[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6603856,"mediaKeyId","2997702-48662e968e6d6cac3e968f2439f987f7","parentId",2997702,"title","Senate panel backs bill to regulate automated license‑plate readers, with civil‑liberties concerns raised","audioSeconds",2173,"startMs",1016000,"endMs",3189000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2997702-48662e968e6d6cac3e968f2439f987f7&start=1016&end=3189","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2997702-48662e968e6d6cac3e968f2439f987f7/thumbnail_1016000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6603856/South-Carolina/Senate-panel-backs-bill-to-regulate-automated-licenseplate-readers-with-civilliberties-concerns-raised","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6603856-138c84ee2316175978bdb9a6c5b4af82/orig.mp4?Expires=1771170692&Signature=ALkWRhsEbDrjekI03Ex-7N64e4yxaWR~inQRisWz49udVwz7fZwtFdjop-4tD42bN2NRgy9DCHsQ4g16CGb~UyRz1~V9G12ZAX4g-Ar80vxI72lG2SxuOAqiLDbxuljLxqNltbmDuX9J-wVrupeV3csG9oygqxyB12kMxp8WCKIkHGUhTFzCjiyGvnrPotPrFMsgNNsyP6FREO-72ul7fOdOvXkRN~0G2jfWMiWSPwOjCVs24mk5DxbABte6tROiKW5pir4FESjoa0l-MJohaRrKCZ4sYh3q80C~3IZus3tCPAHODT78Pt9Q4M19k1b1veTPnrgxvA0f~66RcLFRtA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","South Carolina Legislature","date","2025-04-15T00:00:00Z","article","A Senate Judiciary subcommittee on April 27 voted to report Senate Bill 447 favorably to the full committee after hearing competing testimony about the investigatory benefits of automated license‑plate readers (ALPR or LPR) and concerns about privacy and overly broad language.

The bill, as described by a staff presenter, would define which public entities may use ALPR systems, make unauthorized use a criminal offense, and set rules for system operation. It would permit comparing plate data against NCIC and other law‑enforcement lists, allow use for parking regulation, access control, public‑safety purposes, property‑theft and organized‑retail‑crime investigations, tolling, and to aid DOT and DPS in traffic management. The bill would require agencies that operate the systems to adopt policies covering oversight, training, access controls, security, and data retention. Data could be kept for up to 90 days and must be destroyed unless it is part of an ongoing investigation, in which case records laws would govern retention. The bill would bar government entities from selling plate‑reader data and authorize the Department of Transportation to permit camera installations on interstate right‑of‑way.

Law‑enforcement witnesses described multiple investigative uses. Oconee County Sheriff Crenshaw told the panel that in January he used an ALPR hit to locate a kidnapped 9‑year‑old by matching a vehicle description to the FLOC camera system and getting “a hit on it down in Edgefield County.” Conway Police Chief Dale Long said ALPRs helped locate a disoriented older man, and Camden’s chief said cameras aided a homicide investigation. A SLED agent, Mark Amos, described SLED’s role as state coordinator and noted that operators must be NCIC certified and that searches are tied to active investigations.

Civil‑liberties and defense groups urged narrower language. Josh Malkin, advocacy director for the ACLU of South Carolina, praised the bill’s ban on selling data but said “this technology has proven prone to abuse” and urged clearer limits on use near or to surveil private property and on vague language that allows use to “promote public safety” or “deter crime.” Kitty Sutton, executive director of the South Carolina Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, proposed replacing the phrase “promote public safety and deter crime” with “in cases of public safety emergency” and restructuring the sections to create a separate provision for property‑theft and organized‑retail‑crime uses.

A representative from Enterprise Mobility said the company uses ALPRs on private property to inventory and recover rental vehicles and asked the committee to confirm private‑property commercial uses would remain allowed under the bill.

After testimony and questions, a subcommittee member moved that Senate Bill 447 be reported favorably to the full committee; the motion was seconded, members voted “aye,” and the chairman said the bill would move to the full committee.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Senate Judiciary Committee April 15, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Senate Bill 447, defining authorized uses, retention limits and oversight for automated license‑plate readers, was advanced from a subcommittee after law‑enforcement testimony about investigative successes and civil‑liberties testimony urging tighter limits on private‑property surveillance and vague language.","taxTitle","Judiciary, Standing, Senate, Committees, Legislative, South Carolina","taxId",17641,"location","South Carolina","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6603860,"Senate panel advances bill increasing penalties for harming police dogs and horses",1076,576000,1652000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2997702-48662e968e6d6cac3e968f2439f987f7&start=576&end=1652","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2997702-48662e968e6d6cac3e968f2439f987f7/thumbnail_576000.jpg","/articles/6603860/South-Carolina/Senate-panel-advances-bill-increasing-penalties-for-harming-police-dogs-and-horses","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6603860-d95fcf3ea3dc850f16a5e7382ad27621/orig.mp4?Expires=1771170692&Signature=lenB3v7jakW5CJdEneoZCjLAgZEcptr~M~bmYxHQmqntGvvOSPUs6ksFq2jzxjoIJJBhgQgIGACDMzQByPQajFz9-tUOvdutsCPxCOxLxkuUPeUJI8irH7bspRl5bp3OYCu89tG8xeqD3dmdhggamSYwHEvEsh-ylYnjRyKD5zx1l0y5SUmPLC0y5WycxuuREUeJFCp2XzrEkHSjDT3nbTxIYLm-YDaDY4hkeWJKKJETREPCP0QmkoXR0g6Modxp-kpXJTTqpCktTILKC29r2T2dv4GLvTKDVMKRYHjWgDSGk-ciXeWfInOniCKjpsf0dzEQqBNDjtJ2mCbTkZVKWQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","A Senate Judiciary subcommittee on April 27 advanced Senate Bill 427, which would raise penalties for mistreating law-enforcement dogs and horses and require restitution to agencies that lose or must replace a service animal.

The bill, as described to the subcommittee, would raise misdemeanor penalties for taunting, tormenting, teasing, beating, striking or drugging a law-enforcement dog or horse to a fine of $2,000 to $5,000 and/or 30 days to five years in jail. It would raise the felony penalty for torturing, mutilating, injuring, disabling, poisoning or killing such an animal to a fine of $2,000 to $20,000 and/or two to 10 years in prison, require payment of restitution to the law-enforcement agency to cover replacement costs, and allow a potential additional sentence of one year of animal-related community service. The bill would also make clear that nothing in the section limits a defendant’s right to assert self-defense.

Supporters told the subcommittee they have seen dogs and horses killed or seriously injured in recent years and argued stiffer penalties are needed. Richland County Sheriff Lott described Fargo, “the first police dog killed in the state of South Carolina,” and said Fargo’s death and more recent losses show the animals “go out every single day and put a vest on and they go out and they put their life on the line just like all of us who wear this uniform do.”

Greenville County Sheriff Lewis said the animals are “certainly more than just a tool, their law enforcement officers,” and described the financial and training investments agencies make: “The investment on a single trained k 9 is upwards to $12,500 not including the hundreds of hours of training that follow,” and that a dog receives “a minimum of 600 hours of basic training plus continued weekly training” during a typical nine-year career.

A prosecutor who participated remotely, identified in testimony as Mr. Stumbo, recounted prosecuting a recent case involving the killing of a canine and said the existing five-year maximum for that offense left prosecutors and law enforcement “offended” and that the sentence in that matter was augmented by other charges. He said prosecutors prefer a higher maximum prison term and noted practical limits on collecting restitution from many defendants.

John Blackman, identifying himself as president of the South Carolina for Toronto Police and a retired law-enforcement officer, said 2024 was “a historically tragic year for law enforcement canines” and urged the committee to support the bill to protect the animals and the taxpayer funds invested in them.

After roughly 30 to 45 minutes of testimony and questions, a subcommittee member moved that Senate Bill 427 be reported favorably from the subcommittee. A second was recorded, members voted “aye,” and the bill “now moves to the full committee,” according to the record.

The subcommittee did not set a date for action by the full committee during the session recorded in the transcript.

","A Senate Judiciary subcommittee voted to send Senate Bill 427 to the full committee after testimony from sheriffs, prosecutors and police organizations urging tougher penalties, restitution and other measures for persons who injure or kill law-enforcement dogs or horses.","actionData","errors"]

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Senate panel backs bill to regulate automated license‑plate readers, with civil‑liberties concerns raised

Senate panel advances bill increasing penalties for harming police dogs and horses