H 3920 General Bill, By Felder, Funderburk, Davis, Bryant, Pope, Forrester, 
Sandifer, Allison, Fry, Cole, Jefferson and Forrest
 A BILL TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION
 59-63-85 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT BEGINNING WITH THE 2018-2019 SCHOOL YEAR, ALL
 PUBLIC SCHOOLS, INCLUDING CHARTER SCHOOLS, SHALL POST AT LEAST FIVE SIGNS THAT
 PROVIDE TELEPHONE NUMBERS AND RELATED INFORMATION FOR REPORTING INCIDENTS OF
 CHILD ABUSE, NEGLECT, AND EXPLOITATION; AND TO PROVIDE DETAILS CONCERNING THE
 CONTENT, PLACEMENT, AND APPEARANCE OF THE SIGNS; AND BY AMENDING SECTION
 63-7-910, RELATING TO A TOLL-FREE NUMBER FOR THE REFERRAL OF INCIDENTS OF
 CHILD ABUSE OR NEGLECT THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES MAY MAINTAIN, SO
 AS TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT TO MAINTAIN SUCH A SERVICE AND TO INCLUDE CHILD
 EXPLOITATION AMONG THE CATEGORIES OF REPORTABLE INCIDENTS FOR WHICH THE
 SERVICE IS INTENDED.

   03/07/17  House  Introduced and read first time (House Journal-page 75)
   03/07/17  House  Referred to Committee on Education and Public
                     Works (House Journal-page 75)
   01/09/18  House  Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Davis
   01/10/18  House  Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Bryant,
                     Pope, Forrester, Sandifer, Allison, Fry, Cole
   01/23/18  House  Committee report: Favorable with amendment
                     Education and Public Works (House Journal-page 12)
   01/24/18  House  Debate adjourned until Thur., 1-25-18
                     (House Journal-page 49)
   01/25/18  House  Member(s) request name added as sponsor:
                     Jefferson, Forrest
   01/25/18  House  Amended (House Journal-page 31)
   01/25/18  House  Read second time (House Journal-page 31)
   01/25/18  House  Roll call Yeas-104  Nays-0 (House Journal-page 32)
   01/25/18  House  Unanimous consent for third reading on next
                     legislative day (House Journal-page 33)
   01/26/18         Scrivener's error corrected
   01/26/18  House  Read third time and sent to Senate
                     (House Journal-page 1)
   01/30/18  Senate Introduced and read first time (Senate Journal-page 6)
   01/30/18  Senate Referred to Committee on Education
                     (Senate Journal-page 6)

H. 3920

Indicates Matter Stricken

Indicates New Matter

AMENDED

January 25, 2018

H. 3920

Introduced by Reps. Felder, Funderburk, Davis, Bryant, Pope, Forrester, Sandifer, Allison, Fry, Cole, Jefferson and Forrest

S. Printed 1/25/18--H.    [SEC 1/26/18 1:44 PM]

Read the first time March 17, 2017.

TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 59-63-85 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT BEGINNING WITH THE 2018-2019 SCHOOL YEAR, ALL PUBLIC SCHOOLS, INCLUDING CHARTER SCHOOLS, SHALL POST AT LEAST FIVE SIGNS THAT PROVIDE TELEPHONE NUMBERS AND RELATED INFORMATION FOR REPORTING INCIDENTS OF CHILD ABUSE, NEGLECT, AND EXPLOITATION; AND TO PROVIDE DETAILS CONCERNING THE CONTENT, PLACEMENT, AND APPEARANCE OF THE SIGNS; AND BY AMENDING SECTION 63-7-910, RELATING TO A TOLL-FREE NUMBER FOR THE REFERRAL OF INCIDENTS OF CHILD ABUSE OR NEGLECT THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES MAY MAINTAIN, SO AS TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT TO MAINTAIN SUCH A SERVICE AND TO INCLUDE CHILD EXPLOITATION AMONG THE CATEGORIES OF REPORTABLE INCIDENTS FOR WHICH THE SERVICE IS INTENDED.

Amend Title To Conform

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION    1.    Article 1, Chapter 63, Title 59 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Section 59-63-85.    (A)    Beginning in the 2018-2019 School Year, each public school and charter school shall post at least five signs that provide telephone numbers and related information for reporting incidents of child abuse, neglect, and exploitation. A school must display the sign conspicuously in at least one high-traffic common area that is readily accessible to and widely used by students; however, virtual schools shall post the information required by this section virtually in appropriate places in the school's learning management system.

(B)    A sign required in subsection (A) must:

(1)    be produced and made available at no cost by the Department of Social Services;

(2)    include the statewide toll-free telephone number that may be used to report incidents of child abuse, neglect, and exploitation to the Department of Social Services;

(3)    include a telephone number that may be used to report incidents of child abuse, neglect, and exploitation to the Department of Social Services;

(4)    include instructions to call 911 for emergencies;

(5)    include directions for accessing the Department of Social Services' website for more information on reporting abuse, neglect, and exploitation;

(6)    measure at least eight and one-half inches by eleven inches; and

(7)    use a conspicuous font size."

SECTION    2.    Section 63-7-910(A) of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"(A)(1)    The Department of Social Services may shall maintain a toll-free number available to persons throughout the State for the referral of family-related problems, including:

(a)    the reporting of known or suspected cases of child abuse, or neglect, or exploitation;

(b)    other problems of a nature which may affect the stability of family life.

(2)    This telephone service shall operate continuously. Upon receipt of a call involving suspected abuse or neglect, the Department of Social Services shall transmit the full contents of the report to the appropriate county department office. Immediately upon transmitting the report the department shall destroy the contents of the suspected report. Upon receipt of a call involving other problems of a nature which may affect the stability of family life, the department shall refer the call to the appropriate county department office or other service agency where appropriate."

SECTION    3.    This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.