South Carolina General Assembly
116th Session, 2005-2006

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Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

S. 475

STATUS INFORMATION

General Bill
Sponsors: Senator Reese
Document Path: l:\council\bills\ms\7105ahb05.doc

Introduced in the Senate on February 10, 2005
Currently residing in the Senate Committee on Judiciary

Summary: Employee of court may not release information to the public relating to an ongoing investigation

HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS

     Date      Body   Action Description with journal page number
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   2/10/2005  Senate  Introduced and read first time SJ-9
   2/10/2005  Senate  Referred to Committee on Judiciary SJ-9
   2/17/2005  Senate  Referred to Subcommittee: Moore (ch), Ford, Mescher, 
                        Rankin, Scott

View the latest legislative information at the LPITS web site

VERSIONS OF THIS BILL

2/10/2005

(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

A BILL

TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 14-1-240 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT A JUDGE, COURT PERSONNEL, OR ANOTHER PERSON EMPLOYED BY A COURT IN THIS STATE MAY NOT RELEASE INFORMATION TO THE PUBLIC RELATING TO AN ONGOING INVESTIGATION AND TO PROVIDE A PENALTY.

SECTION 1.    Chapter 1, Title 14 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Section 14-1-240.    (A)    A judge may not release information to the public concerning an ongoing investigation of which he has knowledge as a result of the performance of his official duties as an officer of the court.

(B)    Court personnel or another person employed by a court in this State may not release information to the public concerning an ongoing investigation of which he has knowledge as a result of the performance of his occupational duties.

(C)    A judge or court personnel who willfully violates the provisions of subsection (A) is subject to investigation by the Commission on Judicial Conduct and is subject to the full range of sanctions available to the Supreme Court for the misconduct of a judicial officer or court personnel.

(D)    A person who willfully violates the provisions of subsection (B) is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be fined not more than one thousand dollars or imprisoned not more than thirty days."

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

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