Sex Offender Internet use

2025-2026 Bill 924: Sex Offender Internet use - South Carolina Legislature Online

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026
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S. 924
STATUS INFORMATION
General Bill
Sponsors: Senator Goldfinch
Document Path: SEDU-0036DB26.docx
Introduced in the Senate on February 12, 2026
Currently residing in the Senate Committee on
Judiciary
Summary: Sex Offender Internet use
HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS

Date

Body

Action Description with journal page number

2/12/2026

Senate

Introduced and read first time (
Senate Journal-page 3
)

2/12/2026

Senate

Referred to Committee on
Judiciary
(
Senate Journal-page 3
)

View the latest
legislative information
at the website
VERSIONS OF THIS BILL
02/12/2026

A bill

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING
SECTION
23-3-555
, RELATING TO INTERNET REPORTING REQUIREMENTS AND PENALTIES,
INFORMATION PROVIDED TO INTERACTIVE COMPUTER SERVICES, AND JUDICIAL LIMITATIONS
ON INTERNET USE, SO AS TO REQUIRE, AS A CONDITION OF PROBATION OR PAROLE, A
PERSON WHO IS CONVICTED OF A CRIME THAT IS REGISTERED ON THE SEX OFFENDER
REGISTRY TO USE HIS NAME AS IT APPEARS ON THE REGISTRY WHEN HE IS USING THE
INTERNET TO ACCESS SOCIAL NETWORKING WEBSITES, COMMUNICATE WITH OTHER PERSONS
OR GROUPS FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROMOTING SEXUAL RELATIONS, OR WHEN USING DATING
APPLICATIONS.

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

S
ECTION 1.
S
ection
23-3-555
(D) of the S.C. Code is amended to
read:

(
D)
(
1)
If a person commits a sexual offense in which the
victim is under the age of eighteen at the time of the offense or the person
reasonably believes is under the age of eighteen at the time of the offense,
and the offender is required to register with the sex offender registry for the
offense, then, upon conviction, adjudication of delinquency, guilty plea, or
plea of nolo contendere, the judge must order as a condition of probation or
parole that the person is prohibited from using the Internet to access social
networking websites, communicate with other persons or groups for the purpose
of promoting sexual relations with persons under the age of eighteen, and
communicate with a person under the age of eighteen when the person is over the
age of eighteen. The judge may permit a person to use the Internet to
communicate with a person under the age of eighteen when such a person is the
parent or guardian of a child under the age of eighteen, or the grandparent of
a grandchild under the age of eighteen, and the person is not otherwise
prohibited from communicating with the child or grandchild.
(2) If a person commits a sexual offense and the offender
is required to register with the sex offender registry for the offense, then
upon conviction, adjudication of delinquency, guilty plea, or plea of nolo
contendere, the judge must order as a condition of probation or parole that the
person must use his name as it appears on the sex offender registry when using
the internet to access social networking websites, communicate with other
persons or groups for the purpose of promoting sexual relations, or when using
dating applications.

(
E)
(
1) A person who violates section
(D)(1) and is convicted for a first offense is guilty of a misdemeanor and may
be fined not more than two thousand five hundred dollars or imprisoned for not
more than three years or both. A person convicted of a second and subsequent
offense is guilty of a felony and may be fined not more than five thousand
dollars or imprisoned for not more than five years or both.

(
2) A person who violates subsection
(D)(2) and is convicted for a first offense is guilty of a misdemeanor and may
be fined not more than one thousand dollars or imprisoned for not more than one
year or both. A person convicted of a second and subsequent offense is guilty
of a misdemeanor and may be fined not more than two thousand five hundred
dollars or imprisoned for not more than three years or both.

S
ECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval
by the Governor.

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This web page was last updated on February 12, 2026 at 11:32 AM