Criminal Justice (Sentencing)

in committee · South Carolina · House Feb 4, 2026

H 5065: Enhanced Punishment for Crimes Against Minors

A BILL TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS SO AS TO ENACT THE "SENTENCING ENHANCEMENTS FOR CRIMES AGAINST MINORS ACT"; BY ADDING ARTICLE 22 TO CHAPTER 3, TITLE 16 SO AS TO ESTABLISH ADDITIONAL TERMS OF IMPRISONMENT FOR PERSONS CONVICTED OF CRIMES AGAINST MINORS AND TO PROHIBIT THE AVOIDANCE OR REDUCTION OF CRIMINAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR PERSONS CONVICTED OF CRIMES AGAINST MINORS DUE TO A VERDICT OR PLEA OF NOT GUILTY BY REASON OF INSANITY.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeIncreases mandatory prison terms for crimes against minors and bars insanity defense, strengthening punitive sentencing without reform elements.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Sentencing

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in committee · South Carolina · House Jan 20, 2026

H 4713: Attempted murder, mandatory minimum

A BILL TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 16-3-29, RELATING TO THE OFFENSE OF ATTEMPTED MURDER, SO AS TO PROVIDE A MANDATORY MINIMUM TERM OF IMPRISONMENT OF FIVE YEARS FOR A VIOLATION.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeMandates 5-year minimum sentence for attempted murder, increasing sentencing severity and opposing criminal justice reform efforts.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Sentencing

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in committee · South Carolina · House Jan 13, 2026

H 4722: Death Penalty, aggravating circumstances

A BILL TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 16-3-20, RELATING TO PUNISHMENT FOR MURDER AND SEPARATE SENTENCING PROCEEDINGS WHEN THE DEATH PENALTY IS SOUGHT WHEN AGGRAVATING CIRCUMSTANCES ARE PRESENT, SO AS TO ADD ADDITIONAL AGGRAVATING CIRCUMSTANCES FOR WHICH THE DEATH PENALTY MAY BE IMPOSED.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeExpands death penalty eligibility by adding aggravating circumstances, increasing sentencing severity and restricting defendant rights.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Sentencing

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in committee · South Carolina · House Jan 13, 2026

H 4719: Death Penalty, premeditated murder

A BILL TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 16-3-20, RELATING TO THE PUNISHMENT FOR MURDER AND THE SEPARATE SENTENCING PROCEEDING WHEN THE DEATH PENALTY IS SOUGHT, SO AS TO ADD THAT PREMEDITATED MURDER IS AN AGGRAVATING CIRCUMSTANCE FOR WHICH THE DEATH PENALTY MAY BE SOUGHT.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeAdds premeditated murder as aggravating circumstance for death penalty, expanding capital punishment eligibility and reducing defendant rights in sentencing.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Sentencing

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in committee · South Carolina · House Jan 20, 2026

H 4807: Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, first degree

A BILL TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 16-15-395, RELATING TO FIRST DEGREE SEXUAL EXPLOITATION OF A MINOR, SO AS TO PROVIDE FOR A TWENTY-FIVE YEAR MANDATORY MINIMUM SENTENCE FOR A VIOLATION OF THE OFFENSE IF THE MINOR VICTIM IS LESS THAN ELEVEN YEARS OF AGE.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeAdds 25-year mandatory minimum for sexual exploitation of minors under 11, increasing sentencing severity - opposes reform efforts.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Sentencing

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in committee · South Carolina · House Jan 13, 2026

H 4780: Computation of time served by prisoners

A BILL TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 24-13-40, RELATING TO COMPUTATION OF TIME SERVED BY PRISONERS, SO AS TO REVISE THE PROVISION THAT ALLOWS PRISONERS TO RECEIVE CREDIT FOR TIME SERVED FOR AN OFFENSE WHILE AWAITING TRIAL AND SENTENCING FOR ANOTHER OFFENSE.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeBill revises sentencing calculation to deny credit for pretrial time, increasing effective sentences and opposing reform efforts that reduce incarceration.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Sentencing

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