Criminal Justice (Sentencing)

in committee · South Carolina · House Feb 4, 2026

H 5065: Enhanced Punishment for Crimes Against Minors

A BILL TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS SO AS TO ENACT THE "SENTENCING ENHANCEMENTS FOR CRIMES AGAINST MINORS ACT"; BY ADDING ARTICLE 22 TO CHAPTER 3, TITLE 16 SO AS TO ESTABLISH ADDITIONAL TERMS OF IMPRISONMENT FOR PERSONS CONVICTED OF CRIMES AGAINST MINORS AND TO PROHIBIT THE AVOIDANCE OR REDUCTION OF CRIMINAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR PERSONS CONVICTED OF CRIMES AGAINST MINORS DUE TO A VERDICT OR PLEA OF NOT GUILTY BY REASON OF INSANITY.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeIncreases mandatory prison terms for crimes against minors and bars insanity defense, strengthening punitive sentencing without reform elements.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Sentencing

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in committee · South Carolina · House Jan 20, 2026

H 4713: Attempted murder, mandatory minimum

A BILL TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 16-3-29, RELATING TO THE OFFENSE OF ATTEMPTED MURDER, SO AS TO PROVIDE A MANDATORY MINIMUM TERM OF IMPRISONMENT OF FIVE YEARS FOR A VIOLATION.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeMandates 5-year minimum sentence for attempted murder, increasing sentencing severity and opposing criminal justice reform efforts.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Sentencing

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in committee · South Carolina · House Jan 13, 2026

H 4722: Death Penalty, aggravating circumstances

A BILL TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 16-3-20, RELATING TO PUNISHMENT FOR MURDER AND SEPARATE SENTENCING PROCEEDINGS WHEN THE DEATH PENALTY IS SOUGHT WHEN AGGRAVATING CIRCUMSTANCES ARE PRESENT, SO AS TO ADD ADDITIONAL AGGRAVATING CIRCUMSTANCES FOR WHICH THE DEATH PENALTY MAY BE IMPOSED.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeExpands death penalty eligibility by adding aggravating circumstances, increasing sentencing severity and restricting defendant rights.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Sentencing

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in committee · South Carolina · House Jan 13, 2026

H 4719: Death Penalty, premeditated murder

A BILL TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 16-3-20, RELATING TO THE PUNISHMENT FOR MURDER AND THE SEPARATE SENTENCING PROCEEDING WHEN THE DEATH PENALTY IS SOUGHT, SO AS TO ADD THAT PREMEDITATED MURDER IS AN AGGRAVATING CIRCUMSTANCE FOR WHICH THE DEATH PENALTY MAY BE SOUGHT.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeAdds premeditated murder as aggravating circumstance for death penalty, expanding capital punishment eligibility and reducing defendant rights in sentencing.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Sentencing

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in committee · South Carolina · House Jan 20, 2026

H 4807: Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, first degree

A BILL TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 16-15-395, RELATING TO FIRST DEGREE SEXUAL EXPLOITATION OF A MINOR, SO AS TO PROVIDE FOR A TWENTY-FIVE YEAR MANDATORY MINIMUM SENTENCE FOR A VIOLATION OF THE OFFENSE IF THE MINOR VICTIM IS LESS THAN ELEVEN YEARS OF AGE.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeAdds 25-year mandatory minimum for sexual exploitation of minors under 11, increasing sentencing severity - opposes reform efforts.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Sentencing

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in committee · South Carolina · House Jan 13, 2026

H 4780: Computation of time served by prisoners

A BILL TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 24-13-40, RELATING TO COMPUTATION OF TIME SERVED BY PRISONERS, SO AS TO REVISE THE PROVISION THAT ALLOWS PRISONERS TO RECEIVE CREDIT FOR TIME SERVED FOR AN OFFENSE WHILE AWAITING TRIAL AND SENTENCING FOR ANOTHER OFFENSE.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeBill revises sentencing calculation to deny credit for pretrial time, increasing effective sentences and opposing reform efforts that reduce incarceration.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Sentencing

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in committee · South Carolina · House Jan 14, 2025

H 3065: Immunity from prosecution

A BILL TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ADDING SECTION 16-11-460 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT AN ORDER CONCERNING IMMUNITY FROM PROSECUTION PURSUANT TO THE PROTECTION OF PERSONS AND PROPERTY ACT IS IMMEDIATELY APPEALABLE AND TO PROVIDE THAT A DEFENDANT WHO DOES NOT APPEAL THE ORDER IMMEDIATELY MAY APPEAL THE DENIAL AFTER CONVICTION AND SENTENCING.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill enhances defendant appeal rights for immunity orders, protecting civil rights in criminal proceedings per procedural due process.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Sentencing

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in committee · South Carolina · House Jan 14, 2025

H 3146: Limiting public access to certain information during a hearing

A BILL TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ADDING SECTION 17-25-40 SO AS TO PROVIDE AT THE TIME OF SENTENCING DEFENDANTS CONVICTED OF CERTAIN CRIMES MAY SEEK TO AND THE COURT MAY LIMIT PUBLIC ACCESS TO CERTAIN INFORMATION PRESENTED DURING THESE HEARINGS.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill enables defendants to limit public access to sensitive information during sentencing, protecting privacy rights (a civil right indicator) within criminal justice process.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts Sentencing

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in committee · South Carolina · House May 13, 2026

H 3597: Reduction of sentences for substantial assistance

A BILL TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 17-25-65, RELATING TO THE REDUCTION OF A SENTENCE FOR SUBSTANTIAL ASSISTANCE TO THE STATE, SO AS TO REQUIRE NOTICE TO THE ARRESTING LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY AND ANY VICTIMS, TO REQUIRE A HEARING WITH FINDINGS OF FACT IN A WRITTEN ORDER, TO REQUIRE VERIFICATION OF SUBSTANTIAL ASSISTANCE BY LAW ENFORCEMENT OR THE CORRECTIONAL FACILITY, AND TO ALLOW REDUCTION OF MANDATORY MINIMUM SENTENCES IN THE DISCRETION OF THE JUDGE.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeAllows judges discretion to reduce mandatory minimum sentences, requiring verification and hearings - aligns with reform goals of reducing harsh sentencing and enhancing judicial oversight.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Sentencing Victims' Rights

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