SC edges closer to passing domestic-violence reform

The General Assembly is close to passing a bill this year that would toughen South Carolina’s domestic-violence laws, including a lifetime ban on possessing guns for some convicted batterers.

The S.C. House unanimously passed a proposal Wednesday that would double the potential prison time for domestic abuse to as long as 20 years. The proposal also would require teaching domestic-violence prevention to middle-schoolers.

“What we wanted was a systemic change,” said state Rep. Shannon Erickson, R-Beaufort, who helped negotiate a compromise with senators.

The bill now will go back to the Senate after the House gives its final approval Thursday.

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Larry Martin, R-Pickens, said he is confident the Legislature will pass a domestic-violence bill before the session ends June 4, but the Senate will make at least one change.

The Senate plans to eliminate a House provision to have a risk assessor make recommendations about the threat that accused batters pose when they are charged or have a bond hearing, Martin said.

If changes approved Wednesday become law, the level of domestic-abuse charge could be based on the severity of an attack, rather than the number of times a person has been charged with the crime.

Under current law, many batterers face the lowest-level charge for their first arrest. The new proposal would have a first-time accused abuser facing a charge with longer prison time if they choked the victim, prevented the victim from calling 911, beat a pregnant victim or the attack occurred in front of minor.

One of the biggest changes is banning an abuser from possessing a gun after some convictions.

The compromise would ban batterers from possessing a gun for three years if convicted of a mid-level offense, where the victim received “moderate” injuries. The ban would increase to 10 years for a first-degree offense and to a lifetime ban if a batterer used a deadly weapon.

A judge could ban firearms possession for batterers convicted on less severe abuse charges, according to the House changes. Police could not confiscate guns. But abusers would face penalties for violating the gun ban.

“You better watch out if you go hunting,” said state Sen. Greg Hembree, a Horry Republican who worked on the compromise.

Laura Hudson, director of the S.C. Crime Victims’ Council, said she was “80 percent” pleased with the new version of the bill.

Hudson wanted tougher gun bans on batterers and does not like some of the definitions between moderate and severe injuries. But she said she likes the bill’s proposal to require judges to wait to get criminal records and incident reports before setting bond for accused abusers, and create a committee of police, government and community leaders to find solutions to the causes of domestic violence.

South Carolina ranks among the nation’s worst in the number of women killed by men. Lawmakers have worked on domestic violence bills since the General Assembly started in January. They reached a compromise with only eight days remaining in the session.

“They took their bloody time,” Hudson said.