South Carolina H 3135: Prisoners

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 3135 Text of Previous Version (Dec. 06, 2024) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 3135

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 
24-13-185 SO AS TO PROVIDE INMATES SHALL NOT BE DENIED VISITATION RIGHTS UNDER 
CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES AND TO PROVIDE ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION DEVICES MAY BE 
USED TO ALLOW INMATES TO COMMUNICATE WITH VISITORS.

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

SECTION 1. Article 1, Chapter 13, Title 24 of the S.C. Code is 
amended by adding:

 Section 
24-13-185 (A) Notwithstanding another provision of law, a jail, detention 
facility, correctional facility, or prison shall not:

 (1) 
prohibit, eliminate, or unreasonably limit in-person visitation of inmates; or

 (2) 
coerce, compel, or pressure an inmate to forego or limit in person visitation.

 (B) A 
jail, detention facility, correctional facility, or prison may use video or 
other types of electronic devices for inmate communication with visitors. 
However, communication by way of these types of devices is in addition to and 
shall not replace in person visitation.

 (C) 
Nothing contained in this section prohibits the temporary suspension of 
visitation privileges for good cause including, but not limited to, misbehavior 
or during an emergency.

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

----XX----

This web page was last updated on December 06, 2024 at 10:37 AM