Current Status Introducing Body:House Bill Number:3976 Primary Sponsor:Meacham Committee Number:25 Type of Legislation:GB Subject:Weapons, possession by student Residing Body:House Computer Document Number:DKA/4567AL.93 Introduced Date:19930414 Last History Body:House Last History Date:19930428 Last History Type:Referred to Committee Scope of Legislation:Statewide All Sponsors:Meacham Type of Legislation:General Bill
Bill Body Date Action Description CMN Leg Involved ____ ______ ____________ ______________________________ ___ ____________ 3976 House 19930428 Referred to Committee 25 3976 House 19930428 Recalled from Committee 21 3976 House 19930414 Introduced, read first time, 21 referred to CommitteeView additional legislative information at the LPITS web site.
TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 59-63-290 SO AS TO PROHIBIT THE POSSESSION OF A WEAPON BY A STUDENT ON SCHOOL PROPERTY, TO PROVIDE ADMINISTRATIVE PENALTIES AND THAT THE STUDENT'S DRIVER'S LICENSE BE SUSPENDED UNTIL HE REACHES AGE TWENTY-ONE AND IF A LICENSE HAS NOT BEEN ISSUED TO THE STUDENT IT MUST BE DELAYED UNTIL HE REACHES AGE TWENTY-ONE, AND TO PROVIDE FOR THE REPORTING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HIGHWAYS AND PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION; AND BY ADDING SECTION 56-1-285 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT UPON RECEIPT OF A REPORT FROM A SCHOOL DISTRICT INDICATING A STUDENT POSSESSED A WEAPON ON SCHOOL PROPERTY THE DEPARTMENT OF HIGHWAYS AND PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SHALL SUSPEND THE DRIVER'S LICENSE OF THE STUDENT AND IF A LICENSE HAS NOT BEEN ISSUED TO THE STUDENT IT MUST BE DELAYED UNTIL HE REACHES AGE TWENTY-ONE.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
SECTION 1. The 1976 Code is amended by adding:
"Section 59-63-290. (A) For purposes of this section, `weapon' means a firearm (rifle, shotgun, pistol, or similar device that propels a projectile through the energy of an explosive), a knife, a blackjack, a metal pipe or pole, or any other type of device or object which may used to inflict bodily injury or death.
(B) A student in the public school may not possess a weapon while on school property or while attending a school sponsored or school related activity on or off school property.
(C) The board of trustees of each school district shall include the prohibition in this section in the district's written standards of student conduct. In addition to other penalties provided by law, a student who violates the provisions of this section is subject to discipline as provided by board policy and his driver's license must be suspended or the issuance of a driver's license delayed until he reaches age twenty-one.
(D) A person who discovers a student in possession of a weapon in violation of this section shall report the violation to the appropriate school administrator, as determined by school policy, who shall order a peace officer or appropriate school employee to confiscate the weapon. The school principal shall report the incident to the school district which must forward the student's name, address, and social security number to the Department of Highways and Public Transportation stating that the student violated the provisions of this section."
SECTION 2. The 1976 Code is amended by adding:
"Section 56-1-285. Upon receipt of notice from a school district that a student has violated the provisions of Section 59-63-290, the Department of Highways and Public Transportation shall suspend the driver's license of the person until he reaches age twenty-one. The period of suspension is in addition to any other period of suspension that already may be imposed. Notice of suspension and surrender of license must be as provided for in this title. If the person does not have a driver's license then the department shall delay the issuance of a driver's license to that person until he reaches age twenty-one."
SECTION 3. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.