South CarolinaH 4804126th General Assembly (2025-2026)House

AN ACT TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 16-15-395, RELATING TO FIRST DEGREE SEXUAL EXPLOITATION OF A MINOR, SO AS TO INCREASE THE MINIMUM PENALTY TO FIVE YEARS' IMPRISONMENT AND PROVIDE AN ADDITIONAL PENALTY FOR REGISTERED SEX OFFENDERS WHO VIOLATE THE STATUTE; BY AMENDING SECTION 16-15-405, RELATING TO SECOND DEGREE SEXUAL EXPLOITATION OF A MINOR, SO AS TO INCREASE THE MINIMUM PENALTY TO THREE YEARS' IMPRISONMENT AND PROVIDE AN ADDITIONAL PENALTY FOR REGISTERED SEX OFFENDERS WHO VIOLATE THE STATUTE; AND BY AMENDING SECTION 16-15-410, RELATING TO THIRD DEGREE SEXUAL EXPLOITATION OF A MINOR, SO AS TO ESTABLISH PENALTIES BASED ON THE NUMBER OF IMAGES POSSESSED, INCLUDING A PENALTY OF UP TO TEN YEARS IF THERE ARE ONE TO TWENTY-FIVE IMAGES, ONE TO TEN YEARS IF THERE ARE TWENTY-SIX TO TWO HUNDRED FIFTY IMAGES, AND A PENALTY OF TWO TO TEN YEARS IF THERE ARE MORE THAN TWO HUNDRED FIFTY IMAGES; AND TO PROVIDE A MINIMUM PENALTY OF FIVE YEARS FOR A REGISTERED SEX OFFENDER WHO VIOLATES THE STATUTE - RATIFIED TITLEView full text View Vote History View Fiscal Impact12/16/25House Prefiled12/16/25House Referred to Committee on Judiciary01/13/26House Introduced and read first time (House Journal-page 95)01/13/26House Referred to Committee on Judiciary (House Journal-page 95)01/20/26House Member(s) request name added as sponsor: White01/28/26House Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Cromer, Edgerton, Burns, Beach, Morgan, Terribile, Pace, Kilmartin, Gilreath, Magnuson, Frank, McCravy, Hartz, D.

Sponsored By: Travis A. Moore (Republican)

Signed by Governor

Summary

Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, penalties

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

2 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 2 costs, 0 mixed.

Longer prison terms for child exploiters

Beginning May 18, 2026, first-degree sexual exploitation of a minor carries 5 to 20 years in prison. The 5-year minimum cannot be suspended, and no parole is allowed until the minimum is served. Sentences under first degree must run one after another with other sentences. If the person was already required to register as a sex offender, add 5 years to the first-degree sentence. Second degree carries 3 to 10 years. The 3-year minimum cannot be suspended, and no parole is allowed until the minimum is served. If the person was already required to register as a sex offender, the second-degree minimum is 5 years.

Tiered prison terms for child‑exploitation images

Beginning May 18, 2026, third-degree sexual exploitation for possessing images has tiered prison terms. 1 to 25 images: up to 10 years. 26 to 250: 1 to 10 years. More than 250: 2 to 10 years. Minimum parts of any sentence cannot be suspended, and no parole is allowed until the minimum is served. If the person was already required to register as a sex offender, the minimum is 5 years. Law enforcement, prosecutors, and corrections employees on duty are exempt.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Travis A. Moore

    Republican • House

Cosponsors

  • Brandon Newton

    Republican • House

  • Thomas Beach

    Republican • House

  • Phillip Bowers

    Republican • House

  • James Mikell "Mike" Burns

    Republican • House

  • Cody T. Mitchell

    Republican • House

  • Donald G. "Don" Chapman

    Republican • House

  • William M. "Bill" Chumley

    Republican • House

  • April Cromer

    Republican • House

  • Dianne Mitchell

    Republican • House

  • Sarita L. Edgerton

    Republican • House

  • Cally R. "Cal" Forrest, Jr.

    Republican • House

  • Stephen D. Frank

    Republican • House

  • Daniel Gibson

    Republican • House

  • Thomas Lee Gilreath

    Republican • House

  • Jerry N. Govan, Jr.

    Democrat • House

  • Brandon Guffey

    Republican • House

  • Patrick B. Haddon

    Republican • House

  • Charles V. Hartz

    Republican • House

  • John Gregory "Jay" Kilmartin

    Republican • House

  • John T. Lastinger, Jr.

    Republican • House

  • Thomas R. "Randy" Ligon

    Republican • House

  • Josiah Magnuson

    Republican • House

  • John R. McCravy III

    Republican • House

  • T. Alan Morgan, Jr.

    Republican • House

  • Melissa Lackey Oremus

    Republican • House

  • Jordan S. Pace

    Republican • House

  • Fawn M. Pedalino

    Republican • House

  • Thomas E. "Tommy" Pope

    Republican • House

  • Jackie R. Terribile

    Republican • House

  • David Vaughan

    Republican • House

  • Wm. Weston J. Newton

    Republican • House

  • Joseph S. "Joe" White

    Republican • House

  • Paul B. Wickensimer

    Republican • House

  • Mark N. Willis

    Republican • House

  • Richard L. "Richie" Yow

    Republican • House

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 480 • No: 0

House vote • 5/13/2026

(Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, penalties)Adopt Amendment 1A  Amendment number 1a

Yes: 111 • No: 0

Senate vote • 5/6/2026

(Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, penalties)2nd Reading

Yes: 42 • No: 0

House vote • 3/31/2026

(Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, penalties)Passage of Bill

Yes: 109 • No: 0

House vote • 3/31/2026

(Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, penalties)Passage of Bill

Yes: 109 • No: 0

House vote • 3/31/2026

(Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, penalties)Passage of Bill

Yes: 109 • No: 0

Actions Timeline

  1. Act No. 189

    6/2/2026legislature
  2. Effective date 05/18/26

    6/2/2026legislature
  3. Signed By Governor

    5/18/2026Governor
  4. Ratified R 204

    5/14/2026legislature
  5. Concurred in House amendment and enrolled

    5/13/2026Senate
  6. Roll call Yeas-111 Nays-0

    5/13/2026House
  7. Returned to Senate with amendments

    5/13/2026House
  8. Senate amendment amended

    5/13/2026House
  9. Read third time and returned to House with amendments

    5/7/2026Senate
  10. Roll call Ayes-42 Nays-0

    5/6/2026Senate
  11. Read second time

    5/6/2026Senate
  12. Amended

    5/6/2026Senate
  13. Recalled from Committee on Judiciary

    4/29/2026Senate
  14. Referred to Committee on Judiciary

    4/1/2026Senate
  15. Introduced and read first time

    4/1/2026Senate
  16. Read third time and sent to Senate

    4/1/2026House
  17. Roll call Yeas-109 Nays-0

    3/31/2026House
  18. Read second time

    3/31/2026House
  19. Amended

    3/31/2026House
  20. Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Bowers, Ligon, Chapman, B.Newton, W.Newton, Forrest, Oremus, Gibson

    3/31/2026House
  21. Committee report: Favorable with amendment Judiciary

    3/26/2026House
  22. Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Lastinger, C.Mitchell, Yow, Guffey

    3/25/2026House
  23. Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Govan

    2/5/2026House
  24. Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Cromer, Edgerton, Burns, Beach, Morgan, Terribile, Pace, Kilmartin, Gilreath, Magnuson, Frank, McCravy, Hartz, D.Mitchell, Haddon, Willis, Wickensimer, Vaughan, Pedalino, Chumley

    1/28/2026House
  25. Member(s) request name added as sponsor: White

    1/20/2026House

Bill Text

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