South Carolina Senate Bill 735

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Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 4)
Status: Introduced on January 13 2026 - 25% progression
Action: 2026-01-21 - Scrivener's error corrected
Pending: Senate Judiciary Committee
Text: Latest bill text (Draft #2) [HTML]

Amend The South Carolina Code Of Laws By Adding Section 8-31-10 So As To Create The "prohibition Of Sanctuary Jurisdictions Act"; By Adding Section 8-31-20 So As To Provide That Funds Appropriated By The State Must Not Be Obligated Or Expended For A County, Municipality, City, Public Service District, Special Purpose District, Special Tax District, Or Any Type Of Political Subdivision Determined By A Court Of Competent Jurisdiction To Be A Sanctuary Jurisdiction; By Adding Section 8-31-30 So As To Authorize The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division To Publish The Immigration Compliance Report And For The State Treasurer To Withhold Disbursements From The Local Government Fund To Any County Or Municipality Not Certified As Compliant In The Report; By Amending Section 17-15-10, Relating To A Person Charged With A Noncapital Offense May Be Released On His Own Recognizance, So As To Provide That An Illegal Alien Detained By A Local Or State Law Enforcement Agency Not Be Released Into The Community, But Held Until Transferred To The United States Immigration And Customs Enforcement; And By Amending Section 17-15-30, Relating To Matters To Be Considered In Determining Conditions Of Release, So As To Provide For An Alien Unlawfully Present In The United States That The Provisions Of Section 17-15-10(c) Be Followed.

Sanctuary Jurisdictions and Release of Illegal Aliens

Sen. Carlisle Kennedy [R]

Sen. Lee Bright [R]

Sen. Tom Fernandez [R]

Sen. Matthew Leber [R]

Date	Chamber	Action
2026-01-21		Scrivener's error corrected
2026-01-13	Senate	Referred to Committee on Judiciary
2026-01-13	Senate	Introduced and read first time
2025-12-10	Senate	Referred to Committee on Judiciary
2025-12-10	Senate	Prefiled

Chapter	Article	Section	Citation Type	Statute Text
17	15	10	(n/a)	See Bill Text
17	15	30	(n/a)	See Bill Text
8	31	10	(n/a)	See Bill Text
8	31	20	(n/a)	See Bill Text
8	31	30	(n/a)	See Bill Text

Type	Source
Summary	https://www.scstatehouse.gov/billsearch.php?billnumbers=0735&session=126&summary=B
Text	https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess126_2025-2026/prever/735_20251210.htm
Text	https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess126_2025-2026/prever/735_20260121.htm
Supplement	https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess126_2025-2026/fiscalimpactstatements/S0735%202026-01-13%20introduced.pdf