The bill H. 3061 aims to amend the South Carolina Code of Laws by adding Section 16-13-20, which establishes the offense of intentionally impersonating another person through electronic means, such as email or social media, without their consent. The bill outlines that such impersonation must be done with the intent to harm, intimidate, threaten, or defraud the individual being impersonated. It specifies that this includes actions like opening an email account or sending messages that reference another person's identifying information to mislead the recipient into believing that the impersonated individual authorized the communication.

Violators of this new law would face penalties ranging from a fine of $250 to $1,000, imprisonment for up to six months, or both. However, the provisions do not apply to certain entities, including social networking websites, interactive computer service providers, telecommunications service providers, cable operators, internet service providers, or law enforcement officers acting within the scope of their employment. The bill is set to take effect upon approval by the Governor.

Statutes affected:
12/05/2024: 16-13-20
Latest Version: 16-13-20
12/06/2024: 16-13-20