South Carolina H 3055: Harassment and Stalking

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 3055 Text of Previous Version (Dec. 06, 2024) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 3055

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 16-3-1700, RELATING TO DEFINITIONS REGARDING HARASSMENT AND STALKING 
OFFENSEs, SO AS TO REVISE THE DEFINiTION OF "PATTERN" TO INCLUDE INCIDENCES IN 
WHICH ONE ACT IS COMMITTED AGAINST ONE VICTIM AND ANOTHER ACT IS COMMITTED 
AGAINST ANOTHER VICTIM EQUALING TWO ACTS SIMILAR IN NATURE; and BY AMENDING 
SECTION 16-3-1710, RELATING TO PENALTIES FOR CONVICTIONS OF HARASSMENT IN THE 
SECOND DEGREE, BY AMENDING SECTION 16-3-1720, RELATING TO PENALTIES FOR 
CONVICTIONs OF HARASSMENT IN THE FIRST DEGREE; AND BY AMENDING SECTION 
16-3-1730, RELATING TO PENALTIES FOR CONVICTIONs OF STALKING, all so AS TO 
REMOVE THE TEn-YEAR RESTRICTION FOR PRIOR OFFENSES AND PROVIDE THAT PROVISIONS 
REGARDING RESTRAINING ORDERS APPLY NO MATTER THE VICTIM.

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

SECTION 1. Section 16-3-1700(D) of the S.C. Code is amended to 
read:

 (D) "Pattern" means two or more acts 
occurring over a period of time, however short, evidencing a continuity of 
purpose and includes incidences in which one act is 
committed against one victim and another act is committed against another 
victim equaling two acts similar in nature punishable as provided in this 
article.

SECTION 2. Section 16-3-1710(B) of the S.C. Code is amended to 
read:

 (B) A person convicted of harassment 
in the second degree is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be 
fined not more than one thousand dollars, imprisoned not more than one year, or 
both if:

 (1) 
the person has a prior conviction of harassment or stalking within the preceding ten years; or

 (2) 
at the time of the harassment an injunction or restraining order, including a 
restraining order issued by the family court, was in effect prohibiting the 
harassment, whether or not the injunction or restraining 
order involved the same victim.

SECTION 3. Section 16-3-1720 (B) and (C) of the S.C. Code is 
amended to read:

 (B) A person who engages in harassment 
in the first degree when an injunction or restraining order, including a 
restraining order issued by the family court, is in effect prohibiting this 
conduct, whether or not the injunction or restraining 
order involved the same victim, is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon 
conviction, must be fined not more than two thousand dollars, imprisoned not 
more than three years, or both.

 (C) 
A person who engages in harassment in the first degree and who has a prior 
conviction of harassment or stalking within the preceding 
ten years is guilty of a felony and, upon conviction, must be fined not 
more than five thousand dollars, imprisoned not more than five years, or both.

SECTION 4. Section 16-3-1730 (B) and (C) of the S.C. Code is 
amended to read:

 (B) A person who engages in stalking 
when an injunction or restraining order, including a restraining order issued 
by the family court, is in effect prohibiting this conduct, 
whether or not the injunction or restraining order involved the same victim, 
is guilty of a felony and, upon conviction, must be fined not more than seven 
thousand dollars, imprisoned not more than ten years, or both.

 (C) 
A person who engages in stalking and who has a prior conviction of harassment 
or stalking within the preceding ten years is 
guilty of a felony and, upon conviction, must be fined not more than ten 
thousand dollars, imprisoned not more than fifteen years, or both.

SECTION 5. This act takes effect upon approval 
by the Governor.

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