The bill S. 136 aims to amend Section 17-1-65 of the South Carolina Code of Laws concerning the expungement of convictions for unlawful possession of handguns. It stipulates that the state must dismiss certain pending unlawful handgun possession charges that occurred before the enactment of the S.C. Constitutional Carry/Second Amendment Preservation Act of 2024. The bill clarifies that while these charges will be dismissed, it does not require the dismissal of related charges that may have arisen from the same incident, nor can the dismissal be used as a basis for civil actions related to the arrest.

Additionally, the bill allows individuals to apply for the expungement of one conviction for unlawful possession of a handgun if it occurred prior to the enactment of the aforementioned act, with applications needing to be submitted within five years of the law's enactment. The language of the bill emphasizes that the dismissal of the unlawful possession charges does not affect other related charges or civil actions stemming from the arrest. This legislation is set to take effect upon approval by the Governor.

Statutes affected:
12/11/2024: 17-1-65
01/17/2025: 17-1-65
02/19/2025: 17-1-65
Latest Version: 17-1-65