Requiring all public schools, including charter schools, to prominently post clear signs with telephone numbers and guidance for reporting of child abuse, neglect and exploitation is the subject of House bill H.3920 .

Passing the House unanimously in late January, the bill remains in the Senate Education Committee, but it has yet to be scheduled for a subcommittee hearing.

Following Federal Tax Law

Changes to federal tax laws are usually mirrored by the state of South Carolina through a process called “conformity,” which provides taxpayers in our state with simplicity and predictability. This allows filers to use the taxable income they’ve calculated for their federal taxes as the starting point for doing their state taxes. Holly Ulbrich argues in a Statehouse Report column that South Carolina should once again conform to the new federal law with one important caveat: the personal exemption that helps middle and low-income parents.

First Steps Reauthorization Through Senate

The Senate voted to reauthorize First Steps bill H.3591 with a seven-year "sunset" provision that funds this early-childhood education program through 2025. House members can choose to concur or negotiate differences through a conference committee process.

Bills to Watch

S.1033 defines torture, specifies torture as grounds for termination of parental rights, and blocks family reunification efforts by the Department of Social Services in instances of torture. It was amended by a Senate subcommittee to better align the legal definition of torture with the medical description. It was passed out to the full Senate General Committee, where it is likely to be further amended, ensuring the bill does not set a prohibitively high burden of proof for prosecutors.

H.4705 makes “clerical or non-clerical religious counselors” mandated reporters of suspected child abuse. The House version requires school and college administrators, coaches, firefighters, Scout leaders, and counselors to report as well. A Senate subcommittee passed the bill unanimously onto its full General Committee after removing camp counselors, specifying persons were acting in their professional capacity, and narrowing “coaches” to “school coaches.” Language also was broadened referencing the Boy Scouts to cover all Congressionally Charted Organizations, and employees of Children’s Advocacy Centers also were added. Further amendments will be considered at full committee.

S.805  would establish an independent statewide ombudsman for child-serving agencies.The proposed Office of the Child’s Advocate passed the Senate unanimously and has been assigned to the House Judiciary Committee, but it has yet to be taken up by a subcommittee. Children's Trust recently published a policy brief on the issue.