summary
Introduced
01/14/2025
01/14/2025
In Committee
04/10/2025
04/10/2025
Crossed Over
04/02/2025
04/02/2025
Passed
Dead
Introduced Session
126th General Assembly
Bill Summary
Amend The South Carolina Code Of Laws By Amending Section 16-15-375, Relating To Definitions Applicable To Certain Offenses Against Minors, So As To Revise Definitions And Add The Terms "identifiable Minor" And "morphed Image"; By Amending Section 16-15-395, Relating To First Degree Sexual Exploitation Of A Minor, So As To Include Morphed Images Of Identifiable Minors As An Offense; By Amending Section 16-15-405, Relating To Second Degree Sexual Exploitation Of A Minor, So As To Include Morphed Images Of Identifiable Minors As An Offense; By Amending Section 16-15-410, Relating To Third Degree Sexual Exploitation Of A Minor; So As To Include Morphed Images Of Identifiable Minors As An Offense; By Amending Section 23-3-430, Relating To The Sex Offender Registry, So As To Include Those Guilty Of Criminal Exploitation Of A Minor In The First, Second, Or Third Degree As A Tier Ii Offender; By Amending Section 23-3-462, Relating To Termination Of Registration Requirements, So As To Clarify Possible Termination Requirements And Include Tier I And Tier Ii Designations For Out-of-state Or Federal Convictions; And By Amending Section 16-15-342, Relating To Criminal Solicitation Of A Minor, By Amending Section 16-15-387, Relating To Employment Of A Person Under Eighteen To Appear In Public In A State Of Sexually Explicit Nudity, And By Amending Section 44-48-30, Relating To Definitions For Purposes Of The Sexually Violent Predator Act, All So As To Make Conforming Changes.
AI Summary
This bill amends South Carolina law to address the sexual exploitation of minors by introducing and defining new terms like "identifiable minor" and "morphed image," which refer to digitally altered images of minors that appear to depict them in sexually explicit situations. The legislation expands existing criminal statutes to explicitly include morphed images of identifiable minors in definitions of sexual exploitation across three degrees of offense (first, second, and third degree). For minors who commit their first offense involving a morphed image of an identifiable minor, the bill specifies that the case will be handled as a misdemeanor in family court, with the possibility of mandating behavioral health counseling. Additionally, the bill updates the sex offender registry requirements, clarifying how offenses involving morphed images of minors will be classified (primarily as Tier I offenses) and providing guidance on potential registration termination. The changes aim to address emerging digital technologies that can be used to sexually exploit minors by creating artificially manipulated sexually explicit images, while also providing some nuanced handling of cases involving juvenile offenders.
Committee Categories
Justice
Sponsors (34)
Travis Moore (R)*,
Jeff Bradley (R),
Mike Burns (R),
Paula Calhoon (R),
Micah Caskey (R),
Don Chapman (R),
April Cromer (R),
Sylleste Davis (R),
Sarita Edgerton (R),
Shannon Erickson (R),
Cal Forrest (R),
Craig Gagnon (R),
Daniel Gibson (R),
Thomas Lee Gilreath (R),
Jerry Govan (D),
Brandon Guffey (R),
Bill Hixon (R),
Brian Lawson (R),
Steven Long (R),
John McCravy (R),
Cody Mitchell (R),
Brandon Newton (R),
Weston Newton (R),
Melissa Oremus (R),
Tommy Pope (R),
Luke Rankin (R),
Carla Schuessler (R),
Mark Smith (R),
Tiffany Spann-Wilder (D),
Bill Taylor (R),
David Vaughan (R),
Paul Wickensimer (R),
Chris Wooten (R),
Richie Yow (R),
Last Action
Referred to Committee on Judiciary (on 04/10/2025)
Official Document
bill text
bill summary
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bill summary
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bill summary
| Document Type | Source Location |
|---|---|
| State Bill Page | https://www.scstatehouse.gov/billsearch.php?billnumbers=3046&session=126&summary=B |
| BillText | https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess126_2025-2026/prever/3046_20250227.htm |
| BillText | https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess126_2025-2026/prever/3046_20250226.htm |
| Fiscal Note - H3046 2025-01-14 Introduced | https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess126_2025-2026/fiscalimpactstatements/H3046%202025-01-14%20introduced.pdf |
| BillText | https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess126_2025-2026/prever/3046_20241205.htm |
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