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TO CREATE A NEW GANG PREVENTION STUDY COMMITTEE TO CONTINUE THE WORK OF THE INITIAL GANG PREVENTION STUDY COMMITTEE TO ASSESS AND COMBAT THE STATE'S ONGOING GANG PROBLEM BY BRINGING TOGETHER STATE AGENCIES TO COORDINATE GANG REDUCTION PLANS AND MAKE FURTHER RECOMMENDATIONS ADDRESSING GANG-RELATED ACTIVITY IN THE STATE.
Whereas, the Gang Prevention Study Committee created pursuant to Act 82 of 2007 was established to study and keep abreast of issues and problems concerning criminal gang activity in the State and to report to the Governor, the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives; and
Whereas, the initial report of the Gang Prevention Study Committee was issued in January of 2008; and
Whereas, the report's findings include:
(1) that gang activity must be addressed on the primary, secondary, and tertiary level through a mix of diversion, remediation, and incarceration; and
(2) that criminal gangs have spread throughout the State and now pose a significant threat to the community at large; and
(3) five critical piers for dealing with the state's gang problem:
(a) the State Grand Jury must be utilized to prosecute gang-related crimes and gather information on the structure and organization of gangs;
(b) the State must provide specialized education and training for law enforcement personnel and the public service community to effectively combat gang-related crimes;
(c) the State must have a mandatory, inclusive reporting system to track gang activity through the State Law Enforcement Division;
(d) schools, parents, concerned citizens, and youths must be educated to the dangers of criminal gangs; and
(e) the State must develop a comprehensive plan to combat gang activity, including integration of new programs and ideas into existing gang diversion programs; and
Whereas, it is therefore critical that the Gang Prevention Study Committee be able to continue to study the pressing problem of gangs and to continue in this endeavor for another two years and then for a permanent gang awareness commission to be formed to continue to monitor these efforts.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
SECTION 1. (A) There is created a Gang Prevention Study Committee consisting of the following sixteen members:
(1) the Attorney General, or his designee, who shall serve as chairman;
(2) three members of the House of Representatives, appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives;
(3) three members of the Senate, appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate;
(4) one person appointed by the Chief of the State Law Enforcement Division;
(5) one person appointed by the South Carolina Sheriffs' Association;
(6) one person appointed by the Director of the Department of Juvenile Justice;
(7) one person appointed by the Director of the Department of Corrections;
(8) one person appointed by the Director of the Department of Social Services;
(9) one person appointed by the South Carolina Municipal Association;
(10) one person appointed by the Superintendent of the Department of Education; and
(11) two persons appointed by the Governor, one of which must be a member of the faith-based community.
(B) The members of the committee shall serve without compensation and may not receive per diem, mileage, or subsistence while serving on the committee.
(C) The committee shall study and keep abreast of issues and problems in South Carolina concerning criminal gang activity. Issues that the committee shall study include, but are not limited to, gang court, gang-out programs, school support programs, counseling and faith-based support programs, and the creation of a permanent gang awareness commission.
(D) The Attorney General shall pursue necessary funding in support of the Gang Prevention Study Committee and other gang awareness efforts as part of his office's annual appropriations request and he shall assign the appropriate staff to assist the committee in making its recommendations.
(E) The committee shall file a report before January 30, 2010, containing its findings and recommendations and specifically recommending support programs to assist in eliminating gang violence. This report shall be filed with the Governor, President Pro Tempore of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives. The committee is dissolved upon issuance of the report as provided in this subsection.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.
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