South Carolina Code 23-50-55. Immunity of persons communicating with and associated with council and crimestoppers organization
(B) A person who in the course and scope of the person’s duties or functions receives, forwards, or acts on a privileged communication or protected record is immune from civil liability for damages resulting from an act or omission in the performance of the person’s duties or functions unless the act or omission was grossly negligent, or done with conscious indifference or reckless disregard for the rights of others.
Terms Used In South Carolina Code 23-50-55
- Council: means the South Carolina Crimestoppers Council. See South Carolina Code 23-50-15
- Crimestoppers organization: means a private, nonprofit corporation that is organized under the laws of South Carolina that is operated on a local or statewide level, that accepts and expends donations for rewards to persons who report to the organization information about suspected criminal activity, that forwards the information to the appropriate law enforcement agency, is a member of the council, and that is qualified to receive reimbursed funds pursuant to § 23-50-30. See South Carolina Code 23-50-15
- Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
- Privileged communication: means a statement by any person, in any manner whatsoever, to a crimestoppers organization or to the council for the purpose of reporting alleged criminal activity and a communication from a crimestoppers organization or the council relaying the information received to a law enforcement agency. See South Carolina Code 23-50-15
(C) Members, officers, directors, employees, and agents of the council and certified crimestoppers organizations are immune from civil liability for damages resulting from an act or omission in the performance of the person’s duties or functions unless the act or omission was grossly negligent, or done with conscious indifference or reckless disregard for the rights of others.
(D) Only crimestoppers organizations that are members of and in good standing with the council are the beneficiaries of the immunities contained in this section.
(E) Crimestoppers organizations that fail to meet the requirements set forth by the council, fail to maintain membership in the council, or fail to maintain their nonprofit status under applicable statutes and regulations and their members, officers, directors, employees, and agents lose their immunity from civil liability as set forth in this section from the point in time that any of the above listed events occurs. The immunities for actions taken prior to a listed event occurring remain.