South Carolina General Assembly
107th Session, 1987-1988

Bill 3936

                    Current Status

Bill Number:               3936
Ratification Number:       666
Act Number                 579
Introducing Body:          House
Subject:                   Solicitors to forward certain
                           information
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(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

(A579, R666, H3936)

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 16-3-1550, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO VICTIM IMPACT STATEMENTS, SO AS TO REQUIRE SOLICITORS TO SEND COPIES OF CERTAIN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION TO THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS AND THE PAROLE AND COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS BOARD.

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

Solicitors to forward certain information

SECTION 1. Section 16-3-1550(B) of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"(B) It is the responsibility of the solicitor's Victim or Witness Assistance Unit in each judicial circuit or a representative designated by the solicitor or law enforcement agency handling the case to advise all victims of their right to submit to the court, orally or in writing at the victim's option, a victim impact statement to be considered by the judge at the sentencing or disposition hearing in general sessions court and at a parole hearing. The solicitor's office or law enforcement agency shall provide a copy of the written form to any victim who wishes to make a written report. In those cases which the solicitor determines that there has been extensive or significant impact on the life of the victim, the Victim or Witness Assistance Unit shall assist the victim in completing the form. The victim shall submit this statement to the solicitor's office within appropriate time limits set by the solicitor to be filed in the court records by the solicitor's office so it may be available to the defense for a reasonable period of time prior to sentencing. The court shall allow the defendant to have the opportunity to rebut the victim's written statement if the court decides to review any part of the statement before sentencing. If the defendant is incarcerated, the solicitor shall forward a copy of the impact statement and copies of all completed Victim/Witness Notification Requests to the Department of Corrections and to the Parole and Community Corrections Board. Solicitors shall begin using these victim impact statements no later than January 1, 1985."

Time effective

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