S*0315(Rat #0195, Act #0124 of 1997)  General Bill, By Thomas
 A BILL TO AMEND SECTION 24-3-550, AS AMENDED, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA,
 1976, RELATING TO WITNESSES ATTENDING AN EXECUTION, SO AS TO REVISE THE NUMBER
 OF PERSONS WHO MAY WITNESS AN EXECUTION AND TO PROVIDE THAT A WITNESS MAY NOT
 POSSESS TELEPHONING EQUIPMENT IN THE CAPITAL PUNISHMENT FACILITY DURING AN
 EXECUTION.-AMENDED TITLE

   02/05/97  Senate Introduced and read first time SJ-4
   02/05/97  Senate Referred to Committee on Corrections and Penology SJ-4
   03/20/97  Senate Committee report: Favorable with amendment
                     Corrections and Penology SJ-11
   03/25/97  Senate Amended
   03/25/97  Senate Read second time
   04/09/97  Senate Amended SJ-11
   04/09/97  Senate Read third time and sent to House SJ-11
   04/10/97  House  Introduced and read first time HJ-124
   04/10/97  House  Referred to Committee on Judiciary HJ-124
   05/27/97  House  Committee report: Favorable with amendment
                     Judiciary HJ-6
   05/28/97  House  Amended HJ-44
   05/28/97  House  Read second time HJ-45
   05/29/97  House  Read third time and returned to Senate with
                     amendments HJ-15
   06/03/97  Senate Concurred in House amendment and enrolled SJ-80
   06/09/97         Ratified R 195
   06/14/97         Signed By Governor
   06/14/97         Effective date 06/14/97
   06/30/97         Copies available
   06/30/97         Act No. 124

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 24-3-550, AS AMENDED, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO WITNESSES ATTENDING AN EXECUTION, SO AS TO REVISE THE NUMBER AND STATUS OF PERSONS WHO MAY WITNESS AN EXECUTION AND TO PROVIDE THAT A WITNESS MAY NOT POSSESS TELEPHONING EQUIPMENT IN THE CAPITAL PUNISHMENT FACILITY DURING AN EXECUTION.

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

Witnesses attending an execution

SECTION 1. Section 24-3-550 of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 181 of 1993, is further amended to read:

"Section 24-3-550. (A) To carry out an execution properly, the executioner and necessary staff must be present at the execution. In addition, the following persons may be present:

(1) three representatives, approved by the director, of the family of a victim of the crime for which a death penalty was imposed, provided, that if there is more than one victim, the director may reduce the number of family representatives to one representative for each victim's family; provided, further, that if there are more than two victims, the director may restrict the total number of victims' representatives present in accordance with the space limitations of the Capital Punishment Facility;

(2) the solicitor, or an assistant solicitor designated by the solicitor, for the county where the offense occurred;

(3) a group of not more than three representatives of the South Carolina media, one of whom must represent the dominant wire service, one of whom must represent the print media, and one of whom must represent the electronic news media; and

(4) the chief law enforcement officer, or an officer designated by the chief, from the law enforcement agency that had original jurisdiction in the case.

(B) The counsel for the convict and a minister of the gospel may be present.

(C) The department shall promulgate regulations to govern the selection of media representatives.

(D) Witnesses authorized or approved pursuant to this section shall not possess telephonic equipment, cameras, or recording devices in the Capital Punishment Facility during an execution.

(E) For security purposes, the director may exclude any person who is authorized or approved pursuant to this section from the Capital Punishment Facility."

Time effective

SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

Approved the 14th day of June, 1997.