---
type: "Bill"
title: "AN ACT TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 16-17-770 SO AS TO CREATE THE OFFENSE OF IMPERSONATING A LAWYER AND PROVIDE GRADUATED PENALTIES. - ratified title"
description: "AN ACT TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 16-17-770 SO AS TO CREATE THE OFFENSE OF IMPERSONATING A LAWYER AND PROVIDE GRADUATED PENALTIES. - ratified title"
jurisdiction: "us/states/sc"
legislature: "South Carolina General Assembly"
session: "2017-2018"
identifier: "H 3215"
citation: "South Carolina H 3215 (2017-2018)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: []
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: ["J.E. Smith"]
version_count: 4
action_count: 23
vote_count: 3
first_action: "2016-12-15"
last_action: "2017-05-31"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/4274c422-add4-4b74-99b4-fa4ec0a17be4"
source_url: "http://www.scstatehouse.gov/billsearch.php?billnumbers=3215&session=122&summary=B"
source_hash: "dfcbaf734dd38ac731d64156e6967e690e4a4b9e9a24eed14f76f9f73d44f848"
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 3215 (2017-2018) — AN ACT TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 16-17-770 SO AS TO CREATE THE OFFENSE OF IMPERSONATING A LAWYER AND PROVIDE GRADUATED PENALTIES. - ratified title

## Version chain

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

1. **12/15/2016** (committee substitute) — [source](http://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess122_2017-2018/prever/3215_20161215.htm)
2. **3/22/2017** (committee substitute) — [source](http://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess122_2017-2018/prever/3215_20170322.htm)
3. **4/26/2017** (committee substitute) — [source](http://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess122_2017-2018/prever/3215_20170426.htm)
4. **5/9/2017** (committee substitute) — [source](http://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess122_2017-2018/prever/3215_20170509.htm)

## Votes

- 2nd Reading — **34–1** (pass) · upper
- Passage of Bill — **100–0** (pass) · lower
- Concur in Senate Amendments — **92–0** (pass) · lower

## Sponsors

- J.E. Smith — primary (person)

## Timeline

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

- **2016-12-15** Prefiled `filing`
- **2016-12-15** Referred to Committee on Judiciary `referral-committee`
- **2017-01-10** Introduced and read first time `introduction, reading-1`
- **2017-01-10** Referred to Committee on Judiciary `referral-committee`
- **2017-03-22** Committee report: Favorable Judiciary `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2017-03-28** Read second time `reading-2`
- **2017-03-28** Roll call Yeas-100 Nays-0
- **2017-03-29** Read third time and sent to Senate `passage, reading-3`
- **2017-03-29** Introduced and read first time `introduction, reading-1`
- **2017-03-29** Referred to Committee on Judiciary `referral-committee`
- **2017-04-13** Referred to Subcommittee: Young (ch), Sabb, Talley
- **2017-04-26** Committee report: Favorable with amendment Judiciary `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2017-05-09** Committee Amendment Adopted `amendment-passage`
- **2017-05-09** Amended `amendment-passage`
- **2017-05-10** Read second time `reading-2`
- **2017-05-10** Roll call Ayes-34 Nays-1
- **2017-05-11** Read third time and returned to House with amendments `passage, reading-3`
- **2017-05-11** Concurred in Senate amendment and enrolled
- **2017-05-11** Roll call Yeas-92 Nays-0
- **2017-05-15** Ratified R 97
- **2017-05-19** Signed By Governor `executive-signature`
- **2017-05-25** Effective date 5/19/17
- **2017-05-31** Act No. 64

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/4274c422-add4-4b74-99b4-fa4ec0a17be4`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official South Carolina legislature records).