S 126 South Carolina Senate · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Law Enforcement Personal Privacy Protection and Judicial Personal Privacy Protection

Summary
AN ACT TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 30-2-500, RELATING TO DEFINITIONS IN THE LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSONAL PRIVACY PROTECTION ACT, SO AS TO REVISE THE DEFINITON OF "PERSONAL CONTACT INFORMATION" AND TO DEFINE "DISCLOSED RECORDS"; BY AMENDING SECTION 30-2-510, RELATING TO THE MEANS FOR ACTIVE AND FORMER LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS TO MAKE THEIR PERSONAL CONTACT INFORMATION CONFIDENTIAL AND NOT SUBJECT TO PUBLIC DISCLOSURE, SO AS TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL MEANS FOR MAKING SUCH INFORMATION IN DISCLOSED RECORDS RESTRICTED FROM PUBLICLY AVAILABLE INTERNET WEBSITES OF STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS UPON REQUEST AND TO MAKE PROVISIONS FOR HOME ADDRESSES OR TAX MAP NUMBERS THAT CANNOT BE RESTRICTED FROM A DISCLOSED RECORD WITHIN AN INDEX OR FROM BEING DISPLAYED ON AN IMAGE OF AN OFFICIAL RECORD, TO PROVIDE SUCH INFORMATION MUST REMAIN WITHIN THE OFFICIAL RECORD HELD OR MAINTAINED BY THE STATE OR LOCAL GOVERNMENT AGENCY, AND TO ALLOW DISCLOSURE TO CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS OR ENTITIES, AMONG OTHER THINGS; BY ADDING SECTION 30-2-515 SO AS TO PROVIDE ACTIVE AND FORMER LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS MAY SEEK CERTAIN JUDICIAL RELIEF FOR NONCOMPLIANCE AND TO PREVENT LIABILITY FROM ACCRUING TO STATE OR LOCAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES OR AGENTS FOR CLAIMS OR DAMAGES THAT ARISE FROM PERSONAL CONTACT INFORMATION ON THE PUBLIC RECORD; BY AMENDING SECTION 30-2-700, RELATING TO DEFINITIONS IN THE JUDICIAL PERSONAL PRIVACY PROTECTION ACT, SO AS TO INCLUDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IN THE DEFINITION OF "PERSONAL CONTACT INFORMATION" AND TO DEFINE "DISCLOSED RECORDS"; BY AMENDING SECTION 30-2-710, RELATING TO THE MEANS FOR ACTIVE AND FORMER JUDGES TO MAKE THEIR PERSONAL CONTACT INFORMATION CONFIDENTIAL AND NOT SUBJECT TO PUBLIC DISCLOSURE, SO AS TO PROVIDE MEANS TO RESTRICT SUCH INFORMATION IN DISCLOSED RECORDS RESTRICTED FROM PUBLICLY AVAILABLE INTERNET WEBSITES OF STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS UPON REQUEST AND TO MAKE PROVISIONS FOR HOME ADDRESSES OR TAX MAP NUMBERS THAT CANNOT BE RESTRICTED FROM A DISCLOSED RECORD WITHIN AN INDEX OR FROM BEING DISPLAYED ON AN IMAGE OF AN OFFICIAL RECORD, TO PROVIDE SUCH INFORMATION MUST REMAIN WITHIN THE OFFICIAL RECORD HELD OR MAINTAINED BY THE STATE OR LOCAL GOVERNMENT AGENCY, AND TO ALLOW DISCLOSURE TO CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS OR ENTITIES, AMONG OTHER THINGS; BY ADDING SECTION 30-2-715 SO AS TO PROVIDE ACTIVE AND FORMER JUDGES MAY SEEK CERTAIN JUDICIAL RELIEF FOR NONCOMPLIANCE AND TO PREVENT LIABILITY FROM ACCRUING TO STATE OR LOCAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES OR AGENTS FOR CLAIMS OR DAMAGES THAT ARISE FROM PERSONAL CONTACT INFORMATION ON THE PUBLIC RECORD; TO DELAY THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF ACT 56 OF 2023, WHICH ENACTED THE "LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSONAL PRIVACY PROTECTION ACT" AND THE "JUDICIAL PERSONAL PRIVACY PROTECTION ACT," FROM JULY 1, 2025, UNTIL JANUARY 1, 2026; AND TO DIRECT THE OFFICE OF COURT ADMINISTRATION AND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CRIMINAL JUSTICE ACADEMY TO COLLABORATE AND CREATE THE DESIGNATED FORM FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS AND JUDGES TO USE TO REQUEST STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT AGENCIES REGSTRICT PUBLIC ACCESS TO PERSONAL CONTACT INFORMATION IN DISCLOSED RECORDS, TO PROVIDE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE CONTENTS OF THE FORM, AND TO PROVIDE STATE OR LOCAL GOVERNMENT AGENCIES MAY PROVIDE SUPPLMENTAL FORMS TO IDENTIFY INFORMATION NEEDED BY STATE OR LOCAL GOVERNMENT AGENCIES TO ADDRESS REQUESTS FROM ELIGIBLE REQUESTING PARTIES. - RATIFIED TITLE
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2025
Committee Review
Apr 2025
Senate Passage
Mar 2025
House Passage
Apr 2025
Signed into Law
Apr 2025
Introduced Jan 14, 2025 Signed Apr 28, 2025
Floor votes · Senate Mar 18, 2025 · House Apr 9, 2025

How they voted

440
Passed · 2 other
Total votes 46
Mar 18, 2025
D Democratic12
12 Yea
100% Yea
R Republican34
32 Yea 2
94% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
27
Key actions
8
Committee
6
Amendments
1
Apr 28, 2025
Signed into law
Signed By Governor
legislature
Apr 10, 2025
Lower · Passed
Read third time and enrolled
lower
Apr 9, 2025
House · Passed
House Vote: pass (106-0-12)
house
Apr 2, 2025
Lower · Passed
Committee report: Favorable Judiciary
lower
Mar 20, 2025
Committee
Referred to Committee on Judiciary
lower
Mar 20, 2025
Introduced
Introduced and read first time
lower
Mar 19, 2025
Upper · Passed
Read third time and sent to House
upper
Mar 18, 2025
Upper · Passed
Committee Amendment Adopted
upper
Mar 18, 2025
Senate · Passed
Senate Vote: pass (44-0-2)
senate
Mar 12, 2025
Upper · Passed
Committee report: Favorable with amendment Judiciary
upper
Feb 21, 2025
Committee
Referred to Subcommittee: Adams (ch), Kimbrell, Devine, Blackmon, Kennedy, Leber, Walker
upper
Jan 14, 2025
Committee
Referred to Committee on Judiciary
upper
Jan 14, 2025
Introduced
Introduced and read first time
upper
Dec 11, 2024
Committee
Referred to Committee on Judiciary
upper
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of Michael Johnson
Michael Johnson
RRepublican
SC
16