H 3275 General Bill, By Klauber, Altman, Barrett, Bauer, Fleming, Harrell, 
Haskins, Hawkins, Kelley, Knotts, Leach, L.H. Limbaugh, Miller, Robinson, 
Rodgers, Sandifer, Seithel, Sharpe, Simrill, R. Smith, D. Smith, Trotter, Webb, 
Whatley, Wilder, Witherspoon, Woodrum, Young-Brickell and W.J. Young

Similar(S 404)
 A BILL TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION
 24-3-33 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT CERTAIN PRISONERS MAY BE HOUSED IN TENTS; AND TO
 REPEAL CHAPTER 9 OF TITLE 24 RELATING TO THE JAIL AND PRISON INSPECTION
 PROGRAM.

   01/21/97  House  Introduced and read first time HJ-15
   01/21/97  House  Referred to Committee on Judiciary HJ-15
   03/19/97  House  Committee report: Favorable with amendment
                     Judiciary HJ-18
   03/25/97  House  Requests for debate-Rep(s). Scott, Neal, Canty,
                     F. Smith, T. Brown, Howard, Inabinett,
                     Moody-Lawrence, Breeland, Mack, Easterday,
                     Knotts, Young-Brickell, Law, Witherspoon,
                     Sharpe, Carnell, Woodrum & J. Brown HJ-39
   04/02/97  House  Amended HJ-92
   04/02/97  House  Read second time HJ-96
   04/02/97  House  Roll call Yeas-95  Nays-21 HJ-96
   04/03/97  House  Read third time and sent to Senate HJ-8
   04/08/97  Senate Introduced and read first time SJ-8
   04/08/97  Senate Referred to Committee on Corrections and Penology SJ-8
   05/27/97  Senate Recalled from Committee on Corrections and
                     Penology SJ-4
   05/29/97  Senate Recommitted to Committee on Corrections and
                     Penology SJ-90

May 27, 1997

H. 3275

Introduced by Reps. Klauber, Seithel, Sharpe, Simrill, Knotts, Fleming, Miller, Whatley, Robinson, Trotter, Hawkins, Sandifer, Bauer, R. Smith, Woodrum, Limbaugh, Young, Haskins, Wilder, D. Smith, Webb, Barrett, Witherspoon, Harrell, Leach, Young-Brickell, Kelley, Rodgers and Altman

S. Printed 5/27/97--S.

Read the first time April 8, 1997.

A BILL

TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 24-3-33 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT CERTAIN PRISONERS MAY BE HOUSED IN TENTS; AND TO REPEAL CHAPTER 9 OF TITLE 24 RELATING TO THE JAIL AND PRISON INSPECTION PROGRAM.

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

SECTION 1. This act may be cited as the "Prison Overcrowding Relief Act of 1997".

SECTION 2. The 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Section 24-3-33. (A) The Department of Corrections may use tents, soft-sided, temporary, or portable structures to house prisoners eligible for minimum custody confinement or work release.

(B) A person charged with the operation of a county jail or detention facility may use tents, soft-sided, temporary, or portable structures to house pretrial detainees and prisoners convicted of nonviolent offenses.

(C) The release of prisoners must not be ordered under a provision of the laws of this State, including Section 24-22-40, unless the department or a person charged with the operation of a county jail or detention facility has erected tents, soft-sided, temporary, or portable structures to house inmates eligible to be housed.

(D) If the department or a person charged with the operations of a county jail or detention facility elects to use tents, soft-sided, temporary, or portable structures to house inmates as provided in this section, a tent, soft-sided, temporary, or portable structure constructed or used must be subject to fire safety inspections by the State Fire Marshal under fire safety codes for structures housing the number of persons to be housed in each tent, soft-sided, temporary, or portable structure.

(E) The person charged with the operation of a county jail or detention facility shall promulgate minimum standards for housing prisoners in tents, soft-sided, temporary, or portable structures. These standards must be approved by a majority vote of the governing body that oversees the operation of the facility."

SECTION 3. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.