---
type: "Bill"
title: "AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 44-53-160, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO SCHEDULING OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES, SO AS TO REQUIRE NOTIFICATION TO THE CODE COMMISSIONER OF CERTAIN SCHEDULING CHANGES; TO AMEND SECTION 44-53-280, RELATING TO REGISTRATIONS TO MANUFACTURE, DISTRIBUTE, OR DISPENSE CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES, SO AS TO ELIMINATE REGISTRATION RENEWAL GRACE PERIODS; TO AMEND SECTION 44-53-290, RELATING IN PART TO REGISTRATIONS ISSUED TO PRACTITIONERS TO DISPENSE NARCOTICS FOR MAINTENANCE OR DETOXIFICATION TREATMENTS AND TO NURSE PRACTITIONERS AND PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS TO PRESCRIBE SCHEDULE V DRUGS, SO AS TO CHANGE CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS; TO AMEND SECTION 44-53-480, RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF NARCOTICS AND DANGEROUS DRUGS WITHIN THE SOUTH CAROLINA LAW ENFORCEMENT DIVISION (SLED), SO AS TO ELIMINATE ENFORCEMENT OF DRUG LAWS AS A FUNCTION OF DHEC; AND TO REPEAL SECTION 44-53-560 RELATING TO THE TRANSFER OF AGENTS FROM DHEC TO SLED. - ratified title"
description: "AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 44-53-160, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO SCHEDULING OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES, SO AS TO REQUIRE NOTIFICATION TO THE CODE COMMISSIONER OF CERTAIN SCHEDULING CHANGES; TO AMEND SECTION 44-53-280, RELATING TO REGISTRATIONS TO MANUFACTURE, DISTRIBUTE, OR DISPENSE CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES, SO AS TO ELIMINATE REGISTRATION RENEWAL GRACE PERIODS; TO AMEND SECTION 44-53-290, RELATING IN PART TO REGISTRATIONS ISSUED TO PRACTITIONERS TO DISPENSE NARCOTICS FOR MAINTENANCE OR DETOXIFICATION TREATMENTS AND TO NURSE PRACTITIONERS AND PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS TO PRESCRIBE SCHEDULE V DRUGS, SO AS TO CHANGE CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS; TO AMEND SECTION 44-53-480, RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF NARCOTICS AND DANGEROUS DRUGS WITHIN THE SOUTH CAROLINA LAW ENFORCEMENT DIVISION (SLED), SO AS TO ELIMINATE ENFORCEMENT OF DRUG LAWS AS A FUNCTION OF DHEC; AND TO REPEAL SECTION 44-53-560 RELATING TO THE TRANSFER OF AGENTS FROM DHEC TO SLED. - ratified title"
jurisdiction: "us/states/sc"
legislature: "South Carolina General Assembly"
session: "2017-2018"
identifier: "H 4487"
citation: "South Carolina H 4487 (2017-2018)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: []
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: ["Atwater", "Dillard", "Douglas", "Erickson", "Fry", "Henderson", "Hewitt", "Huggins", "Norrell", "Ridgeway", "Robinson-Simpson", "W. Newton", "Weeks", "West"]
version_count: 10
action_count: 33
vote_count: 3
first_action: "2017-12-13"
last_action: "2018-05-31"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/41d8ad14-b3a0-4441-b54d-27d281a7a776"
source_url: "http://www.scstatehouse.gov/billsearch.php?billnumbers=4487&session=122&summary=B"
source_hash: "04466109d3272a091e8148342322ccb8f3d8809fa003f130571d132ff80530d3"
vintage: "2026-07-01"
source_snapshot: "https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-06"
confidence: "reported"
tags: ["legislation", "bill", "us-sc"]
---

# South Carolina H 4487 (2017-2018) — AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 44-53-160, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO SCHEDULING OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES, SO AS TO REQUIRE NOTIFICATION TO THE CODE COMMISSIONER OF CERTAIN SCHEDULING CHANGES; TO AMEND SECTION 44-53-280, RELATING TO REGISTRATIONS TO MANUFACTURE, DISTRIBUTE, OR DISPENSE CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES, SO AS TO ELIMINATE REGISTRATION RENEWAL GRACE PERIODS; TO AMEND SECTION 44-53-290, RELATING IN PART TO REGISTRATIONS ISSUED TO PRACTITIONERS TO DISPENSE NARCOTICS FOR MAINTENANCE OR DETOXIFICATION TREATMENTS AND TO NURSE PRACTITIONERS AND PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS TO PRESCRIBE SCHEDULE V DRUGS, SO AS TO CHANGE CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS; TO AMEND SECTION 44-53-480, RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF NARCOTICS AND DANGEROUS DRUGS WITHIN THE SOUTH CAROLINA LAW ENFORCEMENT DIVISION (SLED), SO AS TO ELIMINATE ENFORCEMENT OF DRUG LAWS AS A FUNCTION OF DHEC; AND TO REPEAL SECTION 44-53-560 RELATING TO THE TRANSFER OF AGENTS FROM DHEC TO SLED. - ratified title

## Version chain

The bill's text revisions, in order — the diff chain from filing to enrollment.

1. **12/13/2017** (committee substitute) — [source](http://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess122_2017-2018/prever/4487_20171213.htm)
2. **3/20/2018** (committee substitute) — [source](http://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess122_2017-2018/prever/4487_20180320.htm)
3. **3/22/2018** (committee substitute) — [source](http://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess122_2017-2018/prever/4487_20180322.htm)
4. **3/8/2018** (committee substitute) — [source](http://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess122_2017-2018/prever/4487_20180308.htm)
5. **4/19/2018** (committee substitute) — [source](http://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess122_2017-2018/prever/4487_20180419.htm)
6. **4/20/2018** (committee substitute) — [source](http://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess122_2017-2018/prever/4487_20180420.htm)
7. **4/26/2018** (committee substitute) — [source](http://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess122_2017-2018/prever/4487_20180426.htm)
8. **4/27/2018** (committee substitute) — [source](http://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess122_2017-2018/prever/4487_20180427.htm)
9. **5/1/2018** (committee substitute) — [source](http://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess122_2017-2018/prever/4487_20180501.htm)
10. **5/2/2018** (committee substitute) — [source](http://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess122_2017-2018/prever/4487_20180502.htm)

## Votes

- Passage of Bill — **107–0** (pass) · lower
- 2nd Reading — **37–0** (pass) · upper
- Concur in Senate Amendments — **103–0** (pass) · lower

## Sponsors

- Atwater — primary (person)
- Dillard — primary (person)
- Douglas — primary (person)
- Erickson — primary (person)
- Fry — primary (person)
- Henderson — primary (person)
- Hewitt — primary (person)
- Huggins — primary (person)
- Norrell — primary (person)
- Ridgeway — primary (person)
- Robinson-Simpson — primary (person)
- W. Newton — primary (person)
- Weeks — primary (person)
- West — primary (person)

## Timeline

The legislative action history — every referral, reading, and vote.

- **2017-12-13** Prefiled `filing`
- **2017-12-13** Referred to Committee on Medical, Military, Public and Municipal Affairs `referral-committee`
- **2018-01-09** Introduced and read first time `introduction, reading-1`
- **2018-01-09** Referred to Committee on Medical, Military, Public and Municipal Affairs `referral-committee`
- **2018-01-23** Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Fry, West, Atwater, Erickson, Norrell, Weeks, Douglas, Ridgeway, Dillard, Huggins
- **2018-02-01** Member(s) request name added as sponsor: W.Newton
- **2018-03-08** Committee report: Favorable with amendment Medical, Military, Public and Municipal Affairs `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2018-03-20** Amended `amendment-passage`
- **2018-03-20** Debate adjourned until Wed., 3-21-18
- **2018-03-21** Requests for debate-Rep(s). Henderson, Whitemire, Forrest, Fry, Hiott, Daning, Bryant, Bennett, Dillard, Burns, Arrington, Crosby
- **2018-03-22** Requests for debate removed-Rep(s). Hiott, Forrest, Whitmire, Crosby, Bennett, Arrington, Burns, Henderson, Fry
- **2018-03-22** Amended `amendment-passage`
- **2018-03-22** Read second time `reading-2`
- **2018-03-22** Roll call Yeas-107 Nays-0
- **2018-03-22** Unanimous consent for third reading on next legislative day
- **2018-03-23** Read third time and sent to Senate `passage, reading-3`
- **2018-03-27** Introduced and read first time `introduction, reading-1`
- **2018-03-27** Referred to Committee on Medical Affairs `referral-committee`
- **2018-04-19** Committee report: Favorable with amendment Medical Affairs `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2018-04-20** Scrivener's error corrected
- **2018-04-26** Committee Amendment Adopted `amendment-passage`
- **2018-04-27** Scrivener's error corrected
- **2018-05-01** Amended `amendment-passage`
- **2018-05-01** Read second time `reading-2`
- **2018-05-01** Roll call Ayes-37 Nays-0
- **2018-05-02** Scrivener's error corrected
- **2018-05-08** Read third time and returned to House with amendments `passage, reading-3`
- **2018-05-10** Concurred in Senate amendment and enrolled
- **2018-05-10** Roll call Yeas-103 Nays-0
- **2018-05-14** Ratified R 255
- **2018-05-18** Signed By Governor `executive-signature`
- **2018-05-25** Effective date 05/18/18
- **2018-05-31** Act No. 216

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/41d8ad14-b3a0-4441-b54d-27d281a7a776`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official South Carolina legislature records).