Current Status Bill Number:1103 Type of Legislation:General Bill GB Introducing Body:Senate Introduced Date:19960206 Primary Sponsor:Leventis All Sponsors:Leventis Drafted Document Number:pfm\7899dw.96 Companion Bill Number:4398 Residing Body:Senate Current Committee:Labor, Commerce and Industry Committee 12 SLCI Subject:Retailers, records of source of merchandise
Body Date Action Description Com Leg Involved ______ ________ _______________________________________ _______ ____________ Senate 19960206 Introduced, read first time, 12 SLCI referred to CommitteeView additional legislative information at the LPITS web site.
TO AMEND TITLE 40, CHAPTER 41, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING ARTICLE 9 SO AS TO DEFINE "RETAILER", TO REQUIRE A RETAILER TO KEEP A RECORD OF THE SOURCE OF NEW MERCHANDISE THAT THE RETAILER OFFERS FOR SALE, TO SPECIFY THE TYPE OF RECORD OR DOCUMENTATION THAT IS REQUIRED, TO PROVIDE THAT THE MERCHANDISE MAY BE CONFISCATED BY A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, TO PROVIDE EXEMPTIONS, AND TO PROVIDE A PENALTY FOR VIOLATION.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
SECTION 1. Title 40, Chapter 41 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:
Section 40-41-710. (A) For purposes of this section, `retailer' means a retailer of a `transient business' or a `temporary business' as defined in Section 12-36-510.
(B) A retailer shall keep a record of the source of new merchandise the retailer offers for sale. The record may be a receipt or an invoice from the person who sold the merchandise to the retailer or any other documentation that establishes the source of the merchandise.
(1) The record or documentation must include:
(a) the physical address of the source;
(b) the date the merchandise was purchased by the retailer;
(c) the price paid for the merchandise;
(d) the quantity; and
(e) the name of source.
(2) The retailer shall keep the record at the same location as the new merchandise being offered for sale and shall maintain the record for one year after the merchandise is sold.
(B) Upon the request of a law enforcement officer, after forming a reasonable suspicion that the merchandise possessed by the retailer may have been stolen, the retailer shall produce the record of the source of new merchandise the retailer offers for sale.
(C) If the retailer fails to produce the requested record the officer may seize the merchandise and hold it in custody as evidence and the retailer may be punished as follows:
(1) Upon conviction for a first offense, the retailer is guilty of a misdemeanor and must be fined not more than five hundred dollars or imprisoned not more than thirty days, or both.
(2) Upon conviction of a second offense, the retailer must be fined not less than one thousand nor more than five thousand dollars or imprisoned not less than thirty nor more than sixty days, or both.
(3) Upon conviction of a third offense, the retailer's Sales and Use Tax License must be revoked and the retailer must be fined not less than one thousand nor more than five thousand dollars or imprisoned not less than thirty nor more than sixty days, or both.
(D) Merchandise confiscated pursuant to the provisions of this section may be disposed of in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 21, Title 27.
(E) The provisions of this section do not apply to a charitable organization offering merchandise for sale."
SECTION 2. This act takes effect January 1, 1997.