South Carolina H 5005: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Highway

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 5005 Text of Previous Version (Jan. 22, 2026) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 5005

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 16-3-600, RELATING TO ASSAULT AND BATTERY OFFENSES, SO AS TO PROVIDE 
THAT ASSAULT AND BATTERY OF A HIGH AND AGGRAVATED NATURE OCCURS WHEN A PERSON 
THREATENS, INTIMIDATES, HARASSES, STALKS, OR OTHERWISE INJURES A FEDERAL, 
STATE, OR LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER OR CORRECTIONS OFFICER; A HEALTHCARE 
PROFESSIONAL, HEALTHCARE WORKER, OR AN EMERGENCY RESPONSE EMPLOYEE; OR AN 
EDUCATIONAL PROFESSIONAL DURING OR BECAUSE OF THE PERSON'S OFFICIAL DUTIES.

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

SECTION 1. Section 16-3-600(B) of the S.C. Code is amended to 
read:

 (B)(1) A person commits the offense of 
assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature if the person unlawfully threatens, intimidates, harasses, stalks, or otherwise injures 
another person, and:

 (a) 
great bodily injury to another person results; or

 (b) 
the act is accomplished by means likely to produce death or great bodily injury.; or

 (c) the person threatened, intimidated, 
harassed, stalked, or injured is:

 (i) a federal, state, or local law 
enforcement officer or corrections officer, including a county or municipal 
corrections officer, during or because of the performance of the person's 
official duties;

 (ii) a "healthcare professional," "healthcare 
worker," or an "emergency response employee" as those terms are defined in 
Section 44-29-230, and the injury occurs during or because of the performance 
of the person's official duties; or

 (iii) an educational professional including 
a school administrator, principal, counselor, teacher, or other educational 
provider who works on school grounds during or because of the performance of 
the person's official duties.

 (2) 
A person who violates this subsection is guilty of a felony, and, upon 
conviction, must be imprisoned for not less than ten years 
and not more than twenty years.

 (3) 
Assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature is a lesser-included 
offense of attempted murder, as defined in Section 16-3-29.

SECTION 2. The repeal or amendment by this act 
of any law, whether temporary or permanent or civil or criminal, does not affect 
pending actions, rights, duties, or liabilities founded thereon, or alter, 
discharge, release or extinguish any penalty, forfeiture, or liability incurred 
under the repealed or amended law, unless the repealed or amended provision 
shall so expressly provide. After the effective date of this act, all 
laws repealed or amended by this act must be taken and treated as remaining in 
full force and effect for the purpose of sustaining any pending or vested 
right, civil action, special proceeding, criminal prosecution, or appeal 
existing as of the effective date of this act, and for the enforcement of 
rights, duties, penalties, forfeitures, and liabilities as they stood under the 
repealed or amended laws.

SECTION 3. This act takes effect upon approval 
by the Governor.

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This web page was last updated on January 22, 2026 at 10:47 AM