Trespassing, graduated penalties

2025-2026 Bill 747: Trespassing, graduated penalties - South Carolina Legislature Online

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026
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S. 747
STATUS INFORMATION
General Bill
Sponsors: Senator Ott
Document Path: LC-0177AHB26.docx
Introduced in the Senate on January 13, 2026
Currently residing in the Senate Committee on
Judiciary
Summary: Trespassing, graduated penalties
HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS

Date

Body

Action Description with journal page number

12/10/2025

Senate

Prefiled

12/10/2025

Senate

Referred to Committee on
Judiciary

1/13/2026

Senate

Introduced and read first time (
Senate Journal-page 40
)

1/13/2026

Senate

Referred to Committee on
Judiciary
(
Senate Journal-page 40
)

View the latest
legislative information
at the website
VERSIONS OF THIS BILL
12/10/2025

A bill

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ADDING SECTION
16-11-645
SO AS TO PROVIDE FOR GRADUATED PENALTIES FOR PERSONS CONVICTED OF
CERTAIN SECOND OR THIRD OR SUBSEQUENT trespassing OFFENSES.

B
e it enacted by the
General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

S
ECTION 1.
A
rticle 7, Chapter 11, Title 16 of the S.C. Code is
amended by adding:

S
ection
16-11-645
.
(
A) A person who commits
a:

(
1)
second offense violation of the provisions of Section
16-11-600
,
16-11-610
,
16-11-620
,
16-11-625
,
16-11-630
, or
16-11-640
, is guilty of a misdemeanor and,
upon conviction, must be fined not more seven hundred fifty dollars or
imprisoned not more than sixty days; and

(
2)
third or subsequent offense violation of the provisions of Section
16-11-600
,
16-11-610
,
16-11-620
,
16-11-625
,
16-11-630
, or
16-11-640
, is guilty of a
misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be fined not more one thousand dollars
or imprisoned not more than ninety days.

(
B) Notwithstanding
Sections
22-3-540
,
22-3-545
, and
22-3-550
, an offense pursuant to the
provisions of this section is triable in magistrates court. A prior conviction
for purposes of this subsection is defined as a conviction within five years of
the date of commission of the current offense.

S
ECTION 2. The repeal or amendment by this act
of any law, whether temporary or permanent or civil or criminal, does not affect
pending actions, rights, duties, or liabilities founded thereon, or alter,
discharge, release or extinguish any penalty, forfeiture, or liability incurred
under the repealed or amended law, unless the repealed or amended provision
shall so expressly provide. After the effective date of this act, all laws
repealed or amended by this act must be taken and treated as remaining in full
force and effect for the purpose of sustaining any pending or vested right,
civil action, special proceeding, criminal prosecution, or appeal existing as
of the effective date of this act, and for the enforcement of rights, duties,
penalties, forfeitures, and liabilities as they stood under the repealed or
amended laws.

S
ECTION 3. This act takes effect upon approval
by the Governor.

----XX----

This web page was last updated on January 13, 2026 at 1:09 PM