South CarolinaS 0126126th General Assembly (2025-2026)Senate

AN ACT TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 30-2-500, RELATING TO DEFINITIONS IN THE LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSONAL PRIVACY PROTECTION ACT, SO AS TO REVISE THE DEFINITON OF "PERSONAL CONTACT INFORMATION" AND TO DEFINE "DISCLOSED RECORDS"; BY AMENDING SECTION 30-2-510, RELATING TO THE MEANS FOR ACTIVE AND FORMER LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS TO MAKE THEIR PERSONAL CONTACT INFORMATION CONFIDENTIAL AND NOT SUBJECT TO PUBLIC DISCLOSURE, SO AS TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL MEANS FOR MAKING SUCH INFORMATION IN DISCLOSED RECORDS RESTRICTED FROM PUBLICLY AVAILABLE INTERNET WEBSITES OF STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS UPON REQUEST AND TO MAKE PROVISIONS FOR HOME ADDRESSES OR TAX MAP NUMBERS THAT CANNOT BE RESTRICTED FROM A DISCLOSED RECORD WITHIN AN INDEX OR FROM BEING DISPLAYED ON AN IMAGE OF AN OFFICIAL RECORD, TO PROVIDE SUCH INFORMATION MUST REMAIN WITHIN THE OFFICIAL RECORD HELD OR MAINTAINED BY THE STATE OR LOCAL GOVERNMENT AGENCY, AND TO ALLOW DISCLOSURE TO CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS OR ENTITIES, AMONG OTHER THINGS; BY ADDING SECTION 30-2-515 SO AS TO PROVIDE ACTIVE AND FORMER LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS MAY SEEK CERTAIN JUDICIAL RELIEF FOR NONCOMPLIANCE AND TO PREVENT LIABILITY FROM ACCRUING TO STATE OR LOCAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES OR AGENTS FOR CLAIMS OR DAMAGES THAT ARISE FROM PERSONAL CONTACT INFORMATION ON THE PUBLIC RECORD; BY AMENDING SECTION 30-2-700, RELATING TO DEFINITIONS IN THE JUDICIAL PERSONAL PRIVACY PROTECTION ACT, SO AS TO INCLUDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IN THE DEFINITION OF "PERSONAL CONTACT INFORMATION" AND TO DEFINE "DISCLOSED RECORDS"; BY AMENDING SECTION 30-2-710, RELATING TO THE MEANS FOR ACTIVE AND FORMER JUDGES TO MAKE THEIR PERSONAL CONTACT INFORMATION CONFIDENTIAL AND NOT SUBJECT TO PUBLIC DISCLOSURE, SO AS TO PROVIDE MEANS TO RESTRICT SUCH INFORMATION IN DISCLOSED RECORDS RESTRICTED FROM PUBLICLY AVAILABLE INTERNET WEBSITES OF STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS UPON REQUEST AND TO MAKE PROVISIONS FOR HOME ADDRESSES OR TAX MAP NUMBERS THAT CANNOT BE RESTRICTED FROM A DISCLOSED RECORD WITHIN AN INDEX OR FROM BEING DISPLAYED ON AN IMAGE OF AN OFFICIAL RECORD, TO PROVIDE SUCH INFORMATION MUST REMAIN WITHIN THE OFFICIAL RECORD HELD OR MAINTAINED BY THE STATE OR LOCAL GOVERNMENT AGENCY, AND TO ALLOW DISCLOSURE TO CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS OR ENTITIES, AMONG OTHER THINGS; BY ADDING SECTION 30-2-715 SO AS TO PROVIDE ACTIVE AND FORMER JUDGES MAY SEEK CERTAIN JUDICIAL RELIEF FOR NONCOMPLIANCE AND TO PREVENT LIABILITY FROM ACCRUING TO STATE OR LOCAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES OR AGENTS FOR CLAIMS OR DAMAGES THAT ARISE FROM PERSONAL CONTACT INFORMATION ON THE PUBLIC RECORD; TO DELAY THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF ACT 56 OF 2023, WHICH ENACTED THE "LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSONAL PRIVACY PROTECTION ACT" AND THE "JUDICIAL PERSONAL PRIVACY PROTECTION ACT," FROM JULY 1, 2025, UNTIL JANUARY 1, 2026; AND TO DIRECT THE OFFICE OF COURT ADMINISTRATION AND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CRIMINAL JUSTICE ACADEMY TO COLLABORATE AND CREATE THE DESIGNATED FORM FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS AND JUDGES TO USE TO REQUEST STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT AGENCIES REGSTRICT PUBLIC ACCESS TO PERSONAL CONTACT INFORMATION IN DISCLOSED RECORDS, TO PROVIDE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE CONTENTS OF THE FORM, AND TO PROVIDE STATE OR LOCAL GOVERNMENT AGENCIES MAY PROVIDE SUPPLMENTAL FORMS TO IDENTIFY INFORMATION NEEDED BY STATE OR LOCAL GOVERNMENT AGENCIES TO ADDRESS REQUESTS FROM ELIGIBLE REQUESTING PARTIES.

Sponsored By: Michael Johnson (Republican)

Signed by Governor

Summary

Law Enforcement Personal Privacy Protection and Judicial Personal Privacy Protection

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

6 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 3 costs, 2 mixed.

Agencies must hide info online

Starting January 1, 2026, when you restrict your info, agencies must keep it in the official record but not show it in online indexes or document images. If a home address or tax map number cannot be removed from an index or image, the image is not displayed and the address or number is blocked in the index. The rule also covers the request form and any extra papers you file. When an agency withholds or limits information, it must tell you what it hid and cite the law.

Limited sharing with lawyers and title agents

Effective January 1, 2026, even if your info is hidden online, agencies may share it with a short list of professionals. These are title insurers and agents, attorneys (or their written designee), a personal representative for a deceased requester, and professional engineers or surveyors (or their written designee). The general public still cannot see the info on government websites.

Officers/judges: protection ends when you sell

Beginning January 1, 2026, your home address stays protected only while you live there. If you sell or transfer the property, you must file the designated form and a notarized affidavit with the county register of deeds to release the block.

Start date moves to January 1, 2026

The privacy acts now start January 1, 2026, not July 1, 2025. Protections and procedures apply on the later date.

Court orders allowed; staff get immunity

Beginning January 1, 2026, you may ask a court to order an agency to follow these privacy rules. The law also gives state and local employees and their agents immunity from claims for damages that arise from personal contact information on the public record.

Officers and judges can hide home info

Beginning January 1, 2026, current or former law enforcement officers and judges can ask agencies to hide certain personal contact information from public government websites. Covered info is your home address, personal cell number, and property tax map number in records posted online. You must use the single statewide form and a notarized affidavit that confirms your service. The Office of Court Administration and the Criminal Justice Academy create this form, and agencies may ask for extra details. The info stays in the official record but is not shown online. This does not stop disclosures required by law, like subpoenas, or disclosures in DMV collision reports or business and UCC filings. Your restriction stays in place until you rescind it in writing.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Michael Johnson

    Republican • Senate

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 155 • No: 0

House vote • 4/9/2025

(Law Enforcement Personal Privacy Protection and Judicial Personal Privacy Protection)Passage of Bill

Yes: 111 • No: 0

Senate vote • 3/18/2025

(Law Enforcement Personal Privacy Protection and Judicial Personal Privacy Protection)2nd Reading

Yes: 44 • No: 0

Actions Timeline

  1. Act No. 4

    5/7/2025legislature
  2. Effective date 01/26/26

    5/7/2025legislature
  3. Signed By Governor

    4/28/2025Governor
  4. Ratified R 11

    4/24/2025legislature
  5. Read third time and enrolled

    4/10/2025House
  6. Roll call Yeas-111 Nays-0

    4/9/2025House
  7. Read second time

    4/9/2025House
  8. Reconsidered

    4/9/2025House
  9. Debate adjourned until Thur., 4-10-25

    4/9/2025House
  10. Debate adjourned until Wed., 4-9-25

    4/8/2025House
  11. Committee report: Favorable Judiciary

    4/2/2025House
  12. Referred to Committee on Judiciary

    3/20/2025House
  13. Introduced and read first time

    3/20/2025House
  14. Scrivener's error corrected

    3/19/2025legislature
  15. Read third time and sent to House

    3/19/2025Senate
  16. Roll call Ayes-44 Nays-0

    3/18/2025Senate
  17. Read second time

    3/18/2025Senate
  18. Committee Amendment Adopted

    3/18/2025Senate
  19. Scrivener's error corrected

    3/17/2025legislature
  20. Committee report: Favorable with amendment Judiciary

    3/12/2025Senate
  21. Referred to Subcommittee: Adams (ch), Kimbrell, Devine, Blackmon, Kennedy, Leber, Walker

    2/21/2025Senate
  22. Referred to Committee on Judiciary

    1/14/2025Senate
  23. Introduced and read first time

    1/14/2025Senate
  24. Referred to Committee on Judiciary

    12/11/2024Senate
  25. Prefiled

    12/11/2024Senate

Bill Text

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