S 0027  General Bill, By Hutto
 A BILL A BILL TO AMEND SECTION ARTICLE 3, CHAPTER 53, TITLE 44, OF THE CODE OF
 LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO NARCOTICS AND CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES,
 TO PROHIBIT THE POSSESSION OF ONE DOSAGE UNIT OR LESS OF A CONTROLLED
 SUBSTANCE, AND TO PROVIDE PENALTIES.
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   12/12/18  Senate Prefiled
   12/12/18  Senate Referred to Committee on Judiciary
   01/08/19  Senate Introduced and read first time (Senate Journal-page 51)
   01/08/19  Senate Referred to Committee on Judiciary
                     (Senate Journal-page 51)

A BILL TO AMEND SECTION ARTICLE 3, CHAPTER 53, TITLE 44, OF THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO NARCOTICS AND CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES, TO PROHIBIT THE POSSESSION OF ONE DOSAGE UNIT OR LESS OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE, AND TO PROVIDE PENALTIES.

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

SECTION    1.    Article 3, Chapter 53, Title 44 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Section 44-53-377.    (A)    It is unlawful for a person to knowingly possess one dosage unit or less of a controlled substance or a controlled substance analogue as defined in Section 44-53-110.

(B)    A person who violates the provisions of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be imprisoned for not more than thirty days or fined not more than five hundred dollars, or both.

(C)    This offense is a lesser included offense of any possession of a controlled substance offense as defined in Section 44-53-370(c) or Section 44-53-375(A).

(D)    This section shall not apply if the substance was obtained directly from, or pursuant to a valid prescription or order of, a practitioner while acting in the course of his professional practice, or except as otherwise authorized by this article."

SECTION    2.    This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.