H 3309 General Bill, By Knotts and Whatley

Similar(S 145)
 A BILL TO AMEND CHAPTER 3, TITLE 16, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976,
 RELATING TO OFFENSES AGAINST THE PERSON, BY ADDING ARTICLE 19, SO AS TO
 ESTABLISH THE "SOUTH CAROLINA VIOLENCE PREVENTION AUTHORITY" WHICH SHALL
 COORDINATE VIOLENCE PREVENTION EFFORTS THROUGHOUT THE STATE; AND TO AMEND
 CHAPTER 3, TITLE 56, RELATING TO THE REGISTRATION AND LICENSING OF MOTOR
 VEHICLES, BY ADDING ARTICLE 79 SO AS TO PROVIDE FOR THE ISSUANCE OF VIOLENCE
 PREVENTION MOTOR VEHICLE LICENSE PLATES AND THE FEES MUST BE USED FOR THE
 OPERATION OF THE VIOLENCE PREVENTION AUTHORITY.

   01/20/99  House  Introduced and read first time HJ-8
   01/20/99  House  Referred to Committee on Judiciary HJ-8

TO AMEND CHAPTER 3, TITLE 16, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO OFFENSES AGAINST THE PERSON, BY ADDING ARTICLE 19, SO AS TO ESTABLISH THE "SOUTH CAROLINA VIOLENCE PREVENTION AUTHORITY" WHICH SHALL COORDINATE VIOLENCE PREVENTION EFFORTS THROUGHOUT THE STATE; AND TO AMEND CHAPTER 3, TITLE 56, RELATING TO THE REGISTRATION AND LICENSING OF MOTOR VEHICLES, BY ADDING ARTICLE 79 SO AS TO PROVIDE FOR THE ISSUANCE OF VIOLENCE PREVENTION MOTOR VEHICLE LICENSE PLATES AND THE FEES MUST BE USED FOR THE OPERATION OF THE VIOLENCE PREVENTION AUTHORITY.

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

SECTION 1. Chapter 3, Title 16 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Article 19

Section 16-3-1900. (A) There is hereby established the South Carolina Violence Prevention Authority. The authority shall consist of twenty members including the Attorney General who shall serve ex officio and as chairman. The remaining nineteen members must be appointed as provided in subsection (B). In addition to the chairman, the members of the authority may elect other necessary officers.

(B)(1) The Governor shall appoint five members to the authority, with one member representing each of the following cabinet agencies: the Department of Juvenile Justice; the Department of Social Services; the Department of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Services; the Department of Health and Environmental Control; and the Department of Corrections.

(2) The Senate President Pro Tempore shall appoint five members to the authority, with one member representing each of the following disciplines: medicine; mental health; domestic violence; sexual assault prevention or treatment; and education.

(3) The Speaker of the House of Representatives shall appoint five members to the authority, with one member representing each of the following disciplines: medicine; mental health; domestic violence; sexual assault prevention or treatment; and education.

(4) The Attorney General shall appoint four members to the authority, with one member representing each of the following disciplines: law enforcement; prosecution; victims' advocacy; and criminal justice.

(C) Members of the authority shall serve terms coterminous with those of their appointing authorities. A vacancy must be filled in the same manner as the original appointment.

Section 16-3-1910. The duties and responsibilities of the authority include, but are not limited to:

(1) coordination of statewide violence prevention efforts and development of a statewide plan that incorporates public health and public safety approaches to violence prevention in families, communities, and schools;

(2) seeking, receiving, and expending funds that are available from private and public sources for violence prevention;

(3) distribution of grants, pursuant to available appropriations and other funds received for the purposes of this article, to community or statewide organizations that address violence prevention in a comprehensive and collaborative manner; and

(4) provision of technical assistance and training to help build the capacity of communities, organizations, and systems to develop, implement, and evaluate violence prevention programs, including the hiring of staff to administer this article."

SECTION 2. Chapter 3, Title 56 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Article 79

Section 56-3-8000. (A) The department may issue special motor vehicle license plates promoting violence prevention that are designed under the direction of the South Carolina Violence Prevention Authority. The fee for this special license plate is fifty-four dollars every two years in addition to the regular motor vehicle registration fee contained in Article 5, Chapter 3 of this title. The special license plate must be the same size and general design of regular motor vehicle license plates. The license plate must be issued or revalidated for a biennial period which expires twenty-four months from the month it is issued.

(B) The fees collected pursuant to this section must be deposited into a special fund maintained by the State Treasurer to be used for the operation of the South Carolina Violence Prevention Authority."

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