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H. 4423
STATUS INFORMATION
General Bill
Sponsors: Reps. Gilliard and V.S. Moss
Document Path: l:\council\bills\bh\26347cm16.docx
Introduced in the House on January 12, 2016
Currently residing in the House Committee on Judiciary
Summary: Unlawful to point, aim, or discharge a laser device at an aircraft
HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS
Date Body Action Description with journal page number
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12/3/2015 House Prefiled
12/3/2015 House Referred to Committee on Judiciary
1/12/2016 House Introduced and read first time (House Journal-page 62)
1/12/2016 House Referred to Committee on Judiciary
(House Journal-page 62)
View the latest legislative information at the website
VERSIONS OF THIS BILL
TO AMEND SECTION 55-3-130, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE POINTING, AIMING, OR DISCHARGE OF A LASER DEVICE AT AN AIRCRAFT, SO AS TO INCREASE THE PENALTIES FOR A VIOLATION OF THIS PROVISION.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
SECTION 1. Section 55-3-130 of the 1976 Code, as added by Act 270 of 2012, is amended to read:
"Section 55-3-130. The pointing, aiming, or discharge of a laser device at an aircraft in flight or on the ground while occupied is unlawful. A person who wilfully and maliciously discharges a laser at an aircraft, whether stopped, in motion or in flight, while occupied, is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than one year or by a fine of two thousand dollars, or both. For a second or subsequent violation of this section a person is guilty of a felony punishable and must be imprisoned for not more than three years, or fined not more than five thousand dollars, or both. This section does not apply to the conduct of laser development activity by or on behalf of the United States Armed Forces.
A person who, with the intent to interfere with the operation of an aircraft, wilfully shines a light or other bright device, of an intensity capable of impairing the operation of an aircraft, at an aircraft, must be punished by a fine not exceeding one two hundred thousand dollars, or by imprisonment not exceeding one year, or both and by a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years with no possibility of probation or parole.
As used in this section, 'laser' means a device that utilizes the natural oscillations of atoms or molecules between energy levels for generating coherent electromagnetic radiation in the ultraviolet, visible, or infrared region of the spectrum, and when discharged exceeds one milliwatt continuous wave."
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.
This web page was last updated on
January 13, 2016 at 1:04 PM