South Carolina H 3031: Stand Your Ground, religious services

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 3031 Text of Previous Version (Dec. 06, 2024) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 3031

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 16-11-420, RELATING TO INTENT AND FINDINGS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY 
RELATING TO THE ARTICLE COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS STAND YOUR GROUND, SO AS TO 
INCLUDE PLACES OF WORSHIP; BY AMENDING SECTION 16-11-430, RELATING TO 
DEFINITIONS FOR PURPOSES OF STAND YOUR GROUND PROVISIONS, SO AS TO DEFINE THE 
TERM "PLACE OF WORSHIP"; AND BY AMENDING SECTION 16-11-440, RELATING TO THE 
PRESUMPTION OF REASONABLE FEAR OF IMMINENT PERIL WHEN USING DEADLY FORCE 
AGAINST ANOTHER UNLAWFULLY ENTERING A RESIDENCE, OCCUPIED VEHICLE, OR PLACE OF 
BUSINESS, SO AS TO INCLUDE PLACES OF WORSHIP IN THE PURVIEW OF THE STATUTE.

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

SECTION 1. Section 16-11-420 of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

 Section 
16-11-420. (A) It is the intent of 
the General Assembly to codify the common law Castle Doctrine which recognizes 
that a person's home is his castle and to extend the doctrine to include an 
occupied vehicle and the person's place of business or 
worship.

 (B) 
The General Assembly finds that it is proper for law-abiding citizens to 
protect themselves, their families, and others from intruders and attackers 
without fear of prosecution or civil action for acting in defense of themselves 
and others.

 (C) 
The General Assembly finds that Section 20, Article I of the South Carolina 
Constitution guarantees the right of the people to bear arms, and this right 
shall not be infringed.

 (D) 
The General Assembly finds that persons residing in or visiting this State have 
a right to expect to remain unmolested and safe within their homes, businesses, 
places of worship, and vehicles.

 (E) 
The General Assembly finds that no person or victim of crime should be required 
to surrender his personal safety to a criminal, nor should a person or victim 
be required to needlessly retreat in the face of intrusion or attack.

SECTION 2. Section 16-11-430 of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

 Section 
16-11-430. As used in this article, the term:

 (1) 
"Dwelling" means a building or conveyance of any kind, including an attached 
porch, whether the building or conveyance is temporary or permanent, mobile or 
immobile, which has a roof over it, including a tent, and is designed to be 
occupied by people lodging there at night.

 (2) 
"Great bodily injury" means bodily injury which creates a substantial risk of 
death or which causes serious, permanent disfigurement, or protracted loss or 
impairment of the function of a bodily member or organ.

 (3) 
"Residence" means a dwelling in which a person resides either temporarily or 
permanently or is visiting as an invited guest.

 (4) 
"Vehicle" means a conveyance of any kind, whether or not motorized, which is 
designed to transport people or property.

 (5) "Place of worship" means a church 
or other location where religious services, assemblies, or gatherings are held 
and includes worship facilities or buildings including the surrounding grounds, 
premises, or other property of a worship building or facility used in 
connection with the operation or functioning of those facilities or buildings.

SECTION 3. Section 16-11-440(C) of the S.C. Code is amended to 
read:

 (C) A person who is not engaged in an 
unlawful activity and who is attacked in another place where he has a right to 
be, including, but not limited to, his place of 
business or worship, has no duty to retreat and has 
the right to stand his ground and meet force with force, including deadly 
force, if he reasonably believes it is necessary to prevent death or great 
bodily injury to himself or another person or to prevent the commission of a 
violent crime as defined in Section 16-1-60.

SECTION 4. This act takes effect upon approval 
by the Governor.

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