The bill H. 4151 seeks to amend the South Carolina Code of Laws, specifically Section 63-19-20, which defines terms in the "Juvenile Justice Code." The primary change is the definition of "child" or "juvenile," which is now specified as a person under eighteen years of age. However, the bill introduces exceptions for minors who commit certain violent crimes. Specifically, it states that individuals who are seventeen years old and charged with serious felonies (Class A, B, C, or D) or felonies with a maximum imprisonment of fifteen years or more, as well as those charged with offenses in Chapter 23, Title 16, do not fall under the juvenile category. Similarly, sixteen-year-olds charged with felonies that carry a potential thirty-year sentence, first-degree burglary, or attempted murder are also excluded from this definition.

The bill allows for discretion by the solicitor to remand these individuals to family court for disposition of their charges, despite their exclusion from the juvenile definition. This amendment aims to address the handling of serious offenses committed by minors while still providing a pathway for potential rehabilitation through family court. The act will take effect upon approval by the Governor.

Statutes affected:
03/05/2025: 63-19-20
Latest Version: 63-19-20