A bill

 

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ADDING SECTION 23-3-90 SO AS TO CREATE THE "SLED EXECUTIVE PROTECTION UNIT," TO PROVIDE ITS JURISDICTION, AND TO PROVIDE PENALTIES FOR VIOLATIONS.

 

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

 

SECTION 1.  Article 1, Chapter 3, Title 23 of the S.C. Code is amended by adding:

 

    Section 23-3-90. (A) As used in this section:

       (1) "SLED Executive Protection Unit" means any sworn law enforcement officer permanently or temporarily assigned by the Chief of SLED to the security and transportation of officially designated protected persons.

       (2) "Restricted Buildings or Grounds" means any posted, cordoned off, or otherwise restricted area of a building or grounds where any person protected by the SLED Executive Protection Unit is or will be temporarily visiting as identified by a conspicuous notice prominently displayed or with verbal notification made by a sworn law enforcement officer, or of a building or grounds restricted in conjunction with an event designated as a "special event of state significance."

       (3) "Special event of state significance" means a significant event of statewide importance as designated by the Governor, or the Chief of SLED, as a Special Assessment-Rated Event or National Special Security Event as designated by the federal government.

    (B) The SLED Executive Protection Unit shall provide protective services for, and maintain the security of, the Governor, the first lady, the Governor's minor children, and the Lieutenant Governor.

    (C) SLED shall employ personnel as may be necessary to carry out this responsibility, including officers or agents who shall have authority to bear arms and make arrests, with or without warrant, for violations of any of the criminal laws of the State, under the same terms and conditions as investigative personnel of the division.

    (D) SLED is authorized to provide protective services for visiting governors and their families, visiting legislative leadership from other states, certain federal elected officials, and certain visiting appointees of the United States Executive Branch, upon request and with approval of the SLED Chief. The protective services shall be limited to those designated protected persons for whom the primary purpose of the visit is for a significant public purpose, or for whom the failure to provide security or transportation could result in a clear and present danger to the personal safety of such persons or to the safety of other persons or property within this State or could result in public embarrassment to the State.

    (E) SLED is authorized to coordinate transportation and protective services with other law enforcement agencies and may request the assistance of other law enforcement agencies to carry out the duties required. The other law enforcement agencies of the State are authorized to provide such assistance as may be requested by the division under this subsection.

    (F) A person commits an offense who:

       (1) knowingly enters or remains in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority to do so;

       (2) knowingly, and with intent to impede or disrupt the orderly conduct of official state functions, engages in disorderly or disruptive conduct in any restricted building or grounds when, or so that, such conduct, in fact, impedes or disrupts the orderly conduct of state business or official functions;

       (3) knowingly, and with the intent to impede or disrupt the activities of protective services, refuses to comply with an order of a sworn law enforcement officer to allow the movement of persons for whom the SLED Executive Protection Unit provides security services;

       (4) knowingly, and with the intent to impede or disrupt the orderly conduct of state business or official functions, obstructs or impedes ingress or egress to or from any restricted building or grounds;

       (5) knowingly engages in any act of physical violence against any person or property in any restricted building or grounds.

    (G) A person who violates this section while in possession of a deadly weapon or the violation causes great bodily injury is guilty of a felony and, upon conviction, must be imprisoned not more than five years. For the purpose of this section, "great bodily injury" means bodily injury which causes a substantial risk of death, or which causes serious, permanent disfigurement or protracted loss or impairment of the function of bodily member or organ. For any other violation of this section a person is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be imprisoned not more than three years.

 

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

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