South Carolina S 120: NCIC

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 120 Text of Previous Version (Dec. 11, 2024) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 120

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 23-23-60, RELATING TO CERTIFICATES OF COMPLIANCE, INFORMATION TO BE 
SUBMITTED RELATED TO QUALIFICATION OF CANDIDATES FOR CERTIFICATION, AND 
EXPIRATION OF CERTIFICATES FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS, SO AS TO PERMIT SLED 
TO CONDUCT STATE- AND FEDERAL-LEVEL CRIMINAL RECORDS CHECKS ON INDIVIDUALS 
SEEKING CERTIFICATION.

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

SECTION 1. Section 23-23-60 of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

 Section 
23-23-60. (A) At the request of any 
public law enforcement agency of this State the council is hereby authorized to 
issue certificates and other appropriate indicia of compliance and 
qualification to law enforcement officers or other persons trained under the 
provisions of this chapter. Members of the council may individually or 
collectively visit and inspect any training school, class, or academy dealing 
with present or prospective law enforcement officers, and are expected to 
promote the most efficient and economical program for police training, 
including the maximum utilization of existing facilities and programs for the 
purpose of avoiding duplication. The council may make recommendations to the 
director, the General Assembly, or to the Governor regarding the carrying out 
of the purposes, objectives, and intentions of this chapter or other acts 
relating to training in law enforcement.

 (B) 
All city and county police departments, sheriffs' offices, state agencies, or 
other employers of law enforcement officers having such officers as candidates 
for certification shall submit to the director, for his confidential 
information and subsequent safekeeping, the following:

 (1) 
an application under oath on a format prescribed by the director;

 (2) 
evidence satisfactory to the director that the candidate has completed high 
school and received a high school diploma, equivalency certificate (military or 
other) recognized and accepted by the South Carolina Department of Education or 
South Carolina special certificate;

 (3) 
evidence satisfactory to the director of the candidate's physical fitness to 
fulfill the duties of a law enforcement officer including:

 (a) 
a copy of his medical history compiled by a licensed physician or medical 
examiner approved by the employer;

 (b) 
a certificate of a licensed physician that the candidate has recently undergone 
a complete medical examination and the results thereof;

 (4) 
evidence satisfactory to the director that the applicant has not been convicted 
of any criminal offense that carries a sentence of one year or more or of any 
criminal offense that involves moral turpitude. Forfeiture of bond, a guilty 
plea, or a plea of nolo contendere is considered the equivalent of a 
conviction;

 (5) 
evidence satisfactory to the director that the candidate is a person of good 
character. This evidence must include, but is not limited to:

 (a) 
certification by the candidate's employer that a background investigation has 
been conducted and the employer is of the opinion that the candidate is of good 
character;

 (b) 
evidence satisfactory to the director that the candidate holds a valid current 
state driver's license with no record during the previous five years for 
suspension of driver's license as a result of driving under the influence of 
alcoholic beverages or dangerous drugs, driving while impaired (or the 
equivalent), reckless homicide, involuntary manslaughter, or leaving the scene 
of an accident. Candidates for certification as state or local correctional 
officers may hold a valid current driver's license issued by any jurisdiction 
of the United States;

 (c) 
evidence satisfactory to the director that a local credit check has been made 
with favorable results;

 (d) 
evidence satisfactory to the director that the candidate's fingerprint record 
as received from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and South Carolina Law 
Enforcement Division indicates no record of felony convictions; and

 (e) 
evidence satisfactory to the director that the candidate has signed an 
attestation form committing to the practice of ethical policing, which means 
the discharge of responsibilities, stemming from employment as a law 
enforcement officer, which is devoid of misconduct and which is carried out in 
conformance with this chapter, including the duty to safeguard life and the 
duty to intervene.

 In the director's 
determination of good character, the director shall give consideration to all 
law violations, including traffic and conservation law convictions, as 
indicating a lack of good character. The dire