South Carolina General Assembly
110th Session, 1993-1994

Bill 235


                    Current Status
Introducing Body:               Senate
Bill Number:                    235
Ratification Number:            189
Act Number:                     138
Primary Sponsor:                McConnell
Type of Legislation:            GB
Subject:                        News reporters, protection
                                from compelled testimony
Date Bill Passed both Bodies:   19930602
Computer Document Number:       436/12751AC.93
Governor's Action:              S
Date of Governor's Action:      19930614
Introduced Date:                19930119
Date of Last Amendment:         19930601
Last History Body:              ------
Last History Date:              19930614
Last History Type:              Act No. 138
Scope of Legislation:           Statewide
All Sponsors:                   McConnell
                                Land
                                Saleeby
                                Leatherman
                                Holland
                                J. Verne Smith
                                Courson
                                Mitchell
                                Hayes
                                Martin
                                Russell
                                Ford
                                Courtney
                                Wilson
                                Passailaigue
                                Greg Smith
                                Washington
                                Jackson
                                Thomas
                                Matthews
                                Glover
                                Drummond
                                Ryberg
                                Cork
                                Reese
                                Mescher
                                Short
                                Lander
Type of Legislation:            General Bill

History

Bill   Body    Date          Action Description              CMN  Leg Involved
----   ------  ------------  ------------------------------  ---  ------------
235    ------  19930614      Act No. 138
235    ------  19930614      Signed by Governor
235    ------  19930610      Ratified R 189
235    Senate  19930602      Concurred in House amendment,
                             enrolled for ratification
235    House   19930602      Read third time, returned to
                             Senate with amendment
235    House   19930601      Amended, read second time
235    House   19930527      Debate adjourned until
                             Tuesday, June 1, 1993
235    House   19930520      Committee Report: Favorable     25
                             with amendment
235    House   19930421      Introduced, read first time,    25
                             referred to Committee
235    Senate  19930420      Amended, read third time,
                             sent to House
235    Senate  19930415      Amended, debate interrupted
                             by adjournment
235    Senate  19930414      Debate interrupted by
                             adjournment
235    Senate  19930413      Debate interrupted by
                             adjournment
235    Senate  19930408      Debate interrupted by
                             adjournment, Senator
                             McConnell retaining the floor
235    Senate  19930401      Debate interrupted by
                             adjournment
235    Senate  19930324      Made Special Order
235    Senate  19930318      Read second time, ordered to
                             third reading with notice of
                             general amendments, carrying
                             over all amendments to third
                             reading, with Senator Richter
                             retaining the floor
235    Senate  19930317      Debate interrupted by
                             adjournment
235    Senate  19930317      Committee amendment adopted
235    Senate  19930309      Made Special Order
235    Senate  19930217      Committee Report: majority      11
                             favorable with amendment,
                             minority unfavorable
235    Senate  19930119      Introduced, read first time,    11
                             referred to Committee
View additional legislative information at the LPITS web site.


(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

(A138, R189, S235)

AN ACT TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 19-11-100 SO AS TO PROVIDE A QUALIFIED PRIVILEGE AGAINST DISCLOSURE OF INFORMATION IN A PROCEEDING IF THE INFORMATION WAS OBTAINED OR PREPARED IN THE GATHERING OR DISSEMINATION OF NEWS AND TO PROVIDE THE CIRCUMSTANCES UNDER WHICH THE PERSON MAY BE REQUIRED TO DISCLOSE THE INFORMATION.

Whereas, the General Assembly finds that it is vital in a democratic society that the public have an unrestricted flow of information on matters of concern to the public and that the threat of compelled testimony or production of information, documents, or items obtained or prepared in gathering or disseminating news to the public interferes with the free flow of information to the public. Now, therefore,

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

Qualified privilege

SECTION 1. The 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Section 19-11-100. (A) A person, company, or entity engaged in or that has been engaged in the gathering and dissemination of news for the public through a newspaper, book, magazine, radio, television, news or wire service, or other medium has a qualified privilege against disclosure of any information, document, or item obtained or prepared in the gathering or dissemination of news in any judicial, legislative, or administrative proceeding in which the compelled disclosure is sought and where the one asserting the privilege is not a party in interest to the proceeding.

(B) The person, company, or other entity may not be compelled to disclose any information or document or produce any item obtained or prepared in the gathering or dissemination of news unless the party seeking to compel the production or testimony establishes by clear and convincing evidence that this privilege has been knowingly waived or that the testimony or production sought:

(1) is material and relevant to the controversy for which the testimony or production is sought;

(2) cannot be reasonably obtained by alternative means; and

(3) is necessary to the proper preparation or presentation of the case of a party seeking the information, document, or item.

(C) Publication of any information, document, or item obtained in the gathering and dissemination of news does not constitute a waiver of the qualified privilege against compelled disclosure provided for in this section."

Time effective

SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

Approved the 14th day of June, 1993.