South Carolina S 504: Distribution of controlled substance within proximity

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 504 Text of Previous Version (Mar. 11, 2026) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 504

Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

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

Indicates Matter Stricken

Indicates New Matter

Committee Report

March 11, 2026

S. 504

Introduced by Senators Blackmon, Hembree, Zell, 
Chaplin, Nutt, Stubbs, Fernandez, Elliott, Walker, Ott and Graham 

S. Printed 3/11/26--S.

Read the first time March 26, 2025

________

The committee on Senate Judiciary

To whom was referred a Bill (S. 504) to amend 
the South Carolina Code of Laws by amending Section 44-53-445, relating to the 
distribution of controlled substances within proximity of schools, so as, etc., 
respectfully

Report:

That they have duly and carefully considered 
the same, and recommend that the same do pass:

LUKE RANKIN for Committee.

_______

A bill

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING 
SECTION 44-53-445, RELATING TO THE DISTRIBUTION OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES WITHIN 
PROXIMITY OF SCHOOLS, SO AS TO INCLUDE CHILD CARE FACILITIES AND DAY PROGRAMS 
AND PROVIDE RELATED DEFINITIONS.

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

SECTION 1. Sections 44-53-445(A), (B), and (C) of the S.C. Code are 
amended to read:

 Section 
44-53-445. (A) It is a separate 
criminal offense for a person to distribute, sell, purchase, manufacture, or to 
unlawfully possess with intent to distribute, a controlled substance while in, 
on, or within a one-half mile radius of the grounds of a public or private elementary, 
middle, or secondary school; a public playground or park; a public vocational 
or trade school or technical educational center; or a 
public or private college or university; a childcare 
facility as defined in Section 63-13-20; or a day program as defined in Section 
44-20-30.

 (B) 
For a person to be convicted of an offense pursuant to subsection (A), the 
person must:

 (1) 
have knowledge that he is in, on, or within a one-half mile radius of the 
grounds of a public or private elementary, middle, or secondary school; a 
public playground or park; a public vocational or trade school or technical 
educational center; or a public or private college 
or university; a child care facility as defined in Section 
63-13-20; or a day program as defined in Section 44-20-30; and

 (2) 
actually distribute, sell, purchase, manufacture, or unlawfully possess with 
intent to distribute, the controlled substance within a one-half mile radius of 
the grounds of a public or private elementary, middle, or secondary school; a 
public playground or park; a public vocational or trade school or technical 
educational center; or a public or private college 
or university; a child care facility as defined in Section 
63-13-20; or a day program as defined in Section 44-20-30.

 (C) 
A person must not be convicted of an offense pursuant to subsection (A) if the 
person is stopped by a law enforcement officer for the controlled substance 
offense within a one-half mile radius of the grounds of a public or private 
elementary, middle, or secondary school; a public playground or park; a 
public vocational or trade school or technical educational center; or a public 
or private college or university, but did not actually commit the controlled 
substance offense within a one-half mile radius of the grounds of a public or 
private elementary, middle, or secondary school; a public playground or park; 
a public vocational or trade school or technical educational center; or a public or private college or university, or a child care facility as defined in Section 63-13-20; or a 
day program as defined in Section 44-20-30.

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

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This web page was last updated on March 11, 2026 at 08:14 PM