A bill

 

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 24-21-950, RELATING TO GUIDELINES FOR DETERMINING ELIGIBILITY FOR PARDON, SO AS TO MAKE GRAMmATICAL and technical CHANGES, and to delete the provision that requires an inmate be considered for a pardon before a parole eligibility date under certain circumstances.

 

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

 

SECTION 1.  Section 24-21-950 of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

 

    Section 24-21-950. (A) The following guidelines must be utilized by the board when determining when an individual is eligible for pardon consideration.

       (1) Probationers must be considered upon the request of the individual anytimeany time after discharge from supervision.

       (2) Persons discharged from a sentence without benefit of parole must be considered upon the request of the individual anytimeany time after the date of discharge.

       (3) Parolees must be considered for a pardon upon the request of the individual anytimeany time after the successful completion of five years under supervision.  Parolees successfully completing the maximum parole period, if less than five years, must be considered for pardon upon the request of the individual anytimeany time after the date of discharge.

       (4) An inmate must be considered for pardon before a parole eligibility date at any time only when he can produce evidence comprising the most extraordinary circumstances.

       (5) The victim of a crime or a member of a convicted person's family living within this State may petition for a pardon for a person who has completed supervision or has been discharged from a sentence.

    (B) Persons discharged from a sentence without benefit of supervision must be considered upon the request of the individual anytimeany time after the date of discharge.

 

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

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