Plain English Breakdown
The plain English breakdown is still being put together. The official documents below are already here.
Straight-ahead summaries built from the official bill text. We keep the source links front and center and leave the decision up to you.
H4714 • 2026
A BILL TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 17-23-170, RELATING TO ADMISSIBILITY OF EVIDENCE CONCERNING BATTERED SPOUSE SYNDROME, FOUNDATION, NOTICE, AND EXPERT AND LAY TESTIMONY, SO AS TO DEFINE NECESSARY TERMS, TO FURTHER DEFINE ADMISSIBLE EVIDENCE TO ESTABLISH THE DEFENDANT SUFFERS FROM BATTERED SPOUSE SYNDROME, AND TO PROVIDE FOR A REBUTTABLE PRESUMPTION THAT THE DEFENDANT SUFFERS FROM BATTERED SPOUSE SYNDROME AND ACTED IN SELF-DEFENSE WHEN THERE IS A DOCUMENTED HISTORY OF PRIOR VIOLENT ASSAULT ON THE DEFENDANT AND A THREAT OF A VIOLENT ASSAULT OR VIOLENT ASSAULT ON THE DEFENDANT BY THE VICTIM OCCURS WITHIN TWENTY-FOUR HOURS OF THE ALLEGED OFFENSE.
The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.
The plain English breakdown is still being put together. The official documents below are already here.
No action history is stored for this bill yet.
A BILL TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 17-23-170, RELATING TO ADMISSIBILITY OF EVIDENCE CONCERNING BATTERED SPOUSE SYNDROME, FOUNDATION, NOTICE, AND EXPERT AND LAY TESTIMONY, SO AS TO DEFINE NECESSARY TERMS, TO FURTHER DEFINE ADMISSIBLE EVIDENCE TO ESTABLISH THE DEFENDANT SUFFERS FROM BATTERED SPOUSE SYNDROME, AND TO PROVIDE FOR A REBUTTABLE PRESUMPTION THAT THE DEFENDANT SUFFERS FROM BATTERED SPOUSE SYNDROME AND ACTED IN SELF-DEFENSE WHEN THERE IS A DOCUMENTED HISTORY OF PRIOR VIOLENT ASSAULT ON THE DEFENDANT AND A THREAT OF A VIOLENT ASSAULT OR VIOLENT ASSAULT ON THE DEFENDANT BY THE VICTIM OCCURS WITHIN TWENTY-FOUR HOURS OF THE ALLEGED OFFENSE.