South Carolina Public Safety Grants

H. 4393 targets surveillance technology, but remains proposed

The South Carolina Technology Security Act (H. 4393) would restrict state agencies and political subdivisions from buying or using covered telecommunications, video-surveillance, and container-tracking products from defined Chinese-owned companies, including named suppliers such as Huawei, ZTE, Hytera, Hikvision, and Dahua. The introduced bill proposes civil or administrative penalties and a criminal provision for knowing transmission of data to China.

As of this review, its only recorded action is referral to the House Labor, Commerce and Industry Committee in April 2025. None of those proposed prohibitions or penalties should be presented as enacted South Carolina law. Still, cameras and networking components should be screened against applicable federal funding terms, agency policy, and the actual supplier and data architecture.

Act 150 changes drone operations on January 1, 2027

Act 150 of 2026 adds Article 3 to Title 55. It requires applicable FAA compliance and, beginning January 1, 2027, generally prohibits intentional or knowing operation, takeoff, or landing directly above or within 1,500 horizontal feet of the outer boundary of a known correctional or detention facility without written authorization from the specified authority, or a military installation without prior express written consent from the Department of Defense or its commanding authority.

The act has a defined exception for military, detention, and correctional personnel acting within official duties while complying with federal aviation requirements; it is not a general police or fire exemption. Its text also addresses contraband delivery, unlawful surveillance of sensitive facilities, and weaponization. Existing § 24-1-300 and § 24-5-175 remain relevant until their repeal takes effect with Act 150. Obtain written site authorization and FAA clearance as applicable.

Federal grant dollars change the aircraft test

Under OMB M-26-02, Appendix D, since December 22, 2025 recipients and subrecipients generally cannot use federal award funds to procure a FASC-prohibited UAS or in connection with its operation, subject to specified exemptions and waivers. The analysis turns on the actual federal definition, funding arrangement, and award terms; it is not simply a label for every foreign-assembled aircraft.

BJA-funded UAS purchases require express prior approval and certification tied to the Blue UAS Cleared List, along with BJA's restrictions on modifications, accessories, use with federal information, privacy, and cybersecurity. Other federal grant programs may impose their own UAS conditions. Ask the grant administrator before charging costs or using a locally owned aircraft on a federally supported mission.

Cameras, networks, FCC, and trade rules need separate review

NDAA Section 889 covers specified telecommunications and video-surveillance equipment or services in federal contracting; federal grants have their own restrictions, including 2 CFR 200.216. A camera, radio, modem, or cloud service can create a separate eligibility issue even when the airframe is acceptable.

The FCC Covered List UAS action affects equipment authorization for covered new products; it does not itself prohibit use of all previously authorized models. Trade Agreements Act requirements depend on the applicable federal contract or purchasing vehicle and are not a blanket condition of South Carolina local purchases.

South Carolina information security review

The South Carolina Division of Information Security publishes a Statewide Information Security Program policy and SCDIS-200 Information Security and Privacy Standards for state agencies. Agencies must establish their own information security and privacy policies under that framework. The state policy's scope should not be assumed to cover every municipality automatically.

For networked cameras and drones, document vendor ownership, component origin, firmware and update path, remote access, video and telemetry destinations, retention, encryption, administrator accounts, and any connection to criminal justice or state networks. Obtain the agency's IT and grant security approvals before deployment.

Practical South Carolina procurement checklist

1. 1Identify the money. Separate local funds, state appropriations, SCDPS or SLED pass-through awards, and direct federal grants.
2. 2Screen each component. Record aircraft, cameras, radios, software, cloud services, vendor ownership, and the applicable restricted lists.
3. 3Get program approval. Confirm UAS allowability, BJA prior approval if relevant, grant match, procurement method, and any waiver before purchase.
4. 4Plan the flight. Check FAA authority, current corrections-facility law, and Act 150's January 2027 rules and written-consent provisions.
5. 5Preserve the record. Keep quotes, vendor evidence, system diagrams, cybersecurity review, operating permissions, and charges to each award.