South Carolina S 73: Enhanced Penalties

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 73 Text of Previous Version (Dec. 11, 2024) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 73

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 ADDING SECTION 
16-3-605 SO AS TO CREATE AN ENHANCED PENALTY FOR CONVICTIONS BY PERSONS UNDER 
SECTION 16-3-600 AGAINST EDUCATIONAL PROFESSIONALS DURING THE PERFORMANCE OF THEIR 
OFFICIAL DUTIES.

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

SECTION 1. Chapter 3, Title 16 of the S.C. Code is amended by 
adding:

 Section 
16-3-605. (A) As used in this 
section, "educational professional" means a licensed teacher, 
principal, administrator, or other educational provider who works on school 
grounds.

 (B) If 
a person is convicted of an offense as defined in Section 16-3-600, and the 
offense was committed against an educational professional during the 
performance of his official duties, then he must be imprisoned up to an 
additional five years, in addition to the punishment provided for the principal 
crime.

 (C) The 
court may impose this sentence to run consecutively or concurrently.

 (D) The 
penalty provided under this section may not be suspended nor probation granted.

 (E) The 
additional punishment may not be imposed unless the indictment alleged as a 
separate count that the offense was committed against an educational 
professional who was acting at the time of the offense in his official capacity 
and conviction was had upon this count in the indictment. The penalties 
prescribed in this section may not be imposed unless the person convicted was, 
at the same time, indicted and convicted of a crime as defined in Section 
16-3-600.

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

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This web page was last updated on December 11, 2024 at 04:40 PM