South Carolina S 841: A BILL TO AMEND SECTION 22-1-17(A) OF THE 1976 CODE, RELATING TO CONTINUING EDUCATION FOR MAGISTRATES, TO PROVIDE THAT CONTINUING EDUCATION FOR MAGISTRATES MUST REQUIRE TWO HOURS OF EDUCATION IN THE AREA OF ANIMAL CRUELTY; TO AMEND CHAPTER 1, TITLE 47 OF THE 1976 CODE, RELATING TO CRUELTY TO ANIMALS, BY ADDING ARTICLE 2, TO PROVIDE THAT A PERSON WHO CRUELLY TETHERS A DOG IS GUILTY OF A MISDEMEANOR AND, UPON CONVICTION, MUST BE PUNISHED BY IMPRISONMENT NOT EXCEEDING NINETY DAYS OR BY A FINE OF NOT LESS THAN ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS NOR MORE THAN ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS, OR BOTH, FOR A FIRST OFFENSE, OR BY IMPRISONMENT NOT EXCEEDING TWO YEARS OR BY A FINE NOT EXCEEDING TWO THOUSAND DOLLARS, OR BOTH, FOR A SECOND OR SUBSEQUENT OFFENSE; TO AMEND SECTION 47-3-60 OF THE 1976 CODE, RELATING TO THE DISPOSITION OF QUARANTINED OR IMPOUNDED ANIMALS, TO PROVIDE THAT, UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, A LITTER OF UNIDENTIFIABLE DOGS OR CATS FOUR MONTHS OF AGE OR YOUNGER MAY BE TURNED OVER TO AN ORGANIZATION, AND TO PROVIDE THAT ALL HEALTHY, UNIDENTIFIABLE CATS FOUND OR PICKED UP FROM AN OUTSIDE AREA AND CONSIDERED STRAY MAY BE STERILIZED WITHIN TWENTY-FOUR HOURS AND THEN RETURNED TO THE AREA IN WHICH THEY WERE FOUND TWENTY-FOUR HOURS AFTER SURGERY; TO AMEND CHAPTER 1, TITLE 47 OF THE 1976 CODE, RELATING TO CRUELTY TO ANIMALS, BY ADDING SECTION 47-1-145, TO PROVIDE THAT ANY PERSON, ORGANIZATION, OR OTHER ENTITY THAT IS AWARDED CUSTODY OF AN ANIMAL UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF SECTION 47-1-150 AND THAT PROVIDES SERVICES TO AN ANIMAL WITHOUT COMPENSATION MAY FILE A PETITION WITH THE COURT REQUESTING THAT THE DEFENDANT, IF FOUND GUILTY, BE ORDERED TO DEPOSIT FUNDS IN AN AMOUNT SUFFICIENT TO SECURE PAYMENT OF ALL THE REASONABLE EXPENSES INCURRED BY THE CUSTODIAN; TO AMEND SECTION 56-3-9600(B) OF THE 1976 CODE, RELATING TO THE SPECIAL FUND TO SUPPORT LOCAL ANIMAL SPAYING AND NEUTERING PROGRAMS, TO PROVIDE THAT AN AGENCY MAY APPLY FOR UP TO TWO THOUSAND DOLLARS PER GRANT APPLICATION AT THE BEGINNING OF EACH FISCAL YEAR AND MAY APPLY FOR MULTIPLE GRANTS DURING A FISCAL YEAR, TO PROVIDE THAT GRANTS MUST BE FULFILLED WITHIN SIX MONTHS OF RECEIVING FUNDS, AND TO PROVIDE THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE SHALL ENCOURAGE TIER 3 AND TIER 4 COUNTIES TO PARTICIPATE IN THE GRANT PROGRAM; TO AMEND SECTION 40-69-30 OF THE 1976 CODE, RELATING TO LICENSING REQUIREMENTS TO PRACTICE VETERINARY MEDICINE, TO PROVIDE THAT, SUBJECT TO THE JURISDICTION OF THIS STATE, DURING AN EMERGENCY OR NATURAL DISASTER, A VETERINARIAN OR VETERINARY TECHNICIAN WHO IS NOT LICENSED IN THIS STATE, BUT IS LICENSED AND IN GOOD STANDING IN ANOTHER JURISDICTION, MAY PRACTICE VETERINARY MEDICINE RELATED TO THE RESPONSE EFFORTS IN LOCATIONS IN THIS STATE IF AN OFFICIAL DECLARATION OF A STATE OF EMERGENCY HAS BEEN MADE BY THE GOVERNOR AND AN OFFICIAL INVITATION HAS BEEN EXTENDED TO THE VETERINARIAN OR VETERINARY TECHNICIAN FOR A SPECIFIED TIME BY THE GOVERNOR WITHIN OR OUTSIDE THE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ASSISTANCE COMPACT; TO AMEND SECTION 47-3-470(3), SECTION 47-3-480, AND SECTION 47-3-490 OF THE 1976 CODE, ALL RELATING TO THE STERILIZATION OF DOGS AND CATS, TO REPLACE THE TERM "ANIMAL REFUGE" WITH "RESCUE ORGANIZATION"; TO AMEND CHAPTER 3, TITLE 47 OF THE 1976 CODE, RELATING TO DOGS AND OTHER DOMESTIC PETS, BY ADDING ARTICLE 16, TO PROVIDE FOR SHELTERING STANDARDS AND TO PROVIDE THAT ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICERS SHALL HAVE THE DUTY TO ENFORCE SHELTER STANDARDS, INCLUDING THE INVESTIGATION OF COMPLAINTS AGAINST, AND THE INSPECTION OF, ANIMAL SHELTERING FACILITIES; AND TO DEFINE NECESSARY TERMS.

Status: Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs (as of 2018-02-07)

State: South Carolina · Session: 2017-2018 · Bill: S 841

Sponsors: Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources

2025-2026 Bill 841 Text of Previous Version (Jan. 21, 2026) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 841

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 7-3-10, RELATING TO THE APPOINTMENT OF MEMBERS OF THE STATE ELECTION 
COMMISSION AND FILLING VACANCIES ON THE COMMISSION, SO AS TO REQUIRE THAT THE 
GOVERNOR MAKE APPOINTMENTS TO THE ELECTION COMMISSION UPON THE ADVICE AND 
CONSENT OF THE SENATE, AND TO PROVIDE FOR THE MANNER IN WHICH VACANCIES ARE 
FILLED DEPENDING ON THE TIMING OF THE VACANCY.

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

SECTION 1. Section 7-3-10(A) of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

 (A)(1) There is hereby 
created the State Election Commission composed of five members, at least one of 
whom shall be a member of the majority political party represented in the 
General Assembly and at least one of whom shall be a member of the largest 
minority political party represented in the General Assembly, to be appointed 
by the Governor, upon the advice and consent of the 
Senate, to serve terms of four years and until their successors have 
been appointed and qualify. 

 (2) Any vacancy on the commission 
shall be filled for the unexpired portion of the term in the same manner as the 
original appointment. Provided, however, that if the 
vacancy occurs during the interim period between the regular legislative 
sessions, then the office may be filled by an interim appointment of the 
Governor only if the Governor acts to fill the vacancy during the same interim 
period during which the office was vacated. If the Senate votes to reject an interim 
appointee's formal appointment during the next ensuing regular session of the 
General Assembly, then the office is immediately vacant and may not be filled 
by another interim appointment.

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

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