2019 South Carolina Code of Laws
Title 45 - Hotels, Motels, Restaurants and Boardinghouses
Chapter 2 - The Lodging Establishment Act
Section 45-2-40. Violations committed by person on premises or property of lodging establishment; classification; penalties; fines.

(A) A person who on the premises or property of a lodging establishment:

(1) uses or possesses a controlled substance in violation of Chapter 53, Title 44;

(2) consumes or possesses beer, wine, or alcoholic liquors in violation of Section 63-19-2440 or 63-19-2450; is guilty of a misdemeanor under the jurisdiction of the magistrates or municipal court, notwithstanding the provisions of Sections 22-3-540, 22-3-545, 22-3-550, and 14-25-65, and, upon conviction, must be fined not more than five hundred dollars or imprisoned not more than thirty days.

(B) A person who on the premises or property of a lodging establishment maliciously and wilfully commits a violation of this chapter resulting in damage to a lodging establishment room or its furnishings is guilty of a:

(1) felony and, upon conviction, must be fined in the discretion of the court or imprisoned not more than ten years if the amount of injury or damage to the property is ten thousand dollars or more;

(2) felony and, upon conviction, must be fined in the discretion of the court or imprisoned not more than five years if the amount of injury or damage to the property is more than two thousand dollars but less than ten thousand dollars;

(3) misdemeanor triable in magistrates court or municipal court, notwithstanding the provisions of Sections 22-3-540, 22-3-545, 22-3-550, and 14-25-65, if the amount of injury or damage to the property is two thousand dollars or less. Upon conviction, the person must be fined not more than one thousand dollars or imprisoned not more than thirty days.

(C) A person who rents or leases a room in a lodging establishment for the purpose of allowing the room to be used by another to do any act enumerated in subsection (A) or (B) of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor under the jurisdiction of the magistrates or municipal court, notwithstanding the provisions of Sections 22-3-540, 22-3-545, 22-3-550, and 14-25-65, and, upon conviction, must be fined not more than one thousand dollars or imprisoned not more than thirty days.

(D) In a case arising under this section involving damage to a lodging establishment room or its furnishings, the court may order the person renting or leasing the lodging establishment room or the person causing such damage, or both:

(1) to pay restitution for any damages suffered by the owner or operator of the lodging establishment, which damages may include the lodging establishment's loss of revenue resulting from the establishment's inability to rent or lease the room during the period of time the lodging establishment room is being repaired; and

(2) to pay damages or restitution to any other person who is injured in person or property.

In a case arising under this subsection triable in magistrates court or municipal court, notwithstanding the provisions of Sections 22-3-540, 22-3-545, 22-3-550, and 14-25-65, a judge may order restitution not to exceed the civil jurisdictional amount of magistrates court provided in Section 22-3-10(2).

In the case of a minor, the parents of the minor are liable for acts of the minor in violation of this section which cause damages to the lodging establishment room or furnishings or cause injury to persons or property.

(E) This section does not prohibit the prosecution of a person for the underlying violation which occurred on the premises or property of the lodging establishment.

HISTORY: 1994 Act No. 446, Section 1, eff July 1, 1994; 2010 Act No. 273, Section 16.B.B, eff June 2, 2010.