The bill H. 3799 aims to amend Section 23-23-60 of the South Carolina Code of Laws concerning law enforcement officer certificates of compliance. It mandates that individuals seeking certification must undergo both state and federal criminal background checks, which will be supported by their fingerprints. The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) is authorized to retain these fingerprints for certification purposes and to notify the relevant academy regarding any criminal charges. Additionally, both SLED and the FBI may keep the fingerprints for future identification purposes, including submission to the Next Generation Identification (NGI) program and latent fingerprint searches.

The bill emphasizes the confidentiality of the criminal records check results, stating that they must be reported to the academy but cannot be further disseminated. This legislative change is intended to enhance the vetting process for law enforcement officers in South Carolina, ensuring that only individuals with a clean criminal background are certified. The act will take effect upon approval by the Governor.

Statutes affected:
01/28/2025: 23-23-60
Latest Version: 23-23-60