South Carolina 2025-2026 Regular Session

South Carolina House Bill H3796 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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1	1	South Carolina General Assembly126th Session, 2025-2026
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3	3	Bill 3796
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5	5	Indicates Matter StrickenIndicates New Matter
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7	7	(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)
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9	9	A bill TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ADDING article 29 to chapter 1, title 1 SO AS TO PROHIBIT A GOVERNMENTAL ENTITY FROM GRANTING OR RECOGNIZING LEGAL PERSONHOOD IN CERTAIN ITEMS. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina: SECTION 1. Chapter 1, Title 1 of the S.C. Code is amended by adding: Article 29 Legal Personhood Section 1-1-1910. (A) As used in this article: (1) "Body of water" means any natural or man-made accumulation of water, regardless of whether the accumulation of water is static or subject to a force that causes a hydrological current. (2) "Governmental entity" means: (a) a court; (b) the General Assembly; (c) the governing body of a political subdivision; or (d) another entity of the State or a political subdivision, if the entity has adjudicatory or rulemaking authority. (3) "Human being" means a member of the species classified as Homo sapiens; (4) "Land" means the solid terrestrial surface or subsurface of the earth. (5) "Legal personhood" means: (a) the legal rights and obligations of an individual under the laws of this State; or (b) the legal rights and obligations of a person other than an individual under the laws of this State. (6) "Political subdivision" means the same as that term is defined in Section 2-7-76. (7) "Real property" means any building, fixture, improvement, appurtenance, structure, or other development that is affixed permanently to land. (8) "State" means the same as that term is defined in Section 1-3-490. (B) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a governmental entity may not grant legal personhood to, nor recognize legal personhood in: (1) artificial intelligence; (2) an inanimate object; (3) a body of water; (4) land; (5) real property; (6) atmospheric gases; (7) an astronomical object; (8) weather; (9) a plant; (10) a nonhuman animal; or (11) any other member of a taxonomic domain that is not a human being. SECTION 2. This act takes upon approval by the Governor. ----XX----
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27	27	A bill
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31	31	TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ADDING article 29 to chapter 1, title 1 SO AS TO PROHIBIT A GOVERNMENTAL ENTITY FROM GRANTING OR RECOGNIZING LEGAL PERSONHOOD IN CERTAIN ITEMS.
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35	35	Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
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39	39	SECTION 1. Chapter 1, Title 1 of the S.C. Code is amended by adding:
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43	43	Article 29
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47	47	Legal Personhood
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51	51	Section 1-1-1910. (A) As used in this article:
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53	53	(1) "Body of water" means any natural or man-made accumulation of water, regardless of whether the accumulation of water is static or subject to a force that causes a hydrological current.
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55	55	(2) "Governmental entity" means:
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57	57	(a) a court;
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59	59	(b) the General Assembly;
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61	61	(c) the governing body of a political subdivision; or
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63	63	(d) another entity of the State or a political subdivision, if the entity has adjudicatory or rulemaking authority.
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65	65	(3) "Human being" means a member of the species classified as Homo sapiens;
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67	67	(4) "Land" means the solid terrestrial surface or subsurface of the earth.
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69	69	(5) "Legal personhood" means:
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71	71	(a) the legal rights and obligations of an individual under the laws of this State; or
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73	73	(b) the legal rights and obligations of a person other than an individual under the laws of this State.
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75	75	(6) "Political subdivision" means the same as that term is defined in Section 2-7-76.
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77	77	(7) "Real property" means any building, fixture, improvement, appurtenance, structure, or other development that is affixed permanently to land.
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79	79	(8) "State" means the same as that term is defined in Section 1-3-490.
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81	81	(B) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a governmental entity may not grant legal personhood to, nor recognize legal personhood in:
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83	83	(1) artificial intelligence;
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85	85	(2) an inanimate object;
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87	87	(3) a body of water;
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89	89	(4) land;
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91	91	(5) real property;
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93	93	(6) atmospheric gases;
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95	95	(7) an astronomical object;
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97	97	(8) weather;
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99	99	(9) a plant;
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101	101	(10) a nonhuman animal; or
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103	103	(11) any other member of a taxonomic domain that is not a human being.
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107	107	SECTION 2. This act takes upon approval by the Governor.
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111	111	This web page was last updated on January 28, 2025 at 01:09 PM