South Carolina General Assembly
111th Session, 1995-1996

Bill 3268

                    Current Status

Bill Number:                    3268
Ratification Number:            377
Act Number:                     317
Type of Legislation:            General Bill GB
Introducing Body:               House
Introduced Date:                19950117
Primary Sponsor:                Richardson 
All Sponsors:                   Richardson, Vaughn, Harvin, Bailey,
                                Cotty, Limbaugh, Chamblee, Wofford,
                                A. Young, Shissias, Stuart, Lloyd,
                                Sandifer, Thomas, Witherspoon, Wells,
                                Keyserling, Walker and Harrison 
Drafted Document Number:        PT\1520HTC.95
Date Bill Passed both Bodies:   19960501
Date of Last Amendment:         19960425
Governor's Action:              S
Date of Governor's Action:      19960520
Subject:                        Murder, punishment for
History



Body    Date      Action Description                       Com     Leg Involved
______  ________  _______________________________________  _______ ____________

------  19960530  Act No. A317
------  19960520  Signed by Governor
------  19960514  Ratified R377
House   19960501  Concurred in Senate amendment, 
                  enrolled for ratification
Senate  19960429  Read third time, returned to House
                  with amendment
Senate  19960425  Amended, read second time
Senate  19960410  Committee report: Favorable with         11 SJ
                  amendment
Senate  19950214  Introduced, read first time,             11 SJ
                  referred to Committee
House   19950210  Read third time, sent to Senate
House   19950209  Unanimous consent for third
                  reading on the next Legislative day
House   19950209  Read second time
House   19950208  Committee report: Favorable              25 HJ
House   19950117  Introduced, read first time,             25 HJ
                  referred to Committee
View additional legislative information at the LPITS web site.

(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

(A317, R377, H3268)

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 16-3-20, AS AMENDED, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE PUNISHMENT FOR MURDER, SO AS TO INCLUDE THE MURDER OF A WITNESS OR POTENTIAL WITNESS COMMITTED AT ANY TIME DURING THE CRIMINAL PROCESS FOR THE PURPOSE OF IMPEDING OR DETERRING PROSECUTION OF ANY CRIME AS AN AGGRAVATING CIRCUMSTANCE IN CONSIDERATION OF IMPOSING THE DEATH PENALTY.

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

Aggravating circumstance

SECTION 1. Section 16-3-20(C)(a) of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 83 of 1995, is further amended by adding at the end:

"( ) The murder of a witness or potential witness committed at any time during the criminal process for the purpose of impeding or deterring prosecution of any crime."

Time effective

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

Approved the 20th day of May, 1996.