South Carolina § 23-3-670 - Cost of collection supplies for processing samples; processing fees.

§ 23-3-670. Cost of collection supplies for processing samples; processing fees.

(A) The cost of collection supplies for processing a sample pursuant to this article must be paid by the general fund of the State. A person who is required to provide a sample pursuant to this article, upon conviction, pleading guilty or nolo contendere, or forfeiting bond, must pay a two hundred fifty dollar processing fee which may not be waived by the court. However:

(1) if the person is incarcerated, the fee must be paid before the person is paroled or released from confinement and may be garnished from wages the person earns while incarcerated; and

(2) if the person is not sentenced to a term of confinement, payment of the fee must be a condition of the person's sentence and may be paid in installments if so ordered by the court.

(B) The processing fee assessed pursuant to this section must be remitted to the general fund of the State and credited to the State Law Enforcement Division to offset the expenses SLED incurs in carrying out the provisions of this article.

HISTORY: 1994 Act No. 497, Part II, SECTION 131A; 2008 Act No. 413, SECTION 4.G, eff January 1, 2009.

Editor's Note

2008 Act No. 413, SECTION 4.A, provides as follows:

"This SECTION may be cited as the 'South Carolina Protection from Violence Against Women and Children Act'."

2008 Act No. 413, SECTION 4.I, provides as follows:

"This SECTION takes effect on January 1, 2009. However, the implementation of the procedures provided for in this SECTION is contingent upon the State Law Enforcement Division's receipt of funds necessary to implement these provisions. Until the provisions of this SECTION are fully funded and executed, implementation of the provisions of this SECTION shall not prohibit the collection and testing of DNA samples by the methods allowed prior to the implementation of this SECTION from persons convicted, adjudicated delinquent, or on probation or parole for those crimes listed in Section 23-3-620. Upon this SECTION taking effect, a South Carolina law enforcement agency, which has in its possession any DNA samples that have been included in the State DNA Database, immediately must destroy and dispose of the DNA samples in accordance with regulations promulgated by SLED pursuant to Section 23-3-640."

2008 Act No. 413, SECTION 7, provides as follows:

"The provisions of Section 17-28-350 become effective upon the signature of the Governor. All other provisions become effective January 1, 2009. The enactment of these provisions prior to the effective date indicates the intent of the General Assembly that statewide laws or practices shall exist to ensure additional procedures for post-conviction DNA testing, and proper preservation of biological evidence connected to murder, rape, and nonnegligent homicide in order that application for available federal funds shall be made by the appropriate agencies and considered by the appropriate federal agencies prior to the effective date."

Effect of Amendment

The 2008 amendment, in subsection (A), added the first sentence relating to the cost of collection supplies, in the second sentence added ", upon conviction, pleading guilty or nolo contendere, or forfeiting bond, and designated paragraphs (1) and (2) from the last two sentences of the subsection.