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Panel advances bill to increase penalties for attacks on law‑enforcement dogs and horses
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Summary
After testimony from K‑9 handlers recounting on‑duty canine deaths and the role of police dogs, the subcommittee moved bill 1100 to the full committee to raise penalties for injuring law‑enforcement dogs and horses and to tighten code language.
The subcommittee voted to send bill 1100 to the full committee following testimony from multiple K‑9 handlers and state law‑enforcement officials who described the role of police canines and recent on‑duty fatalities.
Sergeant Warren Kavanaugh of the Richland County Sheriff's Department described the training, deployment protocols and the human bond between handlers and their dogs, recounting that his own K‑9 was killed in the line of duty. "The impact of these K‑9s are great ... they are family members," Kavanaugh said, urging the committee to strengthen penalties and recognize the human cost.
Special Agent Richard Dutton of the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division told the committee his division lost a police K‑9 in September 2023 when a suspect fired on a deployed dog during a house clearance. Dutton described procedural safeguards — warning announcements before deployments and options exhausted before using a dog — and said tougher penalties were appropriate for those who specifically target service animals.
Miss Baker explained the bill would increase penalties for offenses that injure law‑enforcement dogs and horses while on duty and would remove community‑service options in certain code language; the subcommittee voted to advance the measure with no recorded opposition.
The chair thanked witnesses and the K‑9 teams for their service and noted the bill will move to the full committee.
