South Carolina H 4721: Local Planning Commission

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 4721 Text of Previous Version (Dec. 17, 2025) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 4721

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 47-1-40, RELATING TO THE ILL-TREATMENT OF ANIMALS, SO AS TO RESTRUCTURE 
THE STATUTE AND PROVIDE INCREASED, GRADUATED PENALTIES FOR VARIOUS LEVELS OF 
ILL-TREATMENT OF ANIMALS OFFENSES.

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

SECTION 1. Section 47-1-40 of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

 Section 
47-1-40. (A) AIt is unlawful for a person whoto knowingly or intentionally overloads, 
overdrives, overworks, or ill-treats an animal, deprives an animal of necessary 
sustenance or shelter, inflictsinflict 
unnecessary pain or suffering upon an animal, or by omission or commission 
knowingly or intentionally causescause these acts to be done,. A person who violates the provisions of this subsection, for 
every offense, 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.:

 (1) for a first offense, must be fined 
not less than one hundred dollars or imprisoned for not more than sixty days, 
or both. Notwithstanding another provision of law, a first offense pursuant to 
this item must be tried in magistrates or municipal court;

 (2) for a second offense, must be fined 
not more than eight hundred dollars or imprisoned for not more than ninety 
days, or both; and

 (3) for a third or subsequent offense, 
must be fined not more than two thousand dollars or imprisoned for not more 
than two years, or both.

 (B) It is unlawful for a person to 
knowingly or intentionally, confine an animal in a vehicle with an inside vehicle 
temperature of ninety degrees or higher, fail to provide food or water to an 
animal, or deprive an animal of shelter or sanitary living conditions in an 
enclosure or the immediate surroundings where the animal is harbored, or by 
omission or commission cause these acts to be done. A person who violates the 
provisions of this subsection with respect to:

 (1) less than ten animals, is guilty of 
a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be fined not more than one thousand 
dollars or imprisoned not more than six months, or both. Notwithstanding 
another provision of law, a first offense pursuant to this item must be tried 
in magistrates or municipal court;

 (2) at least ten but less than fifty 
animals, is guilty of a felony and, upon conviction, must be fined not more 
than five thousand dollars or imprisoned not more than five years, or both; and

 (3) more than fifty animals, is guilty 
of a felony and, upon conviction, must be fined not more than fifteen thousand 
dollars or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both.

 (B)(C) AIt 
is unlawful for a person who tortures, torments, 
needlessly mutilates, cruelly kills, or inflictsto 
torture, torment, needlessly mutilate, cruelly kill, or inflict 
excessive or repeated unnecessary pain or suffering upon an animal or by 
omission or commission causescause 
these acts to be done,. A 
person who violates the provisions of this subsection, for every offense, 
is guilty of a felony and, upon conviction, must be 
punished by imprisonment of not less than one hundred eighty days and not to exceed 
five years and by a fine of five thousand dollars.:

 (1) for a first offense, must be fined 
not less than five thousand dollars or imprisoned for not less than one hundred 
eighty days nor more than five years, or both;

 (2) for a second offense, must be fined 
not less than five thousand nor more than fifteen thousand dollars or 
imprisoned for not less than one hundred eighty days nor more than ten years, 
or both; and

 (3) for a third or subsequent offense, 
must be fined not less than ten thousand nor more than fifty thousand dollars 
or imprisoned for not less than one year nor more than ten years, or both.

 (D) In addition to the penalties 
provided in this section, the court, in its discretion, also may order that the 
person convicted of a violation of the provisions of this section is prohibited 
from ownership, control, or authority over any animal for a period of not more 
than five years.

 (C)(E) This section does not apply to fowl, accepted animal 
husbandry practices of farm operations and the training of animals, the 
practice of veterinary medicine, agricultural practices, forestry and silvaculturalsilvicultural practices, 
wildlife management practices, or activity authorized by Title 50, including an 
activity