H 4015 General Bill, By Beck
 A BILL TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION
 16-13-465 SO AS TO ESTABLISH THE OFFENSE OF CRIMINAL USE OF AN ARTICLE WITH AN
 ALTERED IDENTIFICATION MARK, AND TO PROVIDE A PENALTY.

   04/29/99  House  Introduced and read first time HJ-7
   04/29/99  House  Referred to Committee on Judiciary HJ-7

TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 16-13-465 SO AS TO ESTABLISH THE OFFENSE OF CRIMINAL USE OF AN ARTICLE WITH AN ALTERED IDENTIFICATION MARK, AND TO PROVIDE A PENALTY.

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

SECTION 1. The 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Section 16-13-465. (A) A person who buys, sells, receives, disposes, conceals, or has in his possession a radio, piano, phonograph, sewing machine, washing machine, typewriter, adding machine, comptometer, bicycle, firearm, safe, vacuum cleaner, dictaphone, watch, watch movement, watch case, or any other mechanical or electrical device, appliance, contrivance, material, or a piece of apparatus or equipment other than a motor vehicle from which he knows the manufacturer's name plate, serial number, or any other distinguishing number or identification mark has been removed for the purpose of concealing or destroying the identity of the article is guilty of the felony of criminal use of an article with an altered identification mark and, upon conviction must be imprisoned not less than one year and not more than five years.

(B) The provisions contained in this section do not apply to instances in which the changes or alterations contained in subsection (A) have been customarily made as an established practice in the ordinary and regular conduct of business by the original manufacturer or by his direct representative or under the authorization from the original manufacturer."

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