Current Status Bill Number:4805 Ratification Number:517 Act Number:384 Type of Legislation:General Bill GB Introducing Body:House Introduced Date:19980312 Primary Sponsor:McGee All Sponsors:McGee, Campsen, Meacham, Knotts, McKay, Kinon, Simrill, Jordan, Martin, Kirsh, J. Brown, Stuart, Wilkins, Barrett, Young, Clyburn, Woodrum, Harrison, Klauber, Easterday, Gourdine, Spearman, Fleming, Haskins, Moody-Lawrence, Limehouse, Harrell, Robinson Drafted Document Number:jic\5292ac.98 Date Bill Passed both Bodies:19980604 Date of Last Amendment:19980602 Governor's Action:S Date of Governor's Action:19980612 Subject:Sex offender registry, registration of juveniles, minors; Crimes and Offenses, Law Enforcement
Body Date Action Description Com Leg Involved
______ ________ _______________________________________ _______ ____________
------ 19980624 Act No. A384
------ 19980612 Signed by Governor
------ 19980610 Ratified R517
House 19980604 Concurred in Senate amendment,
enrolled for ratification
Senate 19980602 Read third time, returned to House
with amendment
Senate 19980602 Amended
Senate 19980526 Read second time, notice of
general amendments
Senate 19980526 Committee amendment adopted
Senate 19980520 Committee report: Favorable with 11 SJ
amendment
Senate 19980430 Introduced, read first time, 11 SJ
referred to Committee
House 19980429 Read third time, sent to Senate
House 19980428 Amended, read second time
House 19980423 Debate adjourned until
Tuesday, 19980428
House 19980423 Co-Sponsor added (Rule 5.2) by Rep. Robinson
House 19980422 Committee report: Favorable with 25 HJ
amendment
House 19980312 Introduced, read first time, 25 HJ
referred to Committee
View additional legislative information at the LPITS web site.
(A384, R517, H4805)
AN ACT TO AMEND ARTICLE 7, CHAPTER 3, TITLE 23, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE SEX OFFENDER REGISTRY, SO AS TO FURTHER PROVIDE FOR THE REGISTRATION OF JUVENILES, INCLUDING REQUIRING THE PARENTS OF A JUVENILE TO ENSURE THAT THE JUVENILE REGISTERS; DELETING EAVESDROPPING FROM AND ADDING KIDNAPPING, IF A SEXUAL OFFENSE IS INVOLVED, TO THE CRIMES REQUIRING REGISTRATION; TO REVISE CERTAIN REGISTRATION PROCEDURES AND PROCEDURES FOR OBTAINING INFORMATION, INCLUDING SPECIFICATIONS FOR OBTAINING REGISTRY INFORMATION ON JUVENILES; TO REQUIRE THAT PSYCHIATRIC OR PSYCHOLOGICAL TREATMENT BE PROVIDED TO JUVENILES WHO HAVE COMMITTED CRIMES REQUIRING REGISTRATION; TO PROVIDE CRIMINAL PENALTIES FOR USING INFORMATION FROM THE REGISTRY IN THE COMMISSION OF A CRIME, AND TO PROVIDE IMMUNITY FROM LIABILITY; TO AMEND SECTION 20-7-7805 RELATING TO FAMILY COURT DISPOSITIONAL AUTHORITY IN JUVENILE DELINQUENCY PROCEEDINGS, SO AS TO REQUIRE THE COURT TO ORDER PSYCHIATRIC OR PSYCHOLOGICAL TREATMENT WHEN A JUVENILE HAS COMMITTED AN OFFENSE REQUIRING REGISTRATION WITH THE SEX OFFENDER REGISTRY; AND TO AMEND SECTION 20-7-8510 RELATING TO CONFIDENTIALITY AND DISCLOSURE OF JUVENILE RECORDS, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT SUCH RECORDS ARE SUBJECT TO DISCLOSURE PURSUANT TO THE SEX OFFENDER REGISTRY.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
Article revised
SECTION 1. Article 7, Chapter 3 of Title 23 of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 444 of 1996, is further amended to read:
Section 23-3-400. The intent of this article is to promote the state's fundamental right to provide for the public health, welfare, and safety of its citizens. Notwithstanding this legitimate state purpose, these provisions are not intended to violate the guaranteed constitutional rights of those who have violated our nation's laws.
The sex offender registry will provide law enforcement with the tools needed in investigating criminal offenses. Statistics show that sex offenders often pose a high risk of re-offending. Additionally, law enforcement's efforts to protect communities, conduct investigations, and apprehend offenders who commit sex offenses are impaired by the lack of information about these convicted offenders who live within the law enforcement agency's jurisdiction.
Section 23-3-410. The registry is under the direction of the chief of the State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) and shall contain information the chief considers necessary to assist law enforcement in the location of persons convicted of certain offenses. SLED shall develop and operate the registry to collect, analyze, and maintain information; to make information available to every enforcement agency in this State and in other states; and to establish a security system to ensure that only authorized persons may gain access to information gathered under this article.
Section 23-3-420. The State Law Enforcement Division shall promulgate regulations to implement the provisions of this article.
Section 23-3-430. (A) Any person, regardless of age, residing in the State of South Carolina who in this State has been convicted of, adjudicated delinquent for, pled guilty or nolo contendere to an offense described below, or who has been convicted, adjudicated delinquent, pled guilty or nolo contendere in any comparable court in the United States, or who has been convicted, adjudicated delinquent, pled guilty or nolo contendere in the United States federal courts of a similar offense, or who has been convicted of, adjudicated delinquent for, pled guilty or nolo contendere to an offense for which the person was required to register in the state where the conviction or plea occurred, shall be required to register pursuant to the provisions of this article.
(B) For purposes of this article, a person who remains in this State for a total of thirty days during a twelve-month period is a resident of this State.
(C) For purposes of this article, a person who has been convicted of, pled guilty or nolo contendere to, or been adjudicated delinquent for any of the following offenses shall be referred to as an offender:
(1) criminal sexual conduct in the first degree (Section 16-3-652);
(2) criminal sexual conduct in the second degree (Section 16-3-653);
(3) criminal sexual conduct in the third degree (Section 16-3-654);
(4) criminal sexual conduct with minors, first degree (Section 16-3-655(1));
(5) criminal sexual conduct with minors, second degree (Section 16-3-655(2) and (3). If evidence is presented at the criminal proceeding and the court makes a specific finding on the record that the conviction obtained for this offense resulted from consensual sexual conduct or consensual sexual conduct between persons under sixteen years of age, the convicted person is not an offender and is not required to register pursuant to the provisions of this article;
(6) engaging a child for sexual performance (Section 16-3-810);
(7) producing, directing, or promoting sexual performance by a child (Section 16-3-820);
(8) criminal sexual conduct: assaults with intent to commit (Section 16-3-656);
(9) incest (Section 16-15-20);
(10) buggery (Section 16-15-120);
(11) committing or attempting lewd act upon child under sixteen (Section 16-15-140);
(12) peeping (Section 16-17-470);
(13) violations of Article 3, Chapter 15 of Title 16 involving a minor which violations are felonies;
(14) a person, regardless of age, who has been convicted, adjudicated delinquent, pled guilty or nolo contendere in this State, or who has been convicted, adjudicated delinquent, pled guilty or nolo contendere in a comparable court in the United States, or who has been convicted, adjudicated delinquent, pled guilty or nolo contendere in the United States federal courts of indecent exposure or of a similar offense in other jurisdictions is required to register pursuant to the provisions of this article if the court makes a specific finding on the record that based on the circumstances of the case the convicted person should register as a sex offender;
(15) kidnapping (Section 16-3-910) except when the court makes a finding on the record that the offense did not include a criminal sexual offense.
(D) Upon conviction, adjudication of delinquency, guilty plea, or plea of nolo contendere of a person of an offense not listed in this article, the presiding judge may order as a condition of sentencing that the person be included in the sex offender registry if good cause is shown by the solicitor.
(E) SLED shall remove a person's name and any other information concerning that person from the sex offender registry immediately upon notification by the Attorney General that the person's adjudication, conviction, guilty plea, or plea of nolo contendere for an offense listed in Section 23-3-430(C) was reversed, overturned, or vacated on appeal and a final judgment has been rendered.
Section 23-3-440. (1) Prior to an offender's release from the Department of Corrections after completion of the term of imprisonment, or being placed on parole, the Department of Corrections or the Department of Probation, Parole, and Pardon Services, as applicable, shall notify the sheriff of the county where the offender intends to reside and SLED that the offender is being released and has provided an address within the jurisdiction of the sheriff for that county. The Department of Corrections shall provide verbal and written notification to the offender that he must register with the sheriff of the county in which he intends to reside within twenty-four hours of his release. Further, the Department of Corrections shall obtain descriptive information of the offender, including a current photograph prior to release.
(2) The Department of Probation, Parole, and Pardon Services shall notify SLED and the sheriff of the county where an offender is residing when the offender is sentenced to probation or is a new resident of the State who must be supervised by the department. The Department of Probation, Parole, and Pardon Services also shall provide verbal and written notification to the offender that he must register with the sheriff of the county in which he intends to reside. An offender who is sentenced to probation must register within ten days of sentencing. Further, the Department of Probation, Parole, and Pardon Services shall obtain descriptive information of the offender, including a current photograph that is to be updated annually prior to expiration of the probation sentence.
(3) The Department of Juvenile Justice shall notify SLED and the sheriff of the county where an offender is residing when the offender is released from a Department of Juvenile Justice facility or when the Department of Juvenile Justice is required to supervise the actions of the juvenile. The Department of Juvenile Justice must provide verbal and written notification to the juvenile and his parent, legal guardian, or custodian that the juvenile must register with the sheriff of the county in which the juvenile resides. The juvenile must register within twenty-four hours of his release or within ten days if he was not confined to a Department of Juvenile Justice's facility. The parents or legal guardian of a person under seventeen years of age who is required to register under this chapter must ensure that the person has registered.
(4) The Department of Corrections, the Department of Probation, Parole, and Pardon Services, and the Department of Juvenile Justice shall provide to SLED the initial registry information regarding the offender prior to his release from imprisonment or relief of supervision. This information shall be collected in the event the offender fails to register with his county sheriff.
Section 23-3-450. The offender shall register with the sheriff of the county in which he resides. To register, the offender must provide information as prescribed by SLED. The sheriff in the county in which the offender resides shall forward all required registration information to SLED within five business days. A copy of this information must be kept by the sheriff's department. The county sheriff shall ensure that all information required by SLED is secured and shall establish specific times of the day during which an offender may register. An offender shall not be considered to have registered until all information prescribed by SLED has been provided to the sheriff.
Section 23-3-460. Any person required to register under this article shall be required to register annually for life. The offender shall register at the sheriff's department in the county where he resides. A person determined by a court to be a sexually violent predator pursuant to state law is required to verify registration and be photographed every ninety days by the sheriff's department in the county in which he resides unless the person is committed to the custody of the State, whereby verification shall be held in abeyance until his release.
If any person required to register under this article changes his address within the same county, that person must send written notice of the change of address to the county sheriff within ten days of establishing the new residence.
If any person required to register under this article changes his address into another county in South Carolina, the person must register with the county sheriff in the new county within ten days of establishing the new residence. The person must also provide written notice within ten days of the change of address in the previous county to the county sheriff with whom the person last registered.
If any person required to register under this article moves outside of South Carolina, the person must provide written notice within ten days of the change of address to a new state to the county sheriff with whom the person last registered.
Any person required to register under this article who moves to South Carolina from another state and is not under the jurisdiction of the Department of Corrections, the Department of Probation, Parole, and Pardon Services, or the Department of Juvenile Justice at the time of moving to South Carolina must register within ten days of establishing residence in this State.
The sheriff of the county in which the person resides must forward all changes to any information provided by a person required to register under this article to SLED within five business days.
The South Carolina Department of Public Safety, Division of Motor Vehicles, shall inform, in writing, any new resident who applies for a driver's license, chauffeur's license, vehicle tag, or state identification card of the obligation of sex offenders to register. The department also shall inform, in writing, a person renewing a driver's license, chauffeur's license, vehicle tag, or state identification card of the requirement for sex offenders to register.
Section 23-3-470. (A) It is the duty of the offender to contact the sheriff in order to register. If an offender fails to register as required by this article, he must be punished as provided in subsection (B).
(B)(1) A person convicted for a first offense is guilty of a misdemeanor and must be imprisoned for a mandatory period of ninety days, no part of which shall be suspended nor probation granted.
(2) A person convicted for a second offense is guilty of a misdemeanor and must be imprisoned for a mandatory period of one year, no part of which shall be suspended nor probation granted.
(3) A person convicted for a third or subsequent offense is guilty of a felony and must be imprisoned for a mandatory period of five years, three years of which shall not be suspended nor probation granted.
Section 23-3-475. (A) Anyone who knowingly and wilfully gives false information when registering as an offender pursuant to this article must be punished as provided in subsection (B).
(B)(1) A person convicted for a first offense is guilty of a misdemeanor and must be imprisoned for a mandatory period of ninety days, no part of which shall be suspended nor probation granted.
(2) A person convicted for a second offense is guilty of a misdemeanor and must be imprisoned for a mandatory period of one year, no part of which shall be suspended nor probation granted.
(3) A person convicted for a third or subsequent offense is guilty of a felony and must be imprisoned for a mandatory period of five years, three years of which shall not be suspended nor probation granted.
Section 23-3-480. (A) An arrest on charges of failure to register, service of an information or complaint for failure to register, or arraignment on charges of failure to register constitutes actual notice of the duty to register. A person charged with the crime of failure to register who asserts as a defense the lack of notice of the duty to register shall register immediately following actual notice through arrest, service, or arraignment. Failure to register after notice as required by this article constitutes grounds for filing another charge of failure to register. Registering following arrest, service, or arraignment on charges does not relieve the offender from the criminal penalty for failure to register before the filing of the original charge.
(B) Section 23-3-470 shall not apply to a person convicted of an offense provided in Section 23-3-430 prior to July 1, 1994, and who was released from custody prior to July 1, 1994, unless the person has been served notice of the duty to register by the sheriff of the county in which the person resides. This person shall register within ten days of the notification of the duty to register.
Section 23-3-490. (A) Information collected for the offender registry is open to public inspection, upon request to the county sheriff. A sheriff must release information regarding a specific person or persons required to register under this article to a member of the public if the request is made in writing, on a form prescribed by SLED, stating the name of the person requesting the information, and the name or address of the person or persons about whom the information is sought. The information must be disclosed only to the person making the request. The sheriff must provide the person making the request with the full names of the requested registered sex offenders, any aliases, any other identifying physical characteristics, each offender's date of birth, the home address on file, the offense for which the offender was required to register pursuant to Section 23-3-430, and the date, city, and state of conviction. A photocopy of a current photograph must also be provided.
(B) A person may request on a form prescribed by SLED a list of registered sex offenders residing in a city, county, or zip code zone or a list of all registered sex offenders within the State from SLED. A person may request information regarding a specific person who is required to register under this article from SLED if the person requesting the information provides the name or address of the person about whom the information is sought. SLED shall provide the person making the request with the full names of the requested registered sex offenders, any aliases, any other identifying physical characteristics, each offender's date of birth, the home address on file, the offense for which the offender was required to register pursuant to Section 23-3-430, and the date, city, and state of conviction. The State Law Enforcement Division may charge a reasonable fee to cover the cost of copying and distributing sex offender registry lists as provided for in this section. These funds must be used for the sole purpose of offsetting the cost of providing sex offender registry lists.
(C) Nothing in subsection (A) prohibits a sheriff from disseminating information contained in that subsection regarding a specific person who is required to register under this article if the sheriff or another law enforcement officer has reason to believe the release of this information will deter criminal activity.
(D) For purposes of this article, information on a person adjudicated delinquent in family court for an offense listed in Section 23-3-430 must be made available to the public in accordance with the following provisions:
(1) If a person has been adjudicated delinquent for committing any of the following offenses, information must be made available to the public pursuant to subsections (A) and (B):
(a) criminal sexual conduct in the first degree (Section 16-3-652);
(b) criminal sexual conduct in the second degree (Section 16-3-653);
(c) criminal sexual conduct with minors, first degree (Section 16-3-655(1));
(d) criminal sexual conduct with minors, second degree (Section 16-3-655(2) and (3));
(e) engaging a child for sexual performance (Section 16-3-810);
(f) producing, directing, or promoting sexual performance by a child (Section 16-3-820); or
(g) kidnapping (Section 16-3-910).
(2) Information shall only be made available, upon request, to victims of or witnesses to the offense, public or private schools, child day care centers, family day care centers, businesses or organizations that primarily serve children, women, or vulnerable adults, as defined in Section 43-35-10(11), for persons adjudicated delinquent for committing any of the following offenses:
(a) criminal sexual conduct in the third degree (Section 16-3-654);
(b) criminal sexual conduct: assaults with intent to commit (Section 16-3-656);
(c) criminal sexual conduct with a minor: assaults with intent to commit (Section 16-3-656);
(d) committing or attempting lewd act upon child under sixteen (Section 16-15-140);
(e) peeping (Section 16-17-470);
(f) incest (Section 16-15-20);
(g) buggery (Section 16-15-120);
(h) violations of Article 3, Chapter 15 of Title 16 involving a minor, which violations are felonies; or
(i) indecent exposure.
(3) A person who is under twelve years of age at the time of his adjudication, conviction, guilty plea, or plea of nolo contendere for a first offense of any offense listed in Section 23-3-430(C) shall be required to register pursuant to the provisions of this chapter; however, the person's name or any other information collected for the offender registry shall not be made available to the public.
(4) A person who is under twelve years of age at the time of his adjudication, conviction, guilty plea, or plea of nolo contendere for any offense listed in Section 23-3-430(C) and who has a prior adjudication, conviction, guilty plea, or plea of nolo contendere for any offense listed in Section 23-3-430(C) shall be required to register pursuant to the provisions of this chapter, and all registry information concerning that person shall be made available to the public pursuant to items (1) and (2).
(5) Nothing in this section shall prohibit the dissemination of all registry information to law enforcement.
(E) For purposes of this section, use of computerized or electronic transmission of data or other electronic or similar means is permitted.
Section 23-3-500. A court must order that a child under twelve years of age who is convicted of, pleads guilty or nolo contendere to, or is adjudicated for an offense listed in Section 23-3-430(C) be given appropriate psychiatric or psychological treatment to address the circumstances of the offense for which the child was convicted, pled guilty or nolo contendere, or adjudicated.
Section 23-3-510. A person who commits a criminal offense using information from the sex offender registry disclosed to him pursuant to Section 23-3-490, upon conviction, must be punished as follows:
(1) For a misdemeanor offense, the maximum fine prescribed by law for the offense may be increased by not more than one thousand dollars, and the maximum term of imprisonment prescribed by law for the offense may be increased by not more than six months.
(2) For a felony offense, the maximum term of imprisonment prescribed by law for the offense may be increased by not more than five years.
Section 23-3-520. (A) An appointed or elected public official, public employee, or public agency is immune from civil liability for damages for any act or omission under this article unless the official's, employee's, or agency's conduct constitutes gross negligence.
(B) Nothing in this chapter imposes an affirmative duty on a person to disclose to a member of the public information from the sex offender registry other than on those persons responsible for providing registry information pursuant to their official duties as provided for in this chapter.
(C) Nothing in this section may be construed to mean that information regarding persons on the sex offender registry is confidential except as otherwise provided by law.
Conditions requiring psychiatric or psychological treatment
SECTION 2. Section 20-7-7805(A)(6) of the 1976 Code, as added by Act 383 of 1996, is amended to read:
"(6) require that a child under twelve years of age who is adjudicated delinquent for an offense listed in Section 23-3-430(C) be given appropriate psychiatric or psychological treatment to address the circumstances of the offense for which the child was adjudicated; and
(7) dismiss the petition or otherwise terminate its jurisdiction at any time on the motion of either party or on its own motion."
Confidentiality and release of records
SECTION 3. Section 20-7-8510 of the 1976 Code, as added by Act 383 of 1996, is amended by adding an appropriately numbered subsection to read:
"( ) The provisions of this section do not prohibit the distribution of information pursuant to the provisions of Article 7, Chapter 3 of Title 23."
Severability
SECTION 4. If any section, paragraph, provision, or portion of this act is held to be unconstitutional or invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, this holding shall not affect the constitutionality or validity of the remaining portions of this act. The General Assembly hereby declares that the provisions of this act are severable from each other.
Time effective
SECTION 5. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.
Approved the 12th day of June, 1998.