S 1249 Session 110 (1993-1994)
S 1249 General Bill, By M.T. Rose
A Bill to amend the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding Section
24-21-710 so as to require the Director of the Department of Probation, Parole
and Pardon Services to develop written policies and procedures for parole
hearings to be held by video camera and to promulgate certain regulations,
allow the victim of the crime for which a prisoner has been sentenced to
submit on film, video tape, or other electronic means or in the form of a
recording or testimony at the prisoner's parole hearing information for
consideration by the Board of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services, allow the
same procedure for the prosecuting solicitor, require the Board to consider,
in making its determination regarding parole for a prisoner, material on film,
video tape, or other electronic means or in the form of a recording or
testimony submitted by the prosecuting solicitor or the victim or both, and
provide for related matters and details concerning such film, video tape,
other electronic instrument, or recording allowed by this Section; to require
the Department of Corrections to install and use a closed circuit television
system in each correctional institution of the Department that has persons
eligible for parole, and require the Department of Probation, Parole and
Pardon Services to install and use the same system at the principal office of
the Department, for the purpose of the conduct of parole hearings by means of
a two-way closed circuit television system, and require that parole hearings
be conducted by means of such system.
03/10/94 Senate Introduced and read first time SJ-2
03/10/94 Senate Referred to Committee on Corrections and Penology SJ-2
A BILL
TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976,
BY ADDING SECTION 24-21-710 SO AS TO REQUIRE THE
DIRECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF PROBATION, PAROLE
AND PARDON SERVICES TO DEVELOP WRITTEN POLICIES
AND PROCEDURES FOR PAROLE HEARINGS TO BE HELD BY
VIDEO CAMERA AND TO PROMULGATE CERTAIN
REGULATIONS, ALLOW THE VICTIM OF THE CRIME FOR
WHICH A PRISONER HAS BEEN SENTENCED TO SUBMIT ON
FILM, VIDEO TAPE, OR OTHER ELECTRONIC MEANS OR IN
THE FORM OF A RECORDING OR TESTIMONY AT THE
PRISONER'S PAROLE HEARING INFORMATION FOR
CONSIDERATION BY THE BOARD OF PROBATION, PAROLE
AND PARDON SERVICES, ALLOW THE SAME PROCEDURE
FOR THE PROSECUTING SOLICITOR, REQUIRE THE BOARD
TO CONSIDER, IN MAKING ITS DETERMINATION
REGARDING PAROLE FOR A PRISONER, MATERIAL ON FILM,
VIDEO TAPE, OR OTHER ELECTRONIC MEANS OR IN THE
FORM OF A RECORDING SUBMITTED BY THE PERSON
WHOSE PAROLE IS BEING CONSIDERED AND MATERIAL ON
FILM, VIDEO TAPE, OR OTHER ELECTRONIC MEANS OR IN
THE FORM OF A RECORDING OR TESTIMONY SUBMITTED
BY THE PROSECUTING SOLICITOR OR THE VICTIM OR
BOTH, AND PROVIDE FOR RELATED MATTERS AND
DETAILS CONCERNING SUCH FILM, VIDEO TAPE, OTHER
ELECTRONIC INSTRUMENT, OR RECORDING ALLOWED BY
THIS SECTION; TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT OF
CORRECTIONS TO INSTALL AND USE A CLOSED CIRCUIT
TELEVISION SYSTEM IN EACH CORRECTIONAL
INSTITUTION OF THE DEPARTMENT THAT HAS PERSONS
ELIGIBLE FOR PAROLE, AND REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT
OF PROBATION, PAROLE AND PARDON SERVICES TO
INSTALL AND USE THE SAME SYSTEM AT THE PRINCIPAL
OFFICE OF THE DEPARTMENT, FOR THE PURPOSE OF THE
CONDUCT OF PAROLE HEARINGS BY MEANS OF A TWO-WAY CLOSED CIRCUIT TELEVISION SYSTEM, AND REQUIRE
THAT PAROLE HEARINGS BE CONDUCTED BY MEANS OF
SUCH SYSTEM.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
SECTION 1. Article 7, Chapter 21, Title 24 of the 1976 Code is
amended by adding:
"Section 24-21-710. (A) The director shall develop written
policies and procedures for parole hearings to be held by video camera
and shall promulgate any regulations necessary to give effect to the
provisions of this section.
(B) The victim of the crime for which the prisoner has been
sentenced, upon receipt of the notice required by law, may, in addition
to any other method allowed by law, submit on film, video tape, or
other electronic means or in the form of a recording or testimony at
the parole hearing information for consideration by the board.
(C) The prosecuting solicitor's office, upon receipt of the notice
required by law, may, in addition to any other method allowed by law,
submit on film, video tape, or other electronic means or in the form
of a recording or testimony at the parole hearing relevant information
for the board's consideration, but the prosecuting solicitor's office may
waive the written notice under this subsection.
(D) In making its determination of parole, the board shall consider
in addition to all other matters, reports, or materials as provided by
law (1) material on film, video tape, or other electronic means, or in
the form of a recording submitted by the person whose parole is being
considered, and (2) material on film, video tape, or other electronic
means or in the form of a recording or testimony submitted by the
prosecuting solicitor or the victim or both.
(E) Any film, video tape, other electronic instrument, or recording
considered by the board under this section must be in the form
designated by the director pursuant to subsection (A). The film, video
tape, other electronic instrument, or recording must be both visual and
aural. Every voice on the recording, film, video tape, or other
electronic instrument and every person present must be identified.
The recording, film, video tape, or other electronic instrument shall
contain either a visual or aural statement of the person submitting the
recording, film, video tape, or other electronic instrument, the date of
the recording, film, video tape, or other electronic instrument, and the
name of the person whose parole eligibility is being considered.
These recordings, films, video tapes, or other electronic instruments,
if retained by the board, must be deemed to be submitted at any
subsequent parole hearing if the victim or prosecuting solicitor submits
in writing a declaration clearly identifying the recording, film, video
tape, or other electronic instrument as representing the present position
of the victim or the prosecuting solicitor regarding the issues to be
considered at the parole hearing."
SECTION 2. The Department of Corrections shall install,
maintain, and operate a closed circuit television system in each
correctional institution of the department that has committed persons
eligible for parole, and the Department of Probation, Parole and
Pardon Services shall install, maintain, and operate a closed circuit
television system at the principal office of the Department of
Probation, Parole and Pardon Services, for the purpose of the conduct
of parole hearings by the Board of Probation, Parole and Pardon
Services by means of a two-way closed circuit television system. The
Board of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services shall conduct parole
hearings by means of a two-way closed circuit television system as
provided in this section.
SECTION 3. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.
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