2011-2012 Bill 1234: Palmetto Public Safety Act - South Carolina Legislature Online

1 South Carolina General Assembly 2 119th Session, 2011-2012 3 4 S. 1234 5 6 STATUS INFORMATION 7 8 General Bill 9 Sponsors: Senators Knotts, Ford and Elliott 10 Document Path: l:\council\bills\ggs\22299zw12.docx 11 Companion/Similar bill(s): 3659 12 13 Introduced in the Senate on February 16, 2012 14 Currently residing in the Senate Committee on Judiciary 15 16 Summary: Palmetto Public Safety Act 17 18 19 HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS 20 21 Date Body Action Description with journal page number 22 2/16/2012 Senate Introduced and read first time ( Senate Journalpage 4) 23 2/16/2012 Senate Referred to Committee on Judiciary ( Senate Journalpage 4) 24 2/28/2012 Senate Referred to Subcommittee: Knotts (ch), Massey, Coleman 25 26 27 VERSIONS OF THIS BILL 28 29 2/16/2012 30 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 A BILL 10 11 TO AMEND CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, 12 BY ADDING ARTICLE 9 TO CHAPTER 7, TITLE 1 SO AS TO 13 ENACT THE “PALMETTO PUBLIC SAFETY ACT”; TO VEST 14 THE OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL WITH 15 EXCLUSIVE AUTHORITY REGARDING THE DETECTION, 16 DETERRENCE, INVESTIGATION, REGULATION, AND 17 PROSECUTION OF CRIMINAL EXPLOITATION OF MONEY 18 SERVICES BUSINESSES IN SOUTH CAROLINA. 19 20 Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South 21 Carolina: 22 23 Whereas, prevalent abuses of money services businesses, 24 including money laundering and other illicit financial transactions 25 in South Carolina, foster terrorist organizations, human trafficking, 26 and drug cartels; and 27 28 Whereas, as chief prosecutor of South Carolina and the state 29 officer who serves as legal advisor to and operates the State Grand 30 Jury, as well as serving as the Securities Commissioner of South 31 Carolina, the Attorney General possesses the authority, 32 jurisdiction, and expertise to deal effectively with the problems 33 that money laundering and other abuses pose on a statewide basis. 34 Now, therefore, 35 36 Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South 37 Carolina: 38 39 SECTION 1. Chapter 7, Title 1 of the 1976 Code is amended by 40 adding: 41 42 “Article 9

[1234] 2 1 2 The Palmetto Public Safety Act 3 4 Section 171105. This article may be cited as the ‘Palmetto 5 Public Safety Act’. 6 7 Section 171110. As the State’s chief prosecutor and legal officer 8 under the Constitution of South Carolina, 1895, as well as the 9 Securities Commissioner of the State, the Attorney General is 10 vested with exclusive authority and control over the State’s efforts 11 to attack the ongoing misuse of money services businesses, 12 including money laundering and related abuses. Notwithstanding 13 another provision of law, the Office of the Attorney General has 14 specific and exclusive authority regarding the detection, 15 deterrence, investigation, regulation, and prosecution of these 16 abuses and is the sole and exclusive authority for the enforcement 17 of all associated laws. 18 19 Section 171115. Pursuant to Section 17140, the Attorney 20 General is required to report annually to the General Assembly his 21 recommendations for changes in the criminal laws of this State. 22 Not later than the start of the 2013 legislative session, the Attorney 23 General shall submit his analysis regarding the misuse of money 24 services businesses in South Carolina as well as specific legislative 25 and prosecutorial recommendations, including the use of the State 26 Grand Jury, to combat these abuses.” 27 28 SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval by the 29 Governor. 30 XX 31

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