Saggy Pants May Get You Fined In South Carolina If Bill Passes

Lawmakers in South Carolina have proposed a bill in the state Legislature that would allow fines for people, who are seen wearing sagging pants. They will be punished with fines or community service, or both, reports said Tuesday.

House Bill 4957, introduced Feb. 15, said it would be unlawful for a person "to appear in public wearing his pants more than three inches below the crest of his ileum exposing his skin or undergarments."

The ileum is the broad, upper portion of either hipbone, according to dictionary.com. Ileum, which is spelled with an “E” — as it is written in the bill — is part of the small intestine, according to the dictionary website.

As per the proposed bill, the offender of the violation would be subjected to a $25 fine for a first offense; a $50 fine or up to 3 hours of community service, or both, for a second one; and a third or subsequent offenses could result in a $75 fine or up to 6 hours of community service, or both.

It is also stated the violation would not be a criminal or delinquent offense. It would be handled by the municipal or magistrate court and violators would not be barred from participation in a state college or university financial assistance program.

The bill reads in part:

"To amend the code of laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding section 16-17-780 so as to provide that it is unlawful for a person to wear pants sagging more than three inches below his ileum, to provide for penalties for violations, to provide that a violation is not grounds for denying, suspending, or revoking the violator's participation in a state college or university financial assistance program, and to provide jurisdiction of a violation is vested exclusively in the municipal court or the magistrates court."

The bill has already been referred to the Judiciary Committee.

"Jurisdiction to hear a violation of this section is vested exclusively in the municipal court or the magistrates court, as appropriate. A hearing pursuant to this section must be placed on the court's appropriate docket for traffic violations and not on the court's docket for civil matters," the bill stated.

Seven of the 10 lawmakers who co-sponsored the legislation are said to be Democrats. Three of them are from the Lowcountry: Reps. Robert Brown and Wendell Gilliard from Charleston County and Joseph Jefferson Jr. from Berkeley County. A fourth Lowcountry lawmaker, Republican Rep. Linda Bennett of Charleston County, also is among them.

Rep. Gilliard said he got involved in HB 4957 because he wants to set an example.

"We have to lead by example," Gilliard said. "It is necessary, because it’s not getting any better."

Gilliard mentioned he first sponsored an ordinance while in city council to get young men to “wear their pants properly.” Ten years ago, he added, people thought he was "crazy" to do such a thing.

According to Gilliard, the situation has gotten worse since then.

"The pants now are being worn below the knees," the former Charleston City Councilman said.