NO PERSON SENTENCED FOR MURDER MAY RECEIVE ANY WORK-RELEASE CREDITS, GOOD-TIME CREDITS, OR ANY OTHER CREDIT THAT WOULD REDUCE THE MANDATORY TWENTY YEARS' IMPRISONMENT REQUIRED BY THIS SECTION.

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

Person not eligible for parole

SECTION 1. Subsection (A) of Section 16-3-20 of the 1976 Code, is amended to read:

"(A) A person who is convicted of or pleads guilty to murder must be punished by death or by imprisonment for life and is not eligible for parole until the service of twenty years. However, under no circumstances may a female who is pregnant with child be executed so long as she is in that condition. When the Governor commutes a sentence of death under the provisions of Section 14 of Article IV of the Constitution of South Carolina, 1895, the commutee is not eligible for parole. No person sentenced under the provisions of this subsection may receive any work-release credits, good-time credits, or any other credit that would reduce the mandatory twenty years' imprisonment required by this subsection."

Time effective

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon approval by the Governor.