S 0912 General Bill, By Jackson, Allen, Reese, Shealy, Talley, Johnson, 
Campbell, Sabb, Gambrell, Nicholson and Rankin

Similar(H 4879)
 A BILL TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION
 40-18-75 SO AS TO PROHIBIT A PRIVATE INVESTIGATION BUSINESS FROM KNOWINGLY
 REPRESENTING MULTIPLE PARTIES WITH OPPOSING INTERESTS IN CIVIL OR CRIMINAL
 MATTERS AND TO PROVIDE PENALTIES.

   01/23/18  Senate Introduced and read first time (Senate Journal-page 10)
   01/23/18  Senate Referred to Committee on Labor, Commerce and
                     Industry (Senate Journal-page 10)
   03/13/18  Senate Committee report: Favorable Labor, Commerce and
                     Industry (Senate Journal-page 15)
   03/14/18         Scrivener's error corrected
   03/22/18  Senate Amended (Senate Journal-page 33)
   03/29/18  Senate Amended (Senate Journal-page 41)
   03/29/18  Senate Read second time (Senate Journal-page 41)
   03/29/18  Senate Roll call Ayes-44  Nays-0 (Senate Journal-page 41)
   04/10/18  Senate Read third time and sent to House
                     (Senate Journal-page 44)
   04/11/18  House  Introduced and read first time (House Journal-page 7)
   04/11/18  House  Referred to Committee on Judiciary
                     (House Journal-page 7)

AMENDED

March 29, 2018

S. 912

Introduced by Senators Jackson, Allen, Reese, Shealy, Talley, Johnson, Campbell, Sabb, Gambrell, Nicholson and Rankin

S. Printed 3/29/18--S.

Read the first time January 23, 2018.

TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 40-18-75 SO AS TO PROHIBIT A PRIVATE INVESTIGATION BUSINESS FROM KNOWINGLY REPRESENTING MULTIPLE PARTIES WITH OPPOSING INTERESTS IN CIVIL OR CRIMINAL MATTERS AND TO PROVIDE PENALTIES.

Amend Title To Conform

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

SECTION    1.    Chapter 18, Title 40 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Section 40-18-75.    (A)    No private investigator or any member of the private investigator's private investigation business shall reveal information relating to the representation of a client unless the client gives informed consent, the disclosure is implicitly authorized in order to carry out the representation, or the disclosure is permitted by subsection (B).

(B)    A private investigator may reveal information relating to the representation of a client to the extent that the private investigator reasonably believes necessary:

(1)    to prevent the client from committing a criminal act;

(2)    to prevent reasonably certain death or substantial bodily harm;

(3)    to secure legal advice about the private investigator's compliance with all applicable laws and regulations;

(4)    to establish a claim or defense on behalf of the private investigator in a controversy between the private investigator and the client, to establish a defense to a civil claim against the private investigator based upon conduct in which the client was involved, or to respond to allegations in any proceeding concerning the private investigator's representation of the client; or

(5)    to comply with other law or a court order.

(C)    It is unlawful for a private investigator or any member of the private investigator's private investigation business to:

(1)    knowingly represent a person whose interests are materially adverse to that of any of the private investigator's current or former clients, unless the relevant current or former client, as applicable, gives informed consent;

(2)    use information relating to the representation to the disadvantage of a current or former client, except as specifically permitted by these rules or when the information has become generally known; or

(3)    reveal information in violation of this section.

(D) A person who willfully violates the provisions of this section is subject to a civil penalty pursuant to Section 40-18-130."

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