2023 South Carolina Code of Laws › Title 23 - Law Enforcement and Public Safety › Chapter 3 - South Carolina Law Enforcement Division › Section 23-3-490. Public inspection of offender registry.

(A) Information collected for the offender registry is open to public inspection, and must be made available on the Internet or by other electronic means.
(B) A sheriff or SLED must release information regarding persons required to register under this article to a member of the public if the request is made in writing, or via electronic means on a form prescribed or utilized by SLED. The sheriff must provide the person making the request with the full names of the registered sex offenders, any aliases, any other identifying physical characteristics, each offender's date of birth, the home address on file, the offense for which the offender was required to register pursuant to Section 23-3-430, and the date, city, and state of conviction. A photocopy of a current photograph must also be provided. The sheriff may provide to a newspaper with general circulation within the county a listing of the registry for publication.
A sheriff or SLED who provides the offender registry for publication or a newspaper which publishes the registry, or any portion of it, is not liable and must not be named as a party in an action to recover damages or seek relief for errors or omissions in the publication of the offender registry; however, if the error or omission was done intentionally, with malice, or in bad faith the sheriff or newspaper is not immune from liability.
(C) A person may request on a form prescribed by SLED a list of registered sex offenders residing in a city, county, or zip code zone or a list of all registered sex offenders within the State from SLED. A person may request information regarding a specific person who is required to register under this article from SLED. SLED shall provide the person making the request with the full names of the requested registered sex offenders, any aliases, any other identifying physical characteristics, each offender's date of birth, the home address on file, the offense for which the offender was required to register pursuant to Section 23-3-430, and the date, city, and state of conviction. The State Law Enforcement Division may charge a reasonable fee to cover the cost of copying and distributing sex offender registry lists as provided for in this section. These funds must be used for the sole purpose of offsetting the cost of providing sex offender registry lists.
(D) Nothing in subsection (A) prohibits a sheriff from disseminating information contained in subsection (A) regarding persons who are required to register under this article if the sheriff or another law enforcement officer has reason to believe the release of this information will deter criminal activity or enhance public safety. The sheriff shall notify the principals of public and private schools, and the administrator of child day care centers and family day care centers of any offender whose address is within one-half mile of the school or business.
(E) For purposes of this article, information on a person adjudicated delinquent in family court for an offense listed in Section 23-3-436, and who is required to register under this article, must be made available to the public in accordance with the following provisions:
(1) If a person has been adjudicated delinquent for committing a Tier III offense, information must be made available to the public pursuant to subsections (A), (B), and (C).
(2) Information shall only be made available, upon request, to victims of or witnesses to the offense, public or private schools, child day care centers, family day care centers, businesses or organizations that primarily serve children, women, or vulnerable adults, as defined in Section 43-35-10(11), for persons adjudicated delinquent for committing any other offenses requiring registration.
(3) Nothing in this section shall prohibit the dissemination of all registry information to law enforcement.
(F) For purposes of this section, use of computerized or electronic transmission of data or other electronic or similar means is permitted.
HISTORY: 1994 Act No. 497, Part II, Section 112A; 1996 Act No. 444, Section 16; 1998 Act No. 384, Section 1; 1999 Act No. 110, Section 2; 2010 Act No. 289, Section 9, eff June 11, 2010; 2012 Act No. 255, Section 6, eff June 18, 2012; 2015 Act No. 7 (S.196), Section 6.E, eff April 2, 2015; 2022 Act No. 221 (H.4075), Section 6, eff May 23, 2022.
Editor's Note
2022 Act No. 221, Section 8, provides as follows:
"SECTION 8. This act is retroactive and shall apply to any resident of this State who currently is required to register as a sex offender pursuant to the provisions of Article 7, Chapter 3, Title 23, and who meets the requirements set forth in the act."
Effect of Amendment
The 2010 amendment added subparagraph (D)(1)(h), relating to trafficking in persons.
The 2012 amendment substituted "16-3-655(A)" for "16-3-655(1)" in subsection (D)(1)(c); substituted "16-3-655(B)" for "16-3-655(2) and (3)" in subsection (D)(1)(d); and in subsection (D)(2)(D), substituted "criminal sexual conduct with minors, third degree (Section 16-3-655(C))" for "committing or attempting lewd act upon child under sixteen (Section 16-15-140)".
2015 Act No. 7, Section 6.E, in (D)(1)(h), substituted "16-3-2020" for 16-3-930".
2022 Act No. 221, Section 6, rewrote the section, providing that information contained in the registry may be made available by electronic means and eliminating certain restrictions placed on the release of this information.