Bill 360

                    Current Status

Bill Number:               360
Ratification Number:       280
Act Number                 277
Introducing Body:          Senate
Subject:                   Employees of private detectives may
                           perform certain duties

(A277, R280, S360)

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 40-17-80, AS AMENDED, CODE OF LAWS OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO PRIVATE DETECTIVE AND SECURITY AGENCIES, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT EMPLOYEES OF SUCH DETECTIVES OR AGENCIES BE PERMITTED TO PERFORM DUTIES OF A SECURITY OFFICER WITHOUT ARREST OR WEAPONS AUTHORITY FOR TWENTY DAYS FOLLOWING AN APPLICATION FOR REGISTRATION.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

Employees of detectives may perform certain duties:

Section 1. Subsection (a) of Section 40-17-80 of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 685 of 1976, is amended to read:

"(a) Any license may employ as many agents, operators, assistants, guards, watchmen or patrolmen as he deems necessary for the conduct of his business; provided, such employees shall be citizens of the United States, of good moral character and at least eighteen years of age. Except as provided in Section 4, immediately upon hiring any agents, operators, assistants, guards, watchmen or patrolmen, the licensee shall make application to register such employee with the division. Furthermore, such guards, watchmen or patrolmen may perform the duties of a security officer without arrest authority or without weapons authority for a period of twenty days following the receipt of their application by the Division pending the issuance of their registration. Such application shall be made on forms furnished by the division and, under oath, the employee shall give his name, address, date and place of birth, employment for the past five years, experience in the position applied for, all arrests and convictions for violations of the law and such other information as the division may require, by regulation, to properly investigate the character, competency and integrity of the employee. The application for registration shall be accompanied by one set of fingerprints of the employee and one photograph of the employee in color, two inches wide by three inches high, full-face, without head covering, taken within six months prior thereto. No person shall be approved for employment who has been convicted of a felony or any crime involving moral turpitude that would tend to question his honesty and integrity, or who is an alcoholic, drifter, vagrant or person with a record of mental illness and has not been restored to legal capacity, or who has been discharged from the military service under other than honorable conditions, or who has been refused a license under the provisions of this act for any reason except minimum experience, or whose license, having been granted, has been revoked or is under suspension. Upon being satisfied of the suitability of the applicant for employment, and that the applicant has completed an acceptable training program, the division shall register the employee and so notify the licensee. The licensee shall notify the division within five days of the termination of employment of any registered employees. The division may waive the submission of fingerprints and photographs for any employee who has been employed by a person licensed under this act within the previous six months. Such registration shall be for one year and application for renewal shall be on a form furnished by the division."

Time effective

Section 2. This act shall take effect upon the approval by the Governor.