Current Status Bill Number:315 Ratification Number:195 Act Number:124 Type of Legislation:General Bill GB Introducing Body:Senate Introduced Date:19970205 Primary Sponsor:Thomas All Sponsors:Thomas Drafted Document Number:pt\2880cm.97 Date Bill Passed both Bodies:19970603 Date of Last Amendment:19970528 Governor's Action:S Date of Governor's Action:19970614 Subject:Executions, witnesses at; number revised, telephoning equipment not allowed during; Crimes and Offenses
Body Date Action Description Com Leg Involved
______ ________ _______________________________________ _______ ____________
------ 19970630 Act No. A124
------ 19970614 Signed by Governor
------ 19970609 Ratified R195
Senate 19970603 Concurred in House amendment,
enrolled for ratification
House 19970529 Read third time, returned to Senate
with amendment
House 19970528 Amended, read second time
House 19970527 Committee report: Favorable with 25 HJ
amendment
House 19970410 Introduced, read first time, 25 HJ
referred to Committee
Senate 19970409 Amended, read third time,
sent to House
Senate 19970325 Read second time
Senate 19970325 Committee amendment adopted
Senate 19970320 Committee report: Favorable with 03 SCP
amendment
Senate 19970205 Introduced, read first time, 03 SCP
referred to Committee
View additional legislative information at the LPITS web site.
(A124, R195, S315)
AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 24-3-550, AS AMENDED, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO WITNESSES ATTENDING AN EXECUTION, SO AS TO REVISE THE NUMBER AND STATUS OF PERSONS WHO MAY WITNESS AN EXECUTION AND TO PROVIDE THAT A WITNESS MAY NOT POSSESS TELEPHONING EQUIPMENT IN THE CAPITAL PUNISHMENT FACILITY DURING AN EXECUTION.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
Witnesses attending an execution
SECTION 1. Section 24-3-550 of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 181 of 1993, is further amended to read:
"Section 24-3-550. (A) To carry out an execution properly, the executioner and necessary staff must be present at the execution. In addition, the following persons may be present:
(1) three representatives, approved by the director, of the family of a victim of the crime for which a death penalty was imposed, provided, that if there is more than one victim, the director may reduce the number of family representatives to one representative for each victim's family; provided, further, that if there are more than two victims, the director may restrict the total number of victims' representatives present in accordance with the space limitations of the Capital Punishment Facility;
(2) the solicitor, or an assistant solicitor designated by the solicitor, for the county where the offense occurred;
(3) a group of not more than three representatives of the South Carolina media, one of whom must represent the dominant wire service, one of whom must represent the print media, and one of whom must represent the electronic news media; and
(4) the chief law enforcement officer, or an officer designated by the chief, from the law enforcement agency that had original jurisdiction in the case.
(B) The counsel for the convict and a minister of the gospel may be present.
(C) The department shall promulgate regulations to govern the selection of media representatives.
(D) Witnesses authorized or approved pursuant to this section shall not possess telephonic equipment, cameras, or recording devices in the Capital Punishment Facility during an execution.
(E) For security purposes, the director may exclude any person who is authorized or approved pursuant to this section from the Capital Punishment Facility."
Time effective
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.
Approved the 14th day of June, 1997.