Bill Commons

SC S 235

enacted

Prostitution

South Carolina · 2026 Regular Session · upper

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Quick answers

Did SC S 235 pass?

Yes. SC S 235 has been enacted into law. Latest recorded action (2026-06-05): Effective date 05/18/26

What is SC S 235 about?

AN ACT TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 16-15-90, RELATING TO PROSTITUTION, SO AS TO DEFINE THE TERM "PROSTITUTION," REVISE THE STATUTE AND PENALTIES FOR VIOLATIONS, AND PROVIDE EXCEPTIONS TO PROSECUTION FOR VICTIMS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND VICTIMS UNDER THE AGE OF EIGHTEEN; BY AMENDING SECTION 16-15-100, RELATING TO FURTHER ACTS OF PROSTITUTION, SO AS TO DEFINE NECESSARY TERMS, REVISE THE STATUTE REGARDING PROMOTING PROSTITUTION, INCREASE THE PENALTIES FOR VIOLATIONS, AND PROVIDE EXCEPTIONS TO PROSECUTION TO PERSONS COERCED AS RESULT OF BEING A VICTIM OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING; BY AMENDING SECTION 16-15-110, RELATING TO SOLICITATION OF PROSTITUTION OFFENSES, SO AS TO DEFINE THE TERM "PROSTITUTION," AND INCREASE THE PENALTIES FOR VIOLATIONS; AND BY ADDING SECTION 16-15-115 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT PERSONS PREVIOUSLY CONVICTED OF A PROSTITUTION OFFENSE MAY BE ELIGIBLE TO PARTICIPATE IN A TREATMENT AND REHABILITATION PROGRAM UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, AND TO PROVIDE A PROCEDURE FOR EXPUNGEMENT OF THE ARREST RECORD. - RATIFIED TITLE

Who sponsors SC S 235?

Kimbrell, Leber, Zell are the primary sponsors of SC S 235.

Description

AN ACT TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 16-15-90, RELATING TO PROSTITUTION, SO AS TO DEFINE THE TERM "PROSTITUTION," REVISE THE STATUTE AND PENALTIES FOR VIOLATIONS, AND PROVIDE EXCEPTIONS TO PROSECUTION FOR VICTIMS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND VICTIMS UNDER THE AGE OF EIGHTEEN; BY AMENDING SECTION 16-15-100, RELATING TO FURTHER ACTS OF PROSTITUTION, SO AS TO DEFINE NECESSARY TERMS, REVISE THE STATUTE REGARDING PROMOTING PROSTITUTION, INCREASE THE PENALTIES FOR VIOLATIONS, AND PROVIDE EXCEPTIONS TO PROSECUTION TO PERSONS COERCED AS RESULT OF BEING A VICTIM OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING; BY AMENDING SECTION 16-15-110, RELATING TO SOLICITATION OF PROSTITUTION OFFENSES, SO AS TO DEFINE THE TERM "PROSTITUTION," AND INCREASE THE PENALTIES FOR VIOLATIONS; AND BY ADDING SECTION 16-15-115 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT PERSONS PREVIOUSLY CONVICTED OF A PROSTITUTION OFFENSE MAY BE ELIGIBLE TO PARTICIPATE IN A TREATMENT AND REHABILITATION PROGRAM UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, AND TO PROVIDE A PROCEDURE FOR EXPUNGEMENT OF THE ARREST RECORD. - RATIFIED TITLE

Introduced
2025-01-16
Latest action
2026-06-05 — Effective date 05/18/26
Bill type
bill
Last updated
—

Sponsors

  • Kimbrellprimary
  • Leberprimary
  • Zellprimary

Committees

Not provided by source.

Action timeline

Newest first

  1. 2026-06-05

    Effective date 05/18/26

  2. 2026-06-02

    Act No. 192

  3. 2026-05-18

    Signed By Governor

    executive-signature

  4. 2026-05-15

    Ratified R 222

  5. 2026-05-14

    Concurred in House amendment and enrolled

  6. 2026-05-14

    Scrivener's error corrected

  7. 2026-05-14

    Read third time and returned to Senate with amendments

    passage,reading-3

  8. 2026-05-13

    Roll call Yeas-107 Nays-1

  9. 2026-05-13

    Read second time

    reading-2

  10. 2026-05-13

    Amended

    amendment-passage

  11. 2026-05-12

    Debate adjourned

  12. 2026-05-07

    Scrivener's error corrected

  13. 2026-05-06

    Committee report: Favorable with amendment Judiciary

    committee-passage-favorable

  14. 2025-04-02

    Referred to Committee on Judiciary

    referral-committee

  15. 2025-04-02

    Introduced and read first time

    introduction,reading-1

  16. 2025-03-28

    Scrivener's error corrected

  17. 2025-03-27

    Read third time and sent to House

    passage,reading-3

  18. 2025-03-25

    Roll call Ayes-40 Nays-0

  19. 2025-03-25

    Read second time

    reading-2

  20. 2025-03-25

    Amended

    amendment-passage

  21. 2025-03-25

    Committee Amendment Tabled

    amendment-deferral

  22. 2025-03-17

    Scrivener's error corrected

  23. 2025-03-12

    Committee report: Favorable with amendment Judiciary

    committee-passage-favorable

  24. 2025-03-03

    Scrivener's error corrected

  25. 2025-02-21

    Referred to Subcommittee: Adams (ch), Kimbrell, Devine, Blackmon, Kennedy, Leber, Walker

  26. 2025-01-16

    Referred to Committee on Judiciary

    referral-committee

  27. 2025-01-16

    Introduced and read first time

    introduction,reading-1

Versions

Documents

Votes

  • 2nd Reading

    2025-03-25 · pass · 40-0

    Member-level votes (44)
    • Davis, Tom: yes
    • Elliott, Jason: yes
    • Fernandez, Tom: yes
    • Gambrell, Michael W.: yes
    • Garrett, Billy: yes
    • Goldfinch, Stephen L.: yes
    • Graham, Jeffrey R.: yes
    • Grooms, Lawrence K.: yes
    • Hembree, Greg: yes
    • Jackson, Darrell: yes
    • Johnson, Michael: yes
    • Kennedy, Carlisle: yes
    • Kimbrell, Josh: yes
    • Leber, Matthew W.: yes
    • Martin, Shane R.: yes
    • Massey, A. Shane: yes
    • Matthews, Margie Bright: yes
    • Nutt, Roger A.: yes
    • Ott, Russell L.: yes
    • Peeler, Harvey S., Jr.: yes
    • Reichenbach, Mike: yes
    • Rice, Rex F.: yes
    • Sabb, Ronnie A.: yes
    • Stubbs, Everett: yes
    • Sutton, Ed: yes
    • Turner, Ross: yes
    • Verdin, Daniel B., III: yes
    • Williams, Kent M.: yes
    • Young, Tom, Jr.: yes
    • Zell, Jeff: yes
    • Blackmon, Allen: excused
    • Devine, Tameika Isaac: excused
    • Hutto, Brad: excused
    • Tedder, Deon T.: excused
    • Adams, Brian: yes
    • Alexander, Thomas C.: yes
    • Allen, Karl B.: yes
    • Bennett, Sean M.: yes
    • Campsen, George E., III: yes
    • Cash, Richard J.: yes
    • Chaplin, JD: yes
    • Climer, Wes: yes
    • Corbin, Thomas D.: yes
    • Cromer, Ronnie W.: yes
  • Passage of Bill

    2026-05-13 · pass · 107-1

    Member-level votes (123)
    • Bailey, William H.: yes
    • Ballentine, Nathan: yes
    • Bamberg, Justin T.: yes
    • Bannister, Bruce W.: yes
    • Bauer, Heather: yes
    • Beach, Thomas: yes
    • Bowers, Phillip: yes
    • Bradley, Jeff: yes
    • Brittain, Thomas C., Jr.: yes
    • Burns, James Mikell: yes
    • Bustos, Joseph M.: yes
    • Calhoon, Paula Rawl: yes
    • Caskey, Micajah P., IV: yes
    • Chapman, Donald G.: yes
    • Chumley, William M.: yes
    • Clyburn, William: yes
    • Cobb-Hunter, Gilda: yes
    • Collins, Neal A.: yes
    • Cox, Brandon L.: yes
    • Crawford, Heather Ammons: yes
    • Cromer, April: yes
    • Davis, Sylleste H.: yes
    • Dillard, Chandra E.: yes
    • Duncan, Adam L.: yes
    • Edgerton, Sarita L.: yes
    • Erickson, Shannon S.: yes
    • Ford, Greg: yes
    • Forrest, Cally R., Jr.: yes
    • Frank, Stephen: yes
    • Gagnon, Craig A.: yes
    • Garvin, Kambrell H.: yes
    • Gibson, Daniel: yes
    • Gilliam, Leon D.: yes
    • Gilliard, Wendell G.: yes
    • Gilreath, Thomas Lee: yes
    • Govan, Jerry N., Jr.: yes
    • Grant, Hamilton R.: yes
    • Guest, Thomas Duval, Jr.: yes
    • Haddon, Patrick B.: yes
    • Hager, William: yes
    • Hardee, Kevin: yes
    • Harris, Robert J.: yes
    • Hartnett, Thomas F., Jr.: yes
    • Hartz, Charles V.: yes
    • Hayes, Jackie E.: yes
    • Henderson-Myers,, Rosalyn D., Ph.D. Herbkersman, William G.: yes
    • Hewitt, Lee: yes
    • Hiott, David R.: yes
    • Hixon, William M.: yes
    • Holman, Harriet A.: yes
    • Hosey, Lonnie: yes
    • Huff, William C.: yes
    • Johnson, Jeffrey E.: yes
    • Jones, Wendell K.: yes
    • Jordan, Wallace H., Jr.: yes
    • Kilmartin, John Gregory: yes
    • King, John Richard C.: yes
    • Kirby, Roger K.: yes
    • Landing, Kathy: yes
    • Lastinger, John T., Jr.: yes
    • Lawson, M. Brian: yes
    • Ligon, Thomas R.: yes
    • Long, Steven Wayne: yes
    • Lowe, Phillip D.: yes
    • Luck, Jason S.: yes
    • Magnuson, Josiah: yes
    • Martin, David: yes
    • McCabe, Donald Ryan, Jr.: yes
    • McCravy, John R., III: yes
    • McDaniel, Annie E.: yes
    • McGinnis, Timothy A.: yes
    • Mitchell, Cody T.: yes
    • Mitchell, Dianne: yes
    • Montgomery, W. Scott, IV: yes
    • Moore, JA: yes
    • Moore, Travis A.: yes
    • Morgan, T. Alan, Jr.: yes
    • Moss, Dennis C.: yes
    • Neese, Mike M.: yes
    • Newton, Brandon: yes
    • Newton, Wm. Weston J.: yes
    • Oremus, Melissa Lackey: yes
    • Pace, Jordan S.: yes
    • Pedalino, Fawn M.: yes
    • Pope, Thomas E.: yes
    • Rankin, Luke S.: yes
    • Robbins, Robby: yes
    • Rose, Seth: yes
    • Sanders, Richard Blake: yes
    • Schuessler, Carla: yes
    • Scott, Keishan M.: yes
    • Sessions, Heath: yes
    • Smith, G. Murrell, Jr.: yes
    • Smith, Marvin: yes
    • Stavrinakis, Leonidas E.: yes
    • Taylor, Bill: yes
    • Teeple, James E.: yes
    • Terribile, Jackie R.: yes
    • Vaughan, David: yes
    • Waters, Courtney S.: yes
    • Wetmore, Elizabeth: yes
    • White, Joseph S.: yes
    • Whitmire, William R.: yes
    • Wickensimer, Paul B.: yes
    • Willis, Mark N.: yes
    • Wooten, Chris: yes
    • Rutherford, J. Todd: no
    • Bernstein, Beth E.: excused
    • Brewer, Gary S., Jr.: excused
    • Gatch, Gil: excused
    • Guffey, Brandon: excused
    • Weeks, J. David: excused
    • Yow, Richard L.: excused
    • Alexander, Terry: excused
    • Anderson, Carl L.: excused
    • Atkinson, Lucas: excused
    • Hart, Christopher R.: excused
    • Howard, Leon: excused
    • Johnson, Jermaine L., Sr.: excused
    • Reese, Robert T.: excused
    • Rivers, Michael F., Sr.: excused
    • Spann-Wilder, Tiffany: excused
    • Williams, Robert Q.: excused

Related bills

No related bills recorded for this bill.

Official source

Attribution

Data from openstates_bulk_csv, retrieved 2026-07-24T05:32:06.227230Z

Inspect retained evidence for changes recorded after evidence tracking began:

Session-wide evidence can include changes to other bills:

Use this data

Every field on this page is available from the free public API — no key or licence required. Fetch this bill as JSON: GET /api/v1/bills?jurisdiction=SC&identifier=S 235. See the API docs or the MCP server for AI assistants.

Known limitations

  • Sponsor party and chamber affiliation are not yet captured by this API.
  • Committee referrals are not yet captured.

See the methodology page for data sources and limitations.