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Bill 3396

                    Current Status

Bill Number:                      3396
Type of Legislation:              General Bill GB
Introducing Body:                 House
Introduced Date:                  19990128
Primary Sponsor:                  Bowers
All Sponsors:                     Bowers, W. McLeod
Drafted Document Number:          l:\council\bills\bbm\10061sd99.doc
Residing Body:                    House
Current Committee:                Education and Public Works Committee 21 
                                  HEPW
Subject:                          Public Safety Department, sale of 
                                  photograph or information on motor vehicle 
                                  drivers license or record prohibited


                        History

Body    Date      Action Description                     Com     Leg Involved
______  ________  ______________________________________ _______ ____________
House   19990128  Introduced, read first time,           21 HEPW
                  referred to Committee


                             Versions of This Bill

TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 23-6-93 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY SHALL NOT SELL PHOTOGRAPHS OR DIGITIZED IMAGES CONTAINED IN A PERSON'S DRIVER'S LICENSE RECORD, AND TO DELETE PARAGRAPH 36.12, SECTION 36, PART IB OF ACT 419 OF 1998 WHICH AUTHORIZES THE SALE OF SUCH ITEMS.

Whereas, over 3.5 million driver's license photographs were sold in 1998 by the Department of Public Safety to a New Hampshire firm for five thousand dollars which translates into less than one cent per picture; and

Whereas, individuals can purchase a copy of anyone's driver's license for two dollars. Therefore, at that price, the New England firm would have had to pay the State seven million dollars; and

Whereas, some states, including New Hampshire, have adopted laws barring the sale of driver's license photographs; and

Whereas, the sale of copies of photographs of South Carolinians who possess a driver's license is an unnecessary intrusion into their privacy. Now, therefore,

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

SECTION 1. The 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Section 23-6-93. The Department of Public Safety shall not sell copies of photography, electronically stored information, stored photographs, or digitized images contained in a person's driver's license record."

SECTION 2. Paragraph 36.12, Section 36, Part IB of Act 419 of 1998 is deleted.

SECTION 3. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

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