# South Carolina S 0709: A BILL TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 38-53-10, RELATING TO DEFINITIONS FOR BAIL BONDSMEN AND RUNNERS SO AS TO DEFINE "DIRECTOR" AS THE CHIEF OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA LAW ENFORCEMENT DIVISION; AND BY AMENDING SECTION 38-53-20, RELATING TO ENFORCEMENT OF CHAPTER ON BAIL BONDSMEN AND RUNNERS, SO AS TO REMOVE THE DEPARTMENT OF INSURANCE AS AN ENFORCEMENT AGENCY SO THAT THE CLERKS OF COURT AND THE STATE LAW ENFORCEMENT DIVISION TOGETHER ENFORCE THE CHAPTER.

South Carolina S 0709, A BILL TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 38-53-10, RELATING TO DEFINITIONS FOR BAIL BONDSMEN AND RUNNERS SO AS TO DEFINE "DIRECTOR" AS THE CHIEF OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA LAW ENFORCEMENT DIVISION; AND BY AMENDING SECTION 38-53-20, RELATING TO ENFORCEMENT OF CHAPTER ON BAIL BONDSMEN AND RUNNERS, SO AS TO REMOVE THE DEPARTMENT OF INSURANCE AS AN ENFORCEMENT AGENCY SO THAT THE CLERKS OF COURT AND THE STATE LAW ENFORCEMENT DIVISION TOGETHER ENFORCE THE CHAPTER., is a 126th General Assembly (2025-2026) Senate bill sponsored by Brian Adams (Republican); status failed, last action 2026-01-13 (Referred to Committee on Banking and Insurance) (as of 2026-10-12).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/SC-S0709-2025-2026
- As of: 2026-10-12
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: South Carolina S 0709
- State: South Carolina
- Session: 126th General Assembly (2025-2026)
- Title: A BILL TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 38-53-10, RELATING TO DEFINITIONS FOR BAIL BONDSMEN AND RUNNERS SO AS TO DEFINE "DIRECTOR" AS THE CHIEF OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA LAW ENFORCEMENT DIVISION; AND BY AMENDING SECTION 38-53-20, RELATING TO ENFORCEMENT OF CHAPTER ON BAIL BONDSMEN AND RUNNERS, SO AS TO REMOVE THE DEPARTMENT OF INSURANCE AS AN ENFORCEMENT AGENCY SO THAT THE CLERKS OF COURT AND THE STATE LAW ENFORCEMENT DIVISION TOGETHER ENFORCE THE CHAPTER.
- Status: failed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2025-12-10
- Last action: 2026-01-13, Referred to Committee on Banking and Insurance
- Sponsor: Brian Adams (Republican)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Touches household money: no
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

Bail Bondsmen

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Brian Adams (Republican), Senate

## Actions (4)

- 2026-01-13: Referred to Committee on Banking and Insurance (Senate)
- 2026-01-13: Introduced and read first time (Senate)
- 2025-12-10: Referred to Committee on Banking and Insurance (Senate)
- 2025-12-10: Prefiled (Senate)

## Bill text

- Introduced: [HTML](https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess126_2025-2026/bills/709.htm)

## 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 DAMA… (became law)
- 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 TRANSPORTATIO… (signed)
- 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 CANDI… (signed)
- 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 RE… (signed)
- 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 PROVID… (signed)
- 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. (signed)

## Sources
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess126_2025-2026/bills/709.htm)

## Related
- [S 0623: AN ACT TO EXEMPT GEORGETOWN COUNTY FROM CERTAIN BUILDING REQUIREMENTS AND TO AL…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/SC-S0623-2025-2026)
- [S 0586: AN ACT TO AMEND ACT 172 OF 1995, RELATING TO THE KERSHAW COUNTY TRANSPORTATION…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/SC-S0586-2025-2026)
- [H 5653: AN ACT TO AMEND ACT 843 OF 1952, AS AMENDED, RELATING TO THE LEE COUNTY BOARD O…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/SC-H5653-2025-2026)
- [S 1062: A JOINT RESOLUTION TO APPROVE REGULATIONS OF THE STATE COMMISSION ON HIGHER EDU…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/SC-S1062-2025-2026)
- [S 0779: A JOINT RESOLUTION TO PROVIDE THAT EACH MEMBER OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY SHALL RE…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/SC-S0779-2025-2026)
- [H 5261: A JOINT RESOLUTION TO EXTEND THE DEADLINE FOR RECEIVING ALCOHOL SERVER TRAINING…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/SC-H5261-2025-2026)
- [South Carolina bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/south-carolina/bills)
- [South Carolina state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/south-carolina)
- [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/SC-S0709-2025-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).