---
type: "Bill"
title: "Sheriff qualifications"
description: "AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 23-11-110, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE QUALIFICATIONS THAT A SHERIFF MUST POSSESS, SO AS TO PROVIDE THESE QUALIFICATIONS ALSO APPLY TO CANDIDATES FOR SHERIFF, TO MAKE TECHNICAL CHANGES, TO PROVIDE A SHERIFF HOLDING OFFICE ON THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS SECTION IS NOT REQUIRED TO BE AN EXPERIENCED CERTIFIED LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER OR BE ELIGIBLE TO OBTAIN A CLASS 1 LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER CERTIFICATE UPON THE COMMENCEMENT OF HIS TERM OF OFFICE, AND TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL QUALIFICATIONS. - ratified title"
jurisdiction: "us/states/sc"
legislature: "South Carolina General Assembly"
session: "2019-2020"
identifier: "H 3951"
citation: "South Carolina H 3951 (2019-2020)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: []
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: ["B. Newton", "Bryant", "Clary", "Elliott", "Gagnon", "Jefferson", "Martin", "McCoy", "McCravy", "R. Williams", "Tallon", "Thayer"]
version_count: 11
action_count: 35
vote_count: 6
first_action: "2019-02-12"
last_action: "2019-06-05"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/8ccb77b7-0bbf-4f23-bb20-867b4c70e8aa"
source_url: "https://www.scstatehouse.gov/billsearch.php?billnumbers=3951&session=123&summary=B"
source_hash: "825eeca51fb7d93b72f6995f8230119722d8a85a397bebf41d906c582bf07c78"
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 3951 (2019-2020) — Sheriff qualifications

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 23-11-110, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE QUALIFICATIONS THAT A SHERIFF MUST POSSESS, SO AS TO PROVIDE THESE QUALIFICATIONS ALSO APPLY TO CANDIDATES FOR SHERIFF, TO MAKE TECHNICAL CHANGES, TO PROVIDE A SHERIFF HOLDING OFFICE ON THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS SECTION IS NOT REQUIRED TO BE AN EXPERIENCED CERTIFIED LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER OR BE ELIGIBLE TO OBTAIN A CLASS 1 LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER CERTIFICATE UPON THE COMMENCEMENT OF HIS TERM OF OFFICE, AND TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL QUALIFICATIONS. - ratified title

## Version chain

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

1. **Filed** (filed) — [source](https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess123_2019-2020/bills/3951.htm)
2. **2/12/2019** (committee substitute) — [source](https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess123_2019-2020/prever/3951_20190212.htm)
3. **3/20/2019** (committee substitute) — [source](https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess123_2019-2020/prever/3951_20190320.htm)
4. **3/21/2019** (committee substitute) — [source](https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess123_2019-2020/prever/3951_20190321.htm)
5. **3/27/2019** (committee substitute) — [source](https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess123_2019-2020/prever/3951_20190327.htm)
6. **4/11/2019** (committee substitute) — [source](https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess123_2019-2020/prever/3951_20190411.htm)
7. **4/12/2019** (committee substitute) — [source](https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess123_2019-2020/prever/3951_20190412.htm)
8. **4/2/2019** (committee substitute) — [source](https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess123_2019-2020/prever/3951_20190402.htm)
9. **4/23/2019** (committee substitute) — [source](https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess123_2019-2020/prever/3951_20190423.htm)
10. **5/2/2019** (committee substitute) — [source](https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess123_2019-2020/prever/3951_20190502.htm)
11. **5/8/2019** (committee substitute) — [source](https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess123_2019-2020/prever/3951_20190508.htm)

## Votes

- 2nd Reading — **41–0** (pass) · upper
- Passage of Bill — **105–2** (pass) · lower
- Passage of Bill — **100–1** (pass) · lower
- Passage of Bill — **89–9** (pass) · lower
- Adopt — **106–0** (pass) · lower
- Table — **62–42** (pass) · lower

## Sponsors

- B. Newton — primary (person)
- Bryant — primary (person)
- Clary — primary (person)
- Elliott — primary (person)
- Gagnon — primary (person)
- Jefferson — primary (person)
- Martin — primary (person)
- McCoy — primary (person)
- McCravy — primary (person)
- R. Williams — primary (person)
- Tallon — primary (person)
- Thayer — primary (person)

## Timeline

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

- **2019-02-12** Introduced and read first time `introduction, reading-1`
- **2019-02-12** Referred to Committee on Judiciary `referral-committee`
- **2019-02-21** Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Martin
- **2019-03-05** Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Gagnon, Thayer, McCravy
- **2019-03-19** Member(s) request name added as sponsor: B.Newton
- **2019-03-20** Committee report: Favorable with amendment Judiciary `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2019-03-21** Scrivener's error corrected
- **2019-03-26** Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Jefferson, R.Williams
- **2019-03-26** Debate adjourned until Wed., 3-27-19
- **2019-03-27** Amended `amendment-passage`
- **2019-03-27** Read second time `reading-2`
- **2019-03-27** Roll call Yeas-100 Nays-1
- **2019-03-28** Reconsidered
- **2019-04-02** Amended `amendment-passage`
- **2019-04-02** Read second time `reading-2`
- **2019-04-02** Roll call Yeas-105 Nays-2
- **2019-04-03** Read third time and sent to Senate `passage, reading-3`
- **2019-04-03** Roll call Yeas-89 Nays-9
- **2019-04-03** Introduced and read first time `introduction, reading-1`
- **2019-04-03** Referred to Committee on Judiciary `referral-committee`
- **2019-04-04** Referred to Subcommittee: Hutto (ch), Shealy, Young, McLeod, Senn
- **2019-04-11** Recalled from Committee on Judiciary
- **2019-04-12** Scrivener's error corrected
- **2019-04-23** Amended `amendment-passage`
- **2019-04-23** Read second time `reading-2`
- **2019-04-23** Roll call Ayes-41 Nays-0
- **2019-05-02** Amended `amendment-passage`
- **2019-05-02** Read third time and returned to House with amendments `passage, reading-3`
- **2019-05-08** Senate amendment amended `amendment-amendment`
- **2019-05-08** Returned to Senate with amendments
- **2019-05-09** Concurred in House amendment and enrolled
- **2019-05-13** Ratified R 90
- **2019-05-16** Signed By Governor `executive-signature`
- **2019-05-31** Effective date 05/16/19
- **2019-06-05** Act No. 70

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/8ccb77b7-0bbf-4f23-bb20-867b4c70e8aa`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official South Carolina legislature records).