South Carolina H 4675: Former SC Rep. Lucille Whipper, sympathy

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 4675 Text of Previous Version (Dec. 17, 2025) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 4675

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 ENACTING THE 
"SOUTH CAROLINA COMMUNITY DATA PROTECTION AND RESPONSIBLE SURVEILLANCE ACT" SO 
AS TO PROVIDE NO STATE OR LOCAL ENTITY MAY PARTICIPATE IN ANY SURVEILLANCE 
SYSTEM THAT STORES SURVEILLANCE DATA ON THIRD PARTY SERVERS OR USE ARTIFICIAL 
INTELLIGENCE OR AUTOMATED SYSTEMS to TRACK VEHICLES UNDER CERTAIN 
CIRCUMSTANCES, TO PROVIDE FOR SURVEILLANCE DATA RETENTION AND STORAGE, AND 
JUDICIAL OVERSIGHT, TO PROVIDE FOR THE PUBLISHING OF CERTAIN ANNUAL REPORTS, AND 
TO PROVIDE PENALTIES.

Whereas, privately 
operated surveillance networks such as systems provided by Flock Safety collect 
extensive vehicle data far beyond basic license plate images. These systems use 
artificial intelligence to identify and track vehicles using appearance-based 
characteristics including visible damage, accessories, decals, or paint designs; 
and

Whereas, because this 
data is stored on private, third-party servers, South Carolina communities and 
law enforcement agencies do not retain true ownership or control of the 
information they rely upon, creating risks of misuse, repurposing, or 
unauthorized access; and

Whereas, incidents in 
other states, including the wrongful armed detention of a Black mother and her 
children in Colorado after a false automated alert, demonstrate the dangers 
inherent in privatized artificial intelligence-based surveillance systems 
susceptible to error or misuse; and

Whereas, South 
Carolinians are entitled to privacy, due process, and protection from 
unwarranted surveillance. The State has a compelling interest in ensuring that 
any data collected for public safety is safely governed, locally controlled, 
and strictly limited; and

Whereas, the General 
Assembly declares it necessary to regulate the use, access, storage, and 
retention of vehicle-surveillance data to protect civil liberties and community 
safety. Now, therefore,

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

SECTION 1. This act may be cited as the "The South Carolina Community Data 
Protection and Responsible Surveillance Act."

SECTION 2. Title 23 of the S.C. Code is amended by adding:

CHAPTER 45

South Carolina Community Data Protection and 
Responsible Surveillance Act

 Section 
23-45-10. As used in this chapter:

 (A) 
"Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR)" means a system that captures or 
analyzes images or video of license plates, vehicles, or vehicle features for 
identification.

 (B) 
"Vehicle Feature Recognition" means the use of artificial intelligence (AI) or 
automated software to identify vehicle characteristics other than a license 
plate number, including body damage, roof racks, decals, bumper stickers, paint 
patterns, or other distinguishing marks.

 (C) 
"Third-Party Storage" means any storage of surveillance data on servers or 
cloud platforms not solely owned, operated, and physically located within South 
Carolina government facilities.

 (D) 
"Surveillance Data" means any information produced or derived from ALPR 
technology including images, metadata, timestamps, GPS coordinates, analytical 
outputs, alerts, user queries, and search histories.

 Section 
23-45-20. (A) No state or local law 
enforcement agency, may use, contract for, or participate in any surveillance 
system that stores surveillance data on third-party servers.

 (B) 
All surveillance data collected within South Carolina must be stored 
exclusively on secured servers physically located within the State and entirely 
owned and controlled by South Carolina governmental entities.

 (C) 
Any contract or agreement contrary to this section is void as against public 
policy.

 Section 
23-45-30. (A) No State or local law 
enforcement agency may use AI or automated systems that identify, or track 
vehicles based on appearance, characteristics, or features other than license 
plates.

 (B) 
ALPR systems operating in South Carolina may analyze only license plate 
characters and essential contextual data which includes time, date, and 
location.

 (C) 
The use of software to identify or track vehicles based on dents, decals, 
custom paint, personal accessories, or similar appearance-based traits is 
prohibited.

 Section 
23-45-40. (A) Surveillance data may 
be retained for no longer than twenty-one days.

 (B) 
Automatic deletion must occur at the end of the twenty-one-day period unless 
the data is tied to an active criminal investigation supported by a valid court 
order.

 (C) 
Data retained under a court order must be deleted once the investigation closes 
or the order expires.

 (D) 
Indefinite, bulk, or archival storage of surveillance data i