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Current Status Bill Number:View additional legislative information at the LPITS web site.4964 Type of Legislation:General Bill GB Introducing Body:House Introduced Date:20000418 Primary Sponsor:McGee All Sponsors:McGee and Cobb-Hunter Drafted Document Number:l:\council\bills\skb\18320som00.doc Residing Body:House Current Committee:Judiciary Committee 25 HJ Subject:Criminal domestic violence, order of protection, verbal intimidation offense of; Domestic Relations, Crimes, Courts History Body Date Action Description Com Leg Involved ______ ________ ______________________________________ _______ ____________ House 20000418 Introduced, read first time, 25 HJ referred to Committee Versions of This Bill
TO AMEND SECTION 20-4-20, AS AMENDED, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO DEFINITIONS IN THE PROTECTION FROM DOMESTIC ABUSE ACT, SO AS TO ADD A DEFINITION OF ABUSE THAT INCLUDES VERBAL INTIMIDATION OR VERBAL ABUSE THAT WOULD CAUSE A REASONABLE PERSON TO FEAR FOR THE PERSON'S OR ANOTHER FAMILY OR HOUSEHOLD MEMBER'S SAFETY; AND TO AMEND CHAPTER 4 OF TITLE 20 BY ADDING SECTION 20-4-55, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT, EVEN WHEN THE COURT FINDS NO BASIS TO ISSUE AN ORDER OF PROTECTION, THE COURT HAS THE AUTHORITY TO ISSUE A TEMPORARY ORDER ADDRESSING ISSUES APPLICABLE TO THE PARTIES AND SCHEDULE A TEMPORARY HEARING AT THE REQUEST OF EITHER PARTY.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
SECTION 1. Section 20-4-20(a) of the 1976 Code is amended to read:
"(a) 'Abuse' means:
(1) Physical harm, bodily injury, assault, or the threat of physical harm;
(2) Sexual criminal offenses, as otherwise defined by statute, committed against a family or household member by a family or household member; and
(3) verbal intimidation or verbal abuse which would cause a reasonable person to fear for the person's safety or the safety of a family or household member regardless if the verbal intimidation or verbal abuse contains a threat of physical harm."
SECTION 2. Chapter 4 of Title 20 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:
"Section 20-4-55. If the court finds there is no basis to issue an order of protection, it still may issue a temporary order addressing the issues applicable to the parties under Section 20-4-60(c)(1) through (7). The court shall inform the parties of their right to a temporary hearing, and, if either party requests the hearing, it must be scheduled within fifteen days of the hearing on the petition for an order of protection."
SECTION 3. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.
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