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2025-2026 Bill 504: Distribution of controlled substance within proximity - South Carolina Legislature Online
South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026
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S. 504
STATUS INFORMATION
General Bill
Sponsors: Senators Blackmon, Hembree, Zell, Chaplin, Nutt, Stubbs, Fernandez, Elliott, Walker, Ott and Graham
Document Path: SEDU-0029DB25.docx
Introduced in the Senate on March 26, 2025
Introduced in the House on March 24, 2026
Currently residing in the House Committee on
Judiciary
Summary: Distribution of controlled substance within proximity
HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS
Date
Body
Action Description with journal page number
3/26/2025
Senate
Introduced and read first time (
Senate Journal-page 8
)
3/26/2025
Senate
Referred to Committee on
Judiciary
(
Senate Journal-page 8
)
4/2/2025
Scrivener's error corrected
3/11/2026
Senate
Committee report: Favorable
Judiciary
(
Senate Journal-page 7
)
3/17/2026
Senate
Read second time (
Senate Journal-page 21
)
3/17/2026
Senate
Roll call Ayes-40 Nays-0 (
Senate Journal-page 21
)
3/19/2026
Senate
Read third time and sent to House (
Senate Journal-page 16
)
3/24/2026
House
Introduced and read first time (
House Journal-page 38
)
3/24/2026
House
Referred to Committee on
Judiciary
(
House Journal-page 38
)
View the latest
legislative information
at the website
VERSIONS OF THIS BILL
03/26/2025
04/02/2025
03/11/2026
Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter
Committee Report
March 11, 2026
S. 504
Introduced by Senators Blackmon, Hembree, Zell,
Chaplin, Nutt, Stubbs, Fernandez, Elliott, Walker, Ott and Graham
S. Printed 3/11/26--S.
Read the first time March 26, 2025
________
The committee on Senate Judiciary
To whom was referred a Bill (S. 504) to amend
the South Carolina Code of Laws by amending Section
44-53-445
, relating to the
distribution of controlled substances within proximity of schools, so as, etc.,
respectfully
Report:
That they have duly and carefully considered
the same, and recommend that the same do pass:
LUKE RANKIN for Committee.
_______
A bill
TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING
SECTION
44-53-445
, RELATING TO THE DISTRIBUTION OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES WITHIN
PROXIMITY OF SCHOOLS, SO AS TO INCLUDE CHILD CARE FACILITIES AND DAY PROGRAMS
AND PROVIDE RELATED DEFINITIONS.
B
e it enacted by the
General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
S
ECTION 1.
S
ections
44-53-445
(A), (B), and (C) of the S.C. Code are
amended to read:
S
ection
44-53-445
.
(
A) It is a separate
criminal offense for a person to distribute, sell, purchase, manufacture, or to
unlawfully possess with intent to distribute, a controlled substance while in,
on, or within a one-half mile radius of the grounds of a public or private elementary,
middle, or secondary school; a public playground or park; a public vocational
or trade school or technical educational center;
or
a
public or private college or university
; a childcare
facility as defined in Section
63-13-20
; or a day program as defined in Section
44-20-30
.
(
B)
For a person to be convicted of an offense pursuant to subsection (A), the
person must:
(
1)
have knowledge that he is in, on, or within a one-half mile radius of the
grounds of a public or private elementary, middle, or secondary school; a
public playground or park; a public vocational or trade school or technical
educational center;
or
a public or private college
or university;
a child care facility as defined in Section
63-13-20
; or a day program as defined in Section
44-20-30
;
and
(
2)
actually distribute, sell, purchase, manufacture, or unlawfully possess with
intent to distribute, the controlled substance within a one-half mile radius of
the grounds of a public or private elementary, middle, or secondary school; a
public playground or park; a public vocational or trade school or technical
educational center;
or
a public or private college
or university
; a child care facility as defined in Section
63-13-20
; or a day program as defined in Section
44-20-30
.
(
C)
A person must not be convicted of an offense pursuant to subsection (A) if the
person is stopped by a law enforcement officer for the controlled substance
offense within a one-half mile radius of the grounds of a public or private
elementary, middle, or secondary school; a public playground or park; a
public vocational or trade school or technical educational center; or a public
or private college or university, but did not actually commit the controlled
substance offense within a one-half mile radius of the grounds of a public or
private elementary, middle, or secondary school; a public playground or park;
a public vocational or trade school or technical educational center;
or
a public or private college or university
, or a child care facility as defined in Section
63-13-20
; or a
day program as defined in Section
44-20-30
.
S
ECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval
by the Governor.
----XX----
This web page was last updated on March 11, 2026 at 8:14 PM