Journal of the House of Representatives
of the Second Session of the 110th General Assembly
of the State of South Carolina
being the Regular Session Beginning Tuesday, January 11, 1994

Page Finder Index

| Printed Page 5450, May 3 | Printed Page 5470, May 3 |

Printed Page 5460 . . . . . Tuesday, May 3, 1994

H. 4634 -- Reps. Cromer, Tucker, Baxley, Gonzales, Stoddard, Inabinett, Kennedy, Wells, Allison, Hallman, Townsend, Hodges, H. Brown, Corning, Lanford, Law, Govan, Stone, G. Brown, G. Bailey, Meacham, D. Wilder, Witherspoon, McKay, Simrill, McCraw, Walker, Robinson, Riser, Kelley, Vaughn, Shissias, Stuart, R. Smith, Stille, Littlejohn, Chamblee, Houck, Harrison, Farr, Gamble, Fulmer, Haskins, Davenport, Williams, Cato, Neilson, J. Wilder, Marchbanks, Spearman, Harvin, Richardson and Thomas: A BILL TO AMEND SECTION 17-25-70, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO LOCAL AUTHORITIES ALLOWING ABLE-BODIED CONVICTS TO PERFORM LABOR ON PUBLIC WORKS OR WAYS, SO AS TO EXEMPT CERTAIN CONVICTS; TO AMEND SECTION 24-3-35, RELATING TO USE OF COUNTY PRISONERS FOR LITTER REMOVAL, SO AS TO REQUIRE THE USE OF PRISONERS INSTEAD OF THE PERMISSIVE USE OF PRISONERS; TO AMEND SECTIONS 24-7-10, 24-7-20, 24-7-30, 24-7-40, AND 24-7-50, RELATING TO COUNTY AND MUNICIPAL CHAIN GANGS, SO AS TO MANDATE THE USE OF ABLE-BODIED PRISONERS LOCATED IN COUNTY AND MUNICIPAL CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES ON WORK GANGS ON PUBLIC WORKS.

Rep. LANFORD proposed the following Amendment No. 3 (Doc Name L:\council\legis\amend\DKA\3403BDW.94), which was tabled.

Amend the bill, as and if amended, Section 17-25-70, page 4634-1, line 41, after /activities/ by inserting /other than new construction/.

Amend title to conform.

Rep. LANFORD explained the amendment.

Rep. HODGES moved to table the amendment, which was agreed to by a division vote of 35 to 28.

Rep. HASKINS proposed the following Amendment No. 4.

Amend the Bill, as and if amended, by adding the following:

Part I

Criminal Law Reform

SECTION 1. This act may be cited as the "South Carolina Criminal Justice Reform Act of 1994".

SECTION 2. The 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Section 17-25-40. A person who commits a crime while released on bond and is subsequently convicted for that offense must be sentenced as


Printed Page 5461 . . . . . Tuesday, May 3, 1994

provided for the offense. This term of imprisonment is consecutive to any sentence imposed for the offense for which the person was released on bond."

SECTION 3. The 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Section 24-13-100. Notwithstanding another provision of law, no prisoner convicted of an offense against this State and sentenced to the custody of the Department of Corrections, including those prisoners serving time in a local facility pursuant to a designated facility agreement authorized by Section 24-3-20, is eligible for work release until the prisoner has served not less than:

(1) sixty percent of the sentence imposed if the prisoner is considered `violent' as defined under Section 16-1-60; or

(2) fifty percent of the sentence imposed if the prisoner is considered `nonviolent' as defined under Section 16-1-70.

This section does not apply in cases of emergency prison overcrowding as provided under Chapter 22 of this title."

SECTION 4. The 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Section 24-13-150. Notwithstanding another provision of law, a prisoner convicted of an offense against this State and sentenced to the custody of the Department of Corrections, including a prisoner serving time in a local facility pursuant to a designated facilities agreement authorized by Section 24-3-20, is not eligible for early release or discharge including, but not limited to, extended work release and community supervision until the prisoner has served:

(1) ninety percent of the sentence imposed if the offender is considered `violent' as defined in Section 16-1-60; or

(2) eighty percent of the sentence imposed if the offender is considered `nonviolent' as defined in Section 16-1-70.

This section does not apply in cases of emergency prison overcrowding as provided in Chapter 22 of this title."

SECTION 5. The 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Section 24-13-175. Notwithstanding another provision of law. sentences imposed and time served must be computed based upon a three hundred and sixty-five day year."

SECTION 6. Section 16-1-20(B) of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Section 2, Act 184 of 1993, is further amended to read:

"(B) For all offenders sentenced on or after July 1, 1993, the minimum term of imprisonment required by law does not apply to the offenses listed in Section Sections 16-1-90 and 16-1-100 unless the offense refers to a mandatory minimum sentence. Offenses listed in Section 16-1-10(C) and (D) are exempt and minimum terms of imprisonment are


Printed Page 5462 . . . . . Tuesday, May 3, 1994

applicable. No sentence of imprisonment precludes the timely execution of a death sentence."

SECTION 7. Section 16-1-57 of the 1976 Code, as added by Section 7, Act 184 of 1993, is amended to read:

"Section 16-1-57. A person convicted of an offense for which the term of imprisonment is contingent upon the value of the property involved must, upon conviction for a third second or subsequent offense for such the violation involving the value of property in an equal or greater amount, must be fined, imprisoned, or both based upon the next higher classification above the punishment classification provided for the principal offense."

SECTION 8. Section 16-1-60 of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Section 8, Act 184 of 1993, is further amended to read:

"Section 16-1-60. (A)For purposes of definition under South Carolina law a violent crime includes the offenses of murder (Section 16-3-10); criminal sexual conduct in the first and second degree (Sections 16-3-652 and 16-3-653); criminal sexual conduct with minors, first and second degree (Section 16-3-655); assault with intent to commit criminal sexual conduct, first and second degree (Section 16-3-656); assault and battery with intent to kill (Section 16-3-620); kidnapping (Section 16-3-910); voluntary manslaughter (Section 16-3-50); armed robbery (Section 16-11-330); drug trafficking as defined in Section Sections 44-53-370(e) and 44-53-375(C); arson in the first degree (Section 16-11-110(A)); burglary in the first degree (Section 16-11-311); and burglary in the second degree (Section 16-11-312(A) and (B)), engaging a child for a sexual performance (16-3-810); accessory before the fact to commit any of the above offenses (16-1-40); and attempt to commit any of the above offenses (16-1-80). Only those offenses specifically enumerated in this section are considered violent offenses.

(B) For a person to be considered guilty of a violent crime, the offense must be defined as a violent crime pursuant to subsection (A) at the time of the commission of the crime."

SECTION 9. Section 16-3-20 of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 488 of 1992, is further amended to read:

"Section 16-3-20. (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; provided, however, that when the State seeks the death penalty and an aggravating circumstance is specifically found beyond a reasonable doubt pursuant to subsections (B) and (C), and a recommendation of death is not made, the court must impose a sentence of life imprisonment without eligibility for


Printed Page 5463 . . . . . Tuesday, May 3, 1994

parole until the service of thirty years or imprisonment for not less than thirty years. For purposes of this section, `life' means until death. Provided, further, that 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 imprisonment required by this subsection.

(B) Upon conviction or adjudication of guilt of a defendant of murder, the court shall conduct a separate sentencing proceeding to determine whether the defendant should be sentenced to death, or life imprisonment, or imprisonment for not less than thirty years. The proceeding shall must be conducted by the trial judge before the trial jury as soon as practicable after the lapse of twenty-four hours unless waived by the defendant. If trial by jury has been waived by the defendant and the State, or if the defendant pleaded guilty, the sentencing proceeding shall must be conducted before the court. In the sentencing proceeding, the jury or judge shall hear additional evidence in extenuation, mitigation, or aggravation of the punishment. Only such evidence in aggravation as the State has made known to the defendant in writing prior to before the trial shall be is admissible. This section shall must not be construed to authorize the introduction of any evidence secured in violation of the Constitutions of the United States or the State of South Carolina or the applicable laws of either. The State, the defendant, and his counsel shall be are permitted to present arguments for or against the sentence to be imposed. The defendant and his counsel shall have the closing argument regarding the sentence to be imposed.

(C) The judge shall consider, or he shall include in his instructions to the jury for it to consider, any mitigating circumstances otherwise authorized or allowed by law and any of the following statutory aggravating and mitigating circumstances which may be supported by the evidence:

(a) Aggravating circumstances:

(1) The murder was committed while in the commission of the following crimes or acts:

(a) criminal sexual conduct in any degree;

(b) kidnapping;

(c) burglary in any degree;

(d) robbery while armed with a deadly weapon;


Printed Page 5464 . . . . . Tuesday, May 3, 1994

(e) larceny with use of a deadly weapon;

(f) killing by poison;

(g) drug trafficking as defined in Section 44-53-370(e), 44-53-375(B), 44-53-440, or 44-53-445; or

(h) physical torture.

(2) The murder was committed by a person with a prior conviction for murder.

(3) The offender by his act of murder knowingly created a great risk of death to more than one person in a public place by means of a weapon or device which normally would be hazardous to the lives of more than one person.

(4) The offender committed the murder for himself or another for the purpose of receiving money or a thing of monetary value.

(5) The murder of a judicial officer, former judicial officer, solicitor, former solicitor, or other officer of the court during or because of the exercise of his official duty.

(6) The offender caused or directed another to commit murder or committed murder as an agent or employee of another person.

(7) The murder of a federal, state, or local law enforcement officer, peace officer or former peace officer, corrections employee or former corrections employee, or fireman or former fireman during or because of the performance of his official duties.

(8) The murder of a family member of an official listed in subitems (5) and (7) above with the intent to impede or retaliate against the official. `Family member' means a spouse, parent, brother, sister, child, or person to whom the official stands in the place of a parent, or a person living in the official's household and related to him by blood or marriage.

(9) Two or more persons were murdered by the defendant by one act or pursuant to one scheme or course of conduct.

(10) The murder of a child eleven years of age or under.

(b) Mitigating circumstances:

(1) The defendant has no significant history of prior criminal conviction involving the use of violence against another person.

(2) The murder was committed while the defendant was under the influence of mental or emotional disturbance.

(3) The victim was a participant in the defendant's conduct or consented to the act.

(4) The defendant was an accomplice in the murder committed by another person and his participation was relatively minor.


Printed Page 5465 . . . . . Tuesday, May 3, 1994

(5) The defendant acted under duress or under the domination of another person.

(6) The capacity of the defendant to appreciate the criminality of his conduct or to conform his conduct to the requirements of law was substantially impaired.

(7) The age or mentality of the defendant at the time of the crime.

(8) The defendant was provoked by the victim into committing the murder.

(9) The defendant was below the age of eighteen at the time of the crime.

(10) The defendant had mental retardation at the time of the crime. `Mental retardation' means significantly subaverage general intellectual functioning existing concurrently with deficits in adaptive behavior and manifested during the developmental period.

The statutory instructions as to aggravating and mitigating circumstances shall must be given in charge and in writing to the jury for its deliberation. The jury, if its verdict be is a recommendation of death, shall designate in writing, and signed by all members of the jury, the aggravating circumstance or circumstances which it found beyond a reasonable doubt. The jury, if it does not recommend death, after finding an one or more aggravating circumstance or circumstances beyond a reasonable doubt, shall, in writing, and signed by all members of the jury, shall designate the aggravating circumstance or circumstances it found beyond a reasonable doubt. In nonjury cases the judge shall make such the designation. Unless at least one of the statutory aggravating circumstances enumerated in this section is so found, the death penalty shall must not be imposed.

Where a statutory aggravating circumstance is found and a recommendation of death is made, the court shall sentence the defendant to death. The trial judge, prior to before imposing the death penalty, shall find as an affirmative fact that the death penalty was warranted under the evidence of the case and was not a result of prejudice, passion, or any other arbitrary factor. Where a sentence of death is not recommended by the jury, the court shall sentence the defendant to life imprisonment as provided in subsection (A) or imprisonment for not less than thirty years. In the event that all members of the jury, after a reasonable deliberation, cannot agree on a recommendation as to whether or not the death sentence should be imposed on a defendant found guilty of murder, the trial judge shall dismiss such the jury and shall sentence the defendant to life imprisonment as provided in subsection (A) or imprisonment for not less than thirty years. Before dismissing the jury, the trial judge shall question


Printed Page 5466 . . . . . Tuesday, May 3, 1994

the jury as to whether or not it found an aggravating circumstance or circumstances beyond a reasonable doubt. If the jury has found an one or more aggravating circumstance or circumstances beyond a reasonable doubt, the jury shall designate this finding, in writing, signed by all the members of the jury. The jury shall not recommend the death penalty if the vote for such that penalty is not unanimous as provided.

(D) Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 14-7-1020, in cases involving capital punishment, any a person called as a juror shall must be examined by the attorney for the defense.

(E) In every a criminal action in which a defendant is charged with a crime which may be punishable by death, a person may not be disqualified, excused, or excluded from service as a juror therein by reason of his beliefs or attitudes against capital punishment unless such those beliefs or attitudes would render him unable to return a verdict according to law."

SECTION 10. Section 16-3-625 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"Section 16-3-625. Any A person seventeen years of age or older who resists the lawful efforts of a law enforcement officer to arrest him or her or any other another person with the use or threat of use of any a deadly weapon against the officer, when such and the person is in possession or claims to be in possession of a deadly weapon, shall be deemed is guilty of a felony and, upon conviction, shall must be punished by imprisonment for imprisoned not more than ten nor less than two years. No sentence imposed hereunder for a first offense shall may be suspended to less than six months nor shall the persons so sentenced be eligible for parole until after service of six months. No person sentenced sentence imposed under this section for a second or subsequent offense shall have such sentence may be suspended to less than two years nor shall such person be eligible for parole until after service of two years.

As used in this section `deadly weapon' shall mean means a shotgun, rifle, pistol, or knife.

This section shall in no manner does not affect or replace the common law crime of assault and battery with intent to kill nor shall does it apply if the sentencing judge, in his discretion, elects to sentence an eligible defendant under the provisions of the `Youthful Offenders Act'."

SECTION 11. Section 16-3-740 of the 1976 Code, as added by Act 490 of 1988, is amended to read:

"Section 16-3-740. Within fifteen days of the conviction of any a person or adjudication of a juvenile under state law for a crime involving sexual battery as defined in Section 16-3-651 or sexual conduct as defined in Section 16-3-800, if the conduct results in the exposure of the victim to


Printed Page 5467 . . . . . Tuesday, May 3, 1994

blood or vaginal or seminal fluids of the convicted offender, at the request of the victim or the parent or guardian of a victim who is a minor or is mentally retarded or mentally incapacitated, the solicitor shall require that the convicted offender or adjudicated juvenile offender be tested for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), the virus that causes Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS). The test must be administered by the local public health authority or the medical professional at the prison or juvenile detention center where the convicted offender or adjudicated juvenile offender is imprisoned or detained. The results of the test must be reported to the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control and to the solicitor who ordered the test. The solicitor shall notify the victim, or the parent or guardian of a victim who is a minor or is mentally retarded or mentally incapacitated and the convicted sexual offender, or adjudicated juvenile offender and his parent or guardian, of the tests results. The solicitor also shall provide to the Department of Corrections or Department of Juvenile Justice the result of a human immunodeficiency virus test conducted pursuant to this section which indicates that the convicted offender or adjudicated juvenile offender is infected with the human immunodeficiency virus. The Department of Corrections or Department of Juvenile Justice shall use this information solely for the purpose of providing medical treatment to the convicted offender or adjudicated juvenile offender while incarcerated in a state penitentiary or correctional institution, county jail, or juvenile detection center. The convicted offender or adjudicated juvenile offender shall pay for the test unless he the offender is indigent, in which case the cost of the test must be paid by the state. If the human immunodeficiency virus test conducted pursuant to this section indicates exposure to the human immunodeficiency virus, the Department of Health and Environmental Control shall provide counseling to the victim and the convicted offender or adjudicated juvenile offender regarding human immunodeficiency virus disease, human immunodeficiency virus testing for the victim at his or her request, and referral for appropriate health care and support services."

SECTION 12. Section 16-3-1070 of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 184 of 1993 is further amended to read:

"Section 16-3-1070. (A) For purposes of this section:

(1) `Harasses' means a knowing and wilful course of conduct directed at a specific person which seriously alarms, annoys, or harasses the person and which serves no legitimate purpose. The course of conduct must be such as would cause a reasonable person to suffer substantial emotional distress, and must actually cause substantial emotional distress to the person.


Printed Page 5468 . . . . . Tuesday, May 3, 1994

(2) `Course of conduct' means a pattern of conduct composed of a series of acts over a period of time, however short, evidencing a continuity of purpose. Constitutionally protected activity is not included within the meaning of `course of conduct'.

(3) A `credible threat' means a threat made with the intent and the apparent ability to carry out the threat so as to cause the person who is the target of the threat to reasonably fear for his safety or the safety of an immediate family member. The threat must be against the life of, or a threat to cause great bodily injury to, a person.

(B) It is unlawful for a person to wilfully, maliciously, and repeatedly follow or harass another person and make a credible threat with the intent to place that person in reasonable fear of death or great bodily injury. A person who violates the provisions of this section is guilty of the crime of stalking which is a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be imprisoned not more than one year ten years or fined not more than one five thousand dollars, or both.

(C) A person who violates subsection (B) when there is a temporary restraining order or an injunction, or both, in effect prohibiting the behavior described in subsection (B) against the same party is guilty of stalking which is a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be imprisoned not more than two years or fined not more than one thousand dollars, or both.

(D) A person who is convicted of a second or subsequent offense for a violation of subsection (B) within seven years of a prior conviction under subsection (B) against the same victim and involving an act of violence or `a credible threat' of violence, as defined in item (3) of subsection (A), is guilty of stalking which is a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be imprisoned not more than three years or fined not more than two thousand dollars, or both.

(E) This section does not apply to conduct which occurs during labor picketing."

SECTION 13. Section 16-3-1260 of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 181 of 1989, is further amended to read:

"Section 16-3-1260. (1) Any A payment of benefits to, or on behalf of, a victim or intervenor, or eligible family member under this article shall create creates a debt due and owing to the State by any a person found in as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction of this State, to have who has committed such the criminal act.

(2) The circuit court, when placing on probation any a person who owes a debt to the State as a consequence of a criminal act, may set as a condition of probation the payment of the debt or a portion of the debt to


Printed Page 5469 . . . . . Tuesday, May 3, 1994

the State. The court also may also set the schedule or amounts of payments subject to modification based on change of circumstances.

(3) The Department of Parole and Community Corrections shall also have the right to make payment of the debt or a portion of the debt to the State a condition of parole.

(4) When a juvenile is adjudicated delinquent in a Family Court proceeding involving a crime upon which a claim under this article can be made, the Family Court, in its discretion, may order that the juvenile pay the debt to the Victim's Compensation Fund State Office of Victim Assistance, as created by this article, as an adult would have to pay had an adult committed the crime. Any assessments so ordered may be made a condition of probation as provided in Section 20-7-1330.

(5)(4) Payments authorized or required under this section must be paid to the Victim's Compensation Fund State Office of Victim Assistance. The Director of the Victim's Compensation Fund State Office of Victim Assistance shall coordinate the development of policies and procedures for the South Carolina Department of Corrections, the South Carolina Office of Court Administration, and the South Carolina Board Department of Parole Probation, Pardon Services, and Community Corrections Supervision to assure that victim restitution programs are administered in an effective manner to increase payments into the Compensation Fund State Office of Victim Assistance.

(6)(5) Restitution payments to the Victim's Compensation Fund State Office of Victim Assistance may be made by the Department of Corrections from wages accumulated by offenders in its custody who are subject to this article, except that offenders wages shall must not be used for this purpose if such monthly wages are at or below minimums required to purchase basic necessities."

SECTION 14. The first paragraph of Section 16-3-1530(C) of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 68 of 1991, is further amended to read:

"Victims and witnesses who wish to receive notification and information shall provide the solicitor, the Department of Corrections, and the Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services, and Community Supervision their current address and telephone number. This information, as it is contained in Department of Corrections and Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services, and Community Supervision files, is privileged and must not be disclosed directly or indirectly, except by order of a court of competent jurisdiction. The solicitor's office which is prosecuting the case has the responsibility of the rights in this subsection, except items (6) and (7) which are the responsibility of the Department of


Printed Page 5470 . . . . . Tuesday, May 3, 1994

Probation, Parole and Pardon Services, and Community Supervision and the Department of Corrections."


| Printed Page 5450, May 3 | Printed Page 5470, May 3 |

Page Finder Index