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2025-2026 Bill 808: Interference with workers providing critical services - South Carolina Legislature Online
South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026
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Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter
S. 808
STATUS INFORMATION
General Bill
Sponsors: Senators Rankin, Alexander and Zell
Companion/Similar bill(s): 5058
Document Path: SJ-0011MB26.docx
Introduced in the Senate on January 14, 2026
Introduced in the House on March 26, 2026
Last Amended on March 25, 2026
Currently residing in the House Committee on
Judiciary
Summary: Interference with workers providing critical services
HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS
Date
Body
Action Description with journal page number
1/14/2026
Senate
Introduced and read first time (
Senate Journal-page 12
)
1/14/2026
Senate
Referred to Committee on
Judiciary
(
Senate Journal-page 12
)
3/11/2026
Senate
Committee report: Favorable with amendment
Judiciary
(
Senate Journal-page 8
)
3/17/2026
Senate
Committee Amendment Adopted (
Senate Journal-page 23
)
3/17/2026
Senate
Read second time (
Senate Journal-page 23
)
3/17/2026
Senate
Roll call Ayes-27 Nays-10 (
Senate Journal-page 23
)
3/25/2026
Senate
Amended (
Senate Journal-page 18
)
3/25/2026
Senate
Read third time and sent to House (
Senate Journal-page 18
)
3/25/2026
Senate
Roll call Ayes-37 Nays-6 (
Senate Journal-page 18
)
3/26/2026
House
Introduced and read first time (
House Journal-page 24
)
3/26/2026
House
Referred to Committee on
Judiciary
(
House Journal-page 24
)
View the latest
legislative information
at the website
VERSIONS OF THIS BILL
01/14/2026
03/11/2026
03/17/2026
03/25/2026
Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New
Matter
As Passed By The Senate
March 25, 2026
S. 808
Introduced
by Senators Rankin, Alexander and Zell
S. Printed 3/25/26--S.
Read the first time January 14, 2026
________
A bill
TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING
SECTION
16-7-10
, RELATING TO ILLEGAL ACTS DURING STATE OF EMERGENCY, SO AS TO
INCLUDE THAT HARASSING OR THREATENING A WORKER RESTORING CRITICAL SERVICES IS A
MISDEMEANOR, AND THAT ASSAULTING OR ENDANGERING A WORKER RESTORING OR
DESTROYING OR TAMPERING WITH AN ELECTRIC UTILITY SYSTEM IS A FELONY, AND TO
DEFINE CRITICAL SERVICES.
Amend Title To Conform
B
e it enacted by the
General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
S
ECTION 1.
S
ection
16-7-10
of the S.C. Code is amended to read:
S
ection
16-7-10
.
(
A) In any area designated
by the Governor in his proclamation that a state of emergency exists, and
during the duration of the proclamation, it is unlawful for a person to:
(
1)
(
a) violate a provision in the
proclamation including, but not limited to, any curfew set forth by the
proclamation;
(
b)
congregate, unless authorized or in their homes, in groups of three or more and
to refuse to disperse upon order of a law enforcement officer; or
(
c)
wilfully fail or refuse to comply with any lawful order or direction of any law
enforcement officer.
A
person violating
the provisions of this item is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction,
must be fined not more than one hundred dollars or imprisoned for not more than
thirty days.
(
2)
(
a) enter into the property of another,
without lawful authority and with criminal intent;
(
b)
damage the property of another; or
(
c)
take possession or otherwise disturb the property of another in any manner.
A
person violating
a provision of this item is guilty of the felony of looting and, upon
conviction, must be fined or imprisoned, or both, in the discretion of the
court. The court must order restitution pursuant to Section
17-25-322
;
(
3)
charge unconscionable prices during a declared state of emergency or disaster,
as described in Section
39-5-145
, or knowingly and wilfully use a misleading
practice or device to solicit the contribution or sale of goods or services for
charitable purposes in connection with a declared state of emergency or
disaster, as described in Section
39-5-147
.
;
(
4)
(
a)
wilfully and knowingly harass or threaten a worker restoring critical services.
A person violating a provision of this item shall be guilty of a misdemeanor
and, upon conviction, shall be sentenced to not more than thirty days'
imprisonment or a fine of not more than five hundred dollars, or both;
(
b) wilfully and knowingly assault or
engage in behavior that could endanger a worker restoring critical services or
destroy, damage, or tamper with an electric utility system, as defined by
Section
16-11-740
. A person violating a provision of this item shall be guilty
of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be fined or imprisoned or both in
the discretion of the court.
(
B)
Penalties provided in this article are cumulative of and in addition to those
provided in Sections
39-5-145
and
39-5-147
.
(
C) For the purposes of this section,
"critical services" include:
(
1) electric and gas services;
(
2) water and sewer services;
(
3) road and highway repair;
(
4) telephone or cell service; or
(
5) satellite or internet service.
S
ECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval
by the Governor.
----XX----
This web page was last updated on March 25, 2026 at 6:53 PM