Senator Campsen proposes the following amendment (SFGF-4804.BC0002S):

Amend the bill, as and if amended, by adding appropriately numbered SECTIONS to read:

SECTION X.A. Section 24-21-10(B) of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

 (B) The Board of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services is composed of seven fourteen members. The terms of office of the members are for six years. Each of the seven Seven members must be appointed from each of the congressional districts and seven members must be appointed from the State at large. At least one appointee shall have at least five years of work or volunteer experience in one or more of the following fields: parole, probation, corrections, criminal justice, law, law enforcement, psychology, psychiatry, sociology, or social work. Vacancies must be filled by gubernatorial appointment with the advice and consent of the Senate for the unexpired term. If a vacancy occurs during a recess of the Senate, the Governor may fill the vacancy by appointment for the unexpired term pending the consent of the Senate, provided the appointment is received for confirmation on the first day of the Senate's next meeting following the vacancy. A chairman must be elected annually by a majority of the membership of the board. The chairman may serve consecutive terms.

B. Notwithstanding Section 24-21-10, the expiration dates for the initial terms of the seven members of the board, as added by this act, must be staggered as follows:
 (1) the terms of two members, as designated by the Governor, expire on March 15, 2029;
 (2) the terms of two members, as designated by the Governor, expire on March 15, 2031; and
 (3) the terms of three members, as designated by the Governor, expire on March 15, 2033.

SECTION X. Section 24-21-30 of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

 Section 24-21-30. (A) A person who commits a "no parole offense" as defined in Section 24-13-100 on or after the effective date of this section is not eligible for parole consideration, but must complete a community supervision program as set forth in Section 24-21-560 prior to discharge from the sentence imposed by the court. For all offenders who are eligible for parole, the board shall hold regular meetings, as may be necessary to carry out its duties, but at least four times each year, and as many extra meetings as the chairman, or the Governor acting through the chairman, may order. The board may preserve order at its meetings and punish any disrespect or contempt committed in its presence. The chairman may must direct the members of the board to meet as three-member panels or seven-member panels to hear matters relating to paroles and pardons as often as necessary to carry out the board's responsibilities. Membership on these panels shall be periodically rotated on a random basis by the chairman. At the meetings of the panels, any unanimous vote shall be considered the final decision of the board, and the panel may issue an order of parole with the same force and effect of an order issued by the full board pursuant to Section 24-21-650. Any vote that is not unanimous shall not be considered as a decision of the board, and the matter shall be referred to the full board which shall decide it based on a vote of a majority of the membership.
 (B) The board may grant parole to an offender who commits a violent crime as defined in Section 16-1-60 which is not included as a "no parole offense" as defined in Section 24-13-100 on or after the effective date of this section by a two-thirds majority vote of the full board a seven-member panel. The board may grant parole to an offender convicted of an offense which is not a violent crime as defined in Section 16-1-60 or a "no parole offense" as defined in Section 24-13-100 by a unanimous vote of a three-member panel or by a majority vote of the full boarda seven-member panel.
 Nothing in this subsection may be construed to allow any person who commits a "no parole offense" as defined in Section 24-13-100 on or after the effective date of this section to be eligible for parole.
 (C) The board shall conduct all parole hearings in cases that relate to a single victim on the same day.
 (D) Upon the request of a victim, the board may allow the victim and an offender to appear simultaneously before the board for the purpose of providing testimony.

SECTION X. Section 24-21-620 of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

 Section 24-21-620. Within the ninety-day period preceding a prisoner having served one-fourth of his sentence, the board, either acting in a three-member panel or a seven-member panel, or meeting as a full board, shall review the case, regardless of whether or not any application has been made therefor, for the purpose of determining whether or not such prisoner is entitled to any of the benefits provided for in this chapter; provided, that in cases of prisoners in confinement due to convictions for nonviolent crimes, an administrative hearing officer may be appointed by the director to review the case who must submit to the full board written findings of fact and recommendations which shall be the basis for a determination by the board. Upon an affirmative determination, the prisoner must be granted a provisional parole or parole. Upon a negative determination, the prisoner's case shall be reviewed every twelve months thereafter for the purpose of such determination.

SECTION X. Section 24-21-645(A) of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

 (A) The board may issue an order authorizing the parole, signed ninety days prior to its effective date, signed either by a majority of its membersa seven-member panel or by all three members meeting as a parole panelof a three-member panel on the case ninety days prior to the effective date of the parole; however, at least two-thirds of the members of the boarda seven-member panel must authorize and sign orders authorizing parole for persons convicted of a violent crime as defined in Section 16-1-60. A provisional parole order shall include the terms and conditions, if any, to be met by the prisoner during the provisional period and terms and conditions, if any, to be met upon parole.

SECTION X. Section 24-21-650 of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

 Section 24-21-650. The board shall issue an order authorizing the parole which must be signed by at least a majority of its members with terms and conditions, if any, but at least two-thirds of the members of the board must sign orders authorizing parole for persons convicted of a violent crime as defined in Section 16-1-60. Upon authorization of parole under this chapter, with terms and conditions, if any, Thethe director, or one lawfully acting for him, then must issue a parole order which, if accepted by the prisoner, provides for his release from custody. Upon a negative determination of parole, prisoners in confinement for a violent crime as defined in Section 16-1-60 must have their cases reviewed every two years for the purpose of a determination of parole.

SECTION X. Section 24-21-930 of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

 Section 24-21-930. An order of pardon must be signed by at least two-thirds of the members of a seven-member panel of the board. Upon the issue of the order by the board, the director, or one lawfully acting for him, must issue a pardon order which provides for the restoration of the pardon applicant's civil rights.

Amend the bill further, by striking SECTION 5 and inserting:

SECTION 5. This act takesSections 1, 2, 3 and 4 take effect upon approval by the Governor. All other Sections take effect on January 13, 2027.

Renumber sections to conform.

Amend title to conform.