All Roll Calls
Yes: 260 • No: 0
South CarolinaH 3058126th General Assembly (2025-2026)HouseWALLET
AN ACT TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ADDING SECTION 16-15-330 SO AS TO DEFINE NECESSARY TERMS FOR THE OFFENSE OF UNAUTHORIZED DISCLOSURE OF INTIMATE IMAGES; AND BY ADDING SECTION 16-15-332 SO AS TO CREATE THE OFFENSE OF UNAUTHORIZED DISCLOSURE OF INTIMATE IMAGES, TO PROVIDE GRADUATED PENALTIES, AND TO PROVIDE AN EXCEPTION FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES.
Sponsored By: Chris Wooten (Republican)
Signed by Governor
Summary
Disclosure of Intimate Images
Personalized for You
How does this bill affect your finances?
Personalize government policy and PRIA will tell you what this bill means for your household, plus every other piece of legislation we track. PRIA reads each provision against your financial profile to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.
Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 1 costs, 2 mixed.
Tough penalties for sharing intimate images
If you share to harm someone or for profit, a first offense is a felony. You face up to a $5,000 fine and up to 5 years in prison. A second aggravated offense carries up to a $10,000 fine and 1 to 10 years in prison. The 1‑year minimum cannot be suspended, and no probation is allowed. Without intent to harm or profit, a first offense is a misdemeanor with up to a $5,000 fine and up to 1 year in jail. A second non‑aggravated offense is a felony with up to a $5,000 fine and up to 5 years.
Sharing intimate images is a crime
The law makes it a crime to share someone’s intimate image without clear consent. This covers AI-made or edited images that look real. Consent to create or show an image to one person does not mean consent to spread it. It counts if you knew or should have known the person expected privacy. Sharing many images in one act is one offense. This crime is a standalone charge, even if other crimes also apply.
Courts limit copies; police exception
Courts and lawyers cannot make extra copies of intimate or forged images just for criminal discovery. This helps protect the privacy of people shown in those images. Law enforcement may create such images only when doing a lawful criminal investigation. The exception is limited to images made by police for that investigation.
Rules start May 12, 2025
The law takes effect May 12, 2025. All rules and penalties in this act start that day.
Sponsors & Cosponsors
Sponsor
Chris Wooten
Republican • House
Cosponsors
Brandon Newton
Republican • House
Jeff Bradley
Republican • House
Gilda Cobb-Hunter
Democrat • House
Shannon S. Erickson
Republican • House
Jerry N. Govan, Jr.
Democrat • House
Brandon Guffey
Republican • House
John R. McCravy III
Republican • House
Thomas E. "Tommy" Pope
Republican • House
Tiffany R. Spann-Wilder
Democrat • House
Bill Taylor
Republican • House
Wm. Weston J. Newton
Republican • House
Mark N. Willis
Republican • House
Roll Call Votes
House vote • 5/7/2025
(Disclosure of Intimate Images)Concur in Senate Amendments
Yes: 112 • No: 0
Senate vote • 5/1/2025
(Disclosure of Intimate Images)2nd Reading
Yes: 40 • No: 0
House vote • 4/22/2025
(Disclosure of Intimate Images)Passage of Bill
Yes: 108 • No: 0
Actions Timeline
Act No. 37
5/19/2025legislatureEffective date 05/12/25
5/19/2025legislatureSigned By Governor
5/12/2025GovernorRatified R 56
5/8/2025legislatureRoll call Yeas-112 Nays-0
5/7/2025HouseConcurred in Senate amendment and enrolled
5/7/2025HouseRead third time and returned to House with amendments
5/6/2025SenateRoll call Ayes-40 Nays-0
5/1/2025SenateRead second time
5/1/2025SenateCommittee Amendment Adopted
5/1/2025SenateCommittee report: Favorable with amendment Judiciary
4/29/2025SenateReferred to Committee on Judiciary
4/23/2025SenateIntroduced and read first time
4/23/2025SenateScrivener's error corrected
4/23/2025legislatureRead third time and sent to Senate
4/23/2025HouseRoll call Yeas-108 Nays-0
4/22/2025HouseRead second time
4/22/2025HouseAmended
4/22/2025HouseMember(s) request name added as sponsor: Willis
4/22/2025HouseDebate adjourned
4/10/2025HouseMember(s) request name added as sponsor: W.Newton, B.Newton
4/10/2025HouseDebate adjourned until Thur., 4-10-25
4/9/2025HouseDebate adjourned
4/8/2025HouseScrivener's error corrected
4/4/2025legislatureCommittee report: Favorable with amendment Judiciary
4/2/2025House
Bill Text
Introduced
Related Bills
S 0623, AN ACT TO EXEMPT GEORGETOWN COUNTY FROM CERTAIN BUILDING REQUIREMENTS AND TO ALLOW THE COUNTY TO INSTEAD ENFORCE AE STANDARDS IN GEORGETOWN COUNTY'S FLOOD DAMAGE PREVENTION ORDINANCE.
Georgetown County Building Requirements
S 0586, AN ACT TO AMEND ACT 172 OF 1995, RELATING TO THE KERSHAW COUNTY TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT EACH MEMBER OF THE KERSHAW COUNTY TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE SHALL RECEIVE NINETY DOLLARS FOR EACH MEETING AT WHICH HE IS IN ATTENDANCE AND THAT THE CHAIRMAN SHALL RECEIVE ONE HUNDRED SEVENTY-FIVE DOLLARS, AND TO PROVIDE THAT SUCH PAYMENTS SHALL NOT OCCUR MORE THAN EIGHTEEN TIMES EACH FISCAL YEAR.
Kershaw County Transportation Committee
H 5653, AN ACT TO AMEND ACT 843 OF 1952, AS AMENDED, RELATING TO THE LEE COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION, SO AS TO CLARIFY THE METHOD BY WHICH PERSONS FILE TO BECOME A CANDIDATE FOR ELECTION TO THE BOARD, THE MANNER IN WHICH BOARD ELECTIONS ARE CONDUCTED, AND THE MANNER IN WHICH VACANCIES ON THE BOARD ARE FILLED; AND TO PROVIDE FOR THE ANNUAL COMPENSATION OF MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
Lee County School District Board of Trustees
S 1062, A JOINT RESOLUTION TO APPROVE REGULATIONS OF THE STATE COMMISSION ON HIGHER EDUCATION, RELATING TO DETERMINATION OF RATES OF TUITION AND FEES, DESIGNATED AS REGULATION DOCUMENT NUMBER 5443, PURSUANT TO THE PROVISIONS OF ARTICLE 1, CHAPTER 23, TITLE 1 OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS.
JR to Approve Reg. Doc. No. 5443
S 0779, A JOINT RESOLUTION TO PROVIDE THAT EACH MEMBER OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY SHALL RECEIVE A MONTHLY LEGISLATIVE EXPENSE ALLOWANCE OF ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS; TO PROVIDE FOR THE ALLOCATION OF LEGISLATIVE EXPENSE ALLOWANCE PAYMENTS BETWEEN MEMBERS WHOSE SEATS WERE VACATED DURING FISCAL YEAR 2025-2026 AND THE MEMBERS ELECTED TO FILL THE VACANCY; AND TO PROVIDE THAT MEMBERS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY WHOSE SEATS WERE VACATED DUE TO THE MEMBER BEING CONVICTED OF OR PLEADING GUILTY OR NOLO CONTENDERE TO A FELONY ARE NOT ENTITLED TO A LEGISLATIVE EXPENSE ALLOWANCE PAYMENT PURSUANT TO THIS JOINT RESOLUTION.
Legislative Expense Allowance
H 5261, A JOINT RESOLUTION TO EXTEND THE DEADLINE FOR RECEIVING ALCOHOL SERVER TRAINING AS PROVIDED FOR IN CHAPTER 3, TITLE 61 TO MAY 1, 2026.
Alcohol Server Training