Title 23, Law Enforcement and Public Safety

(A)(1) The Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Office shall be responsible for creating, updating, and implementing a comprehensive strategic plan, including operating standards for a coordinated statewide 911 system to address changing technology, services, and operating efficiency and e…

(A) A local government which seeks funding for a 911 system shall submit to the Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Office, a 911 system plan for review and approval. The plan shall conform to the planning guidelines set forth in this chapter, guidelines promulgated by the Revenue and Fis…

(A) The local government is authorized to adopt an ordinance to impose a monthly 911 landline charge upon each local exchange access facility subscribed to by telephone subscribers whose local exchange access lines are in the area served or which would be served by the 911 servic…

(A) The maximum 911 landline charge that a subscriber may be billed for an individual local exchange access facility must be in accordance with the following scale: Tier I—1,000 to 40,999 access lines—$1.50 for start-up costs, $1.00 for on-going costs. Tier II—41,000 to 99,999 ac…

(A) For services for which a bill is rendered prior to the effective date of this act, for an exchange access facility that is capable of simultaneously carrying multiple voice and data transmissions, a subscriber is not liable to any person or entity for a different number of 91…

(A) Local government, upon approval for implementation of a 911 system, shall standardize addressing within its area according to service supplier procedures. Enhanced 911 must not be placed in service until eighty-five percent of the residents have been provided with a standardi…

(A)(1) The South Carolina 911 Advisory Committee is created to assist the Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Office in carrying out its responsibilities in implementing, maintaining, and updating an efficient wireless 911 system. The committee must be comprised of twelve members and appo…

(A) There is hereby imposed a VoIP 911 charge in an amount identical to the amount of the 911 charge imposed on each local exchange access facility pursuant to Section 23-47-40(A) and 23-47-50(A). (B) A VoIP provider must collect the VoIP 911 charge established in subsection (A) …

(A) There is hereby imposed a prepaid wireless 911 charge in the amount equal to the average 911 charges calculated pursuant to Section 23-47-50(F). (B) A prepaid wireless seller must collect the prepaid wireless 911 charge established in subsection (A) from a prepaid wireless co…

Neither the State, any political subdivision of the State, nor an intergovernmental agency may require any service provider to impose, collect, or remit a tax, fee, surcharge, or other charge for 911 funding purposes other than the 911 charges set forth in this chapter.

(A) A local government or public safety agency, as defined in Section 23-47-10, or state government entity, their officers, agents, or employees, together with any person following their instructions in rendering services, are not liable for civil damages as a result of an act or…

(A) CMRS location information obtained by safety personnel or for public safety personnel for public safety purposes is not public information under the Freedom of Information Act. (B) A person may not disclose or use, for any purpose other than for the 911 or other emergency cal…

It is unlawful for a person anonymously or otherwise to: (1) use any words or language of a profane, vulgar, lewd, lascivious, or indecent nature on an emergency 911 number with the intent to intimidate or harass a dispatcher; (2) contact the emergency 911 number, whether or not …

This chapter is known and may be cited as the "Firefighter Mobilization Act of 2000".

When directed by the Governor, the South Carolina Department of Transportation and the South Carolina National Guard shall assist with the transportation of equipment and personnel under this chapter.

(A) For purposes of this chapter: (1) "Dry fire hydrant" means a fire hydrant that is connected to a source of water from which water is pumped for fire suppression or fire suppression training. (2) "Firefighting agency" means any entity that provides firefighting services includ…

(A) For purposes of this chapter, "fire protection, control, and rescue equipment" or "equipment" means, but is not limited to, a vehicle, a firefighting tool, protective gear, breathing apparatus, and any other tools or supplies commonly used or capable of use in fire prevention…

There is created the South Carolina Firefighter Mobilization Oversight Committee, to be comprised of the following persons: (1) the State Fire Marshal; (2) the State Emergency Management Division Director of the Adjutant General's Office; (3) the State Forester; (4) a county emer…

The State Fire Marshal shall serve as chairman and shall call meetings as often as he considers necessary or expedient. The State Emergency Management Division Director of the Adjutant General's Office shall serve as vice chairman. Vacancies on the committee shall be filled in th…

The members of the South Carolina Firefighter Mobilization Oversight Committee shall serve without compensation.

The South Carolina Firefighter Mobilization Oversight Committee shall establish the South Carolina Firefighter Mobilization and Emergency Response Task Force Plan. The purpose of the plan is to provide for responding firefighting and rescue resources, including the South Carolina…

(A) The South Carolina Firefighter Mobilization Oversight Committee shall (1) develop procedures and guidelines for dispatching and deploying rural and municipal fire and rescue resources, and (2) establish a system of regions in the State for managing fire and rescue emergencies…

Pursuant to Section 23-3-15, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division has specific and exclusive jurisdiction on behalf of the State in matters pertaining to the response to and crisis management of acts of terrorism and emergency event management of explosive devices.

The South Carolina Firefighter Mobilization Oversight Committee shall appoint the number of state and regional coordinators the committee considers necessary and sufficient for the execution of the South Carolina Firefighter Mobilization and Emergency Response Task Force Plan. A …

The committee may request and utilize information regarding equipment, personnel, and other fire and rescue resources maintained by the South Carolina State Firefighters' Association.

All fire and rescue resources requested and received under the South Carolina Firefighter Mobilization Plan shall be under the command of the local authority having jurisdiction during an emergency until such resources are released.

Crimestoppers organizations provide the opportunity for citizens to report crime tips to law enforcement agencies anonymously by using a crimestoppers organization as an intermediary to receive the tips. The ability to report anonymous crime tips enhances the quality of life for …

As used in this chapter: (A) "Council" means the South Carolina Crimestoppers Council. (B) "Crimestoppers organization" means a private, nonprofit corporation that is organized under the laws of South Carolina that is operated on a local or statewide level, that accepts and expen…

(A) The council shall be a South Carolina nonprofit corporation in good standing and shall operate in accordance with the laws governing corporations in the State of South Carolina. (B) The council may adopt rules and certification standards to carry out its functions under this …

The council shall: (1) encourage, advise, and assist in the creation of crimestoppers organizations; (2) foster the detection of crime and encourage persons to report information about criminal acts; (3) encourage news and other media to broadcast reenactments and to inform the p…

(A) The council shall certify a crimestoppers organization to receive reimbursed funds if, considering the organization, continuity, leadership, community support, and general conduct of the crimestoppers organization, the council determines that the repayments or payments will b…

(A) After a defendant has been convicted of a criminal offense or as a condition of placing a person on probation, or both, the judge of any court of applicable jurisdiction may order a defendant to repay all or part of a reward, not to exceed two thousand dollars, paid by a crim…

(A) Except as provided by subsection (D), a crimestoppers organization may not use more than twenty percent of the reimbursed funds received annually to pay costs incurred in administering the organization and shall use the remainder of the reimbursed funds, including any interes…

(A) Except as otherwise provided by this section, evidence of privileged communications, protected information, and protected identities is not admissible in a civil proceeding unless good cause is shown to the court. (B) In a criminal proceeding, the State or another prosecuting…

(A) A person who is a member or employee of the council, a crimestoppers organization, or a law enforcement agency who has knowledge of, or the contents of, or both of (1) a privileged communication, (2) protected information, or (3) a protected identity, or all three, commits an…

(A) A person who communicates a privileged communication to the council or a crimestoppers organization is immune from civil liability for damages resulting from the privileged communication unless the communication was grossly negligent or done with conscious indifference or rec…

This chapter may be cited as the "Reduced Cigarette Ignition Propensity Standards and Firefighter Protection Act".

Nothing in this chapter may be construed to prohibit a person or entity from manufacturing or selling cigarettes that do not meet the requirements of Section 23-51-30 if the cigarettes are or will be stamped for sale in another state or sold in North Carolina, or are packaged for…

This chapter is effective until repealed or a federal reduced cigarette ignition standard is adopted and becomes effective.

As used in this chapter: (A) "Agent" means a person authorized by the Department of Revenue to pay the excise tax on packages of cigarettes. (B) "Cigarette" means: (1) any roll for smoking, made wholly or in part of tobacco or another substance, irrespective of size or shape, eit…

(A) Except as provided in subsection (O), cigarettes may not be sold or offered for sale in this State or offered for sale or sold to persons located in this State unless the cigarettes have been tested in accordance with the test method and meet the performance standard specifie…

(A) Each manufacturer shall submit to the State Fire Marshal a written certification attesting that: (1) each cigarette listed in the certification has been tested in accordance with Section 23-51-30; and (2) each cigarette listed in the certification meets the performance standa…

(A) Cigarettes that are certified by a manufacturer in accordance with Section 23-51-40 must be marked to indicate compliance with the requirements of Section 23-51-30. The marking must be in eight point type or larger and consist of: (1) modification of the product UPC Code to i…

(A) A manufacturer, wholesale dealer, agent, or another person or entity who knowingly sells or offers to sell cigarettes, other than through retail sale, in violation of Section 23-51-30, is subject to a civil penalty not to exceed one hundred dollars for each pack of cigarettes…

(A) The State Fire Marshal may promulgate regulations pursuant to the Administrative Procedures Act necessary to effectuate the purposes of this chapter. (B) The Department of Revenue in the regular course of conducting inspections of wholesale dealers, agents, and retail dealers…

To enforce the provisions of this chapter, the Attorney General, the Department of Revenue, and the State Fire Marshal, their duly authorized representatives and other law enforcement personnel are authorized to examine the books, papers, invoices, and other records of any person…