The SC House has just sustained Governor Mark Sanford’s veto of legislation that would have allowed individuals out of prison on parole or probation to be searched without a warrant. The vote was 58 to 53, 16 votes short of the supermajority required. The vote may be reconsidered, even this week, and House Speaker Bobby Harrell has said he wants the veto overridden.
The veto was overridden in the Senate. And the House had passed the same bill in February by a Vote of 81-26. But this time around House members heard the pleas of those who argued that the law would violate civil liberties.
The measure allows searches of probationers or parolees–a search of their person or the vehicle they are in, but not their residence.
Leading that group was Florence Republican Kristopher Crawford. He said the bill sets a bad precedent. Crawford argued that when civil liberties are taken away from some people, they can be taken away from anyone.
(Crawford on searches MP3 1:17)
Crawford on searches
