South Carolina H 5075: Personal Privacy Protection Act

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 5075 Text of Previous Version (Mar. 31, 2026) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 5075

Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

Amended

March 31, 2026

H. 5075

Introduced by Reps. T. Moore, B. Newton, 
Sanders, M. M. Smith, Montgomery, Bowers, Wickensimer, Guest and C. Mitchell 

S. Printed 3/31/26--H.

Read the first time January 29, 2026

________

A bill

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY 
ENACTING THE "PERSONAL PRIVACY PROTECTION ACT" BY ADDING ARTICLE 9 TO CHAPTER 
2, TITLE 30, SO AS TO PROHIBIT PUBLIC BODIES FROM COLLECTING OR DISCLOSING 
CERTAIN PERSONAL INFORMATION ABOUT DONORS, MEMBERS, AND SUPPORTERS OF NONPROFIT 
ORGANIZATIONS, TO PROVIDE EXEMPTIONS, AND TO ESTABLISH PENALTIES FOR 
VIOLATIONS.

 Amend Title To Conform

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

SECTION 1. This act may be cited as the "Personal Privacy Protection Act."

SECTION 
2. Chapter 2, Title 30 of the S.C. Code is amended 
by adding:

Article 9

Personal Privacy Protection Act

 Section 
30-2-910. The purpose of this article is to prohibit public bodies from 
collecting, disclosing, or releasing personal information about members, 
volunteers, and financial or nonfinancial donors to nonprofit organizations 
except as required by law. This article provides penalties and civil remedies 
for violations of these privacy protections.

 Section 
30-2-920. As used in this article:

 (1) 
"Nonprofit organization" means an entity that is exempt from federal income tax 
under Section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code, has submitted an application 
to the Internal Revenue Service for recognition of an exemption under Section 
501(c), or is a not-for-profit business entity recognized under state law.

 (2) 
"Person" means an individual, a proprietorship, firm, partnership, joint 
venture, joint stock company, syndicate, business trust, estate, company, 
committee, association, corporation, club, labor organization, or any other 
organization or group of persons acting in concert.

 (3) 
"Personal information" means any list, record, register, registry, roll, 
roster, or other compilation of data of any kind that directly or indirectly 
identifies a person as a member, supporter, volunteer, or donor of financial or 
nonfinancial support to any nonprofit organization.

 (4) 
"Public body" means any state or local governmental unit and its employees, 
however designated, including, but not limited to, this state; any department, 
agency, office, commission, board, division, or other entity of this state; any 
political subdivision of this state, including, but not limited to, a county, 
municipality, school district, special purpose district, council of government, 
joint agency, or any other local governmental unit, agency, authority, council, 
board, or commission; or any state or local court, tribunal, or other judicial 
or quasi-judicial body.

 Section 
30-2-930. (A) Notwithstanding any 
other provision of law and subject to Section 30-2-940, a public body shall 
not:

 (1) 
require any person or nonprofit organization to provide the public body with 
personal information or otherwise compel the release of personal information;

 (2) 
release, publicize, or otherwise publicly disclose personal information in the 
possession of the public body;

 (3) 
request or require a current or prospective contractor or grantee with the 
public body to provide a list of nonprofit organizations to which the 
contractor or grantee has provided financial or nonfinancial support.

 (B) 
Personal information is exempt from disclosure under the South Carolina Freedom 
of Information Act.

 Section 
30-2-940. Nothing in this article precludes:

 (1) 
any report or disclosure required by Sections 8-13-1300 through 8-13-1374 or 
Section 2-17-35;

 (2) 
any lawful warrant for personal information issued by a court of competent 
jurisdiction;

 (3) 
a lawful request for discovery of personal information in litigation when:

 (a) 
the requestor demonstrates a compelling need for the personal information by 
clear and convincing evidence; and

 (b) 
the requestor obtains a protective order barring disclosure of personal 
information to any person not named in the litigation;

 (4) 
admission of personal information as relevant evidence before a court of 
competent jurisdiction; however, no court shall publicly reveal personal 
information absent a specific finding of good cause;

 (5) 
a public body releasing personal information voluntarily released to the public 
by the person or nonprofit organization to which the information relates;

 (6) 
with respect to the lawful statutory authority of the Secretary of State:

 (a) 
collection of information disclosing the identity of any director, officer, 
registered agent, or incorporator