South Carolina H 3533: Assault and Battery of certain public servants

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 3533 Text of Previous Version (Dec. 06, 2024) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 3533

Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

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

A bill

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING 
SECTION 16-3-600, RELATING TO ASSAULT AND BATTERY OFFENSES, SO AS TO ADD THAT 
ASSAULT AND BATTERY OF A HIGH AND AGGRAVATED NATURE OCCURS WHEN A PERSON 
INJURES A FEDERAL, STATE, OR LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER OR CORRECTIONS 
OFFICER, A FIREFIGHTER, OR AN EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES (EMS) WORKER IN THE 
DISCHARGE OF OR BECAUSE OF THEIR OFFICIAL DUTIES.

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

SECTION 1. Section 16-3-600(B) of the S.C. Code is amended to 
read:

 (B)(1) A person commits the offense of 
assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature if the person unlawfully 
injures another person, and:

 (a) 
great bodily injury to another person results; or

 (b) 
the act is accomplished by means likely to produce death or great bodily injury; or

 (c) the person injured is a federal, 
state, or local law enforcement officer or corrections officer, including a 
county or municipal corrections officer, a firefighter, or an emergency medical 
services (EMS) worker, during or because of the performance of his official 
duties.

 (2) 
A person who violates this subsection is guilty of a felony, and, upon 
conviction, must be imprisoned for not more than twenty years.

 (3) 
Assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature is a lesser-included 
offense of attempted murder, as defined in Section 16-3-29.

SECTION 2. The repeal or amendment by this act 
of any law, whether temporary or permanent or civil or criminal, does not affect 
pending actions, rights, duties, or liabilities founded thereon, or alter, 
discharge, release or extinguish any penalty, forfeiture, or liability incurred 
under the repealed or amended law, unless the repealed or amended provision 
shall so expressly provide. After the effective date of this act, all laws 
repealed or amended by this act must be taken and treated as remaining in full 
force and effect for the purpose of sustaining any pending or vested right, 
civil action, special proceeding, criminal prosecution, or appeal existing as 
of the effective date of this act, and for the enforcement of rights, duties, 
penalties, forfeitures, and liabilities as they stood under the repealed or 
amended laws.

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

----XX----

This web page was last updated on December 06, 2024 at 12:33 PM