H*3800(Rat #0273, Act #0227 of 2010)  General Bill, By Toole, Erickson, Brady, 
Bowen, Brantley, Parker, Allison, Cato, Crawford, Dillard, Duncan, Gullick, 
Gunn, Horne, Hosey, Jefferson, Littlejohn, Millwood, Mitchell, Pinson, Stringer, 
Willis, Wylie, A.D. Young, J.E. Smith, Clemmons, Hutto and Viers
 AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 63-7-310, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976,
 RELATING TO PERSONS REQUIRED TO REPORT ABUSE OR NEGLECT OF A CHILD, SO AS TO
 INCLUDE A SCHOOL ATTENDANCE OFFICER, FOSTER PARENT, JUVENILE JUSTICE WORKER,
 AND VOLUNTEER NON-ATTORNEY GUARDIAN AD LITEM SERVING ON BEHALF OF THE SOUTH
 CAROLINA GUARDIAN AD LITEM PROGRAM OR ON BEHALF OF RICHLAND COUNTY CASA AS
 AMONG THE PEOPLE WHO MUST REPORT CERTAIN ALLEGATIONS OF CHILD ABUSE OR
 NEGLECT, AND TO ENCOURAGE OTHER PEOPLE, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO A
 VOLUNTEER NON-ATTORNEY GUARDIAN AD LITEM SERVING ON BEHALF OF THE SOUTH
 CAROLINA GUARDIAN AD LITEM PROGRAM OR ON BEHALF OF RICHLAND COUNTY CASA, TO
 REPORT THIS ABUSE. - ratified title

   03/26/09  House  Introduced and read first time HJ-44
   03/26/09  House  Referred to Committee on Judiciary HJ-44
   01/28/10  House  Member(s) request name added as sponsor: J.E.Smith
   02/04/10  House  Committee report: Favorable with amendment
                     Judiciary HJ-4
   02/17/10  House  Member(s) request name added as sponsor:
                     Clemmons, Hutto, Viers
   02/17/10  House  Requests for debate-Rep(s). Crawford, GM Smith,
                     Bannister, Clemmons, JE Smith, Duncan, JH Neal,
                     Hosey, Williams, Wylie, King, Bedingfield, GR
                     Smith, and Hart HJ-23
   02/25/10  House  Amended HJ-44
   02/25/10  House  Read second time HJ-46
   02/25/10  House  Roll call Yeas-45  Nays-2 HJ-46
   03/02/10  House  Read third time and sent to Senate HJ-28
   03/03/10  Senate Introduced and read first time SJ-4
   03/03/10  Senate Referred to Committee on Judiciary SJ-4
   03/05/10  Senate Referred to Subcommittee: Campbell (ch), Knotts,
                     Campsen, Lourie, Massey
   05/05/10  Senate Committee report: Favorable with amendment
                     Judiciary SJ-13
   05/06/10  Senate Committee Amendment Adopted SJ-22
   05/06/10  Senate Read second time SJ-22
   05/11/10         Scrivener's error corrected
   05/11/10  Senate Read third time and returned to House with
                     amendments SJ-27
   05/11/10  Senate Reconsider vote whereby read third time and
                     returned with amendments SJ-27
   05/12/10  Senate Amended SJ-15
   05/12/10  Senate Read third time and returned to House with
                     amendments SJ-15
   05/20/10  House  Senate amendment amended HJ-46
   05/20/10  House  Returned to Senate with amendments HJ-46
   05/25/10         Scrivener's error corrected
   05/26/10  Senate Concurred in House amendment and enrolled SJ-109
   06/01/10         Ratified R 273
   06/08/10         Became law without Governor's signature
   06/16/10         Effective date 06/08/10
   06/23/10         Act No. 227

(A227, R273, H3800)

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 63-7-310, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO PERSONS REQUIRED TO REPORT ABUSE OR NEGLECT OF A CHILD, SO AS TO INCLUDE A SCHOOL ATTENDANCE OFFICER, FOSTER PARENT, JUVENILE JUSTICE WORKER, AND VOLUNTEER NON-ATTORNEY GUARDIAN AD LITEM SERVING ON BEHALF OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA GUARDIAN AD LITEM PROGRAM OR ON BEHALF OF RICHLAND COUNTY CASA AS AMONG THE PEOPLE WHO MUST REPORT CERTAIN ALLEGATIONS OF CHILD ABUSE OR NEGLECT, AND TO ENCOURAGE OTHER PEOPLE, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, A VOLUNTEER NON-ATTORNEY GUARDIAN AD LITEM SERVING ON BEHALF OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA GUARDIAN AD LITEM PROGRAM OR ON BEHALF OF RICHLAND COUNTY CASA, TO REPORT THIS ABUSE.

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

People required to report a reason to believe child abuse or neglect occurred; additional categories of people required to report

SECTION    1.    Section 63-7-310 of the 1976 Code, as added by Act 361 of 2008, is amended to read:

"Section 63-7-310.    (A)    A physician, nurse, dentist, optometrist, medical examiner, or coroner, or an employee of a county medical examiner's or coroner's office, or any other medical, emergency medical services, mental health, or allied health professional, member of the clergy including a Christian Science Practitioner or religious healer, school teacher, counselor, principal, assistant principal, school attendance officer, social or public assistance worker, substance abuse treatment staff, or childcare worker in a childcare center or foster care facility, foster parent, police or law enforcement officer, juvenile justice worker, undertaker, funeral home director or employee of a funeral home, persons responsible for processing films, computer technician, judge, or a volunteer non-attorney guardian ad litem serving on behalf of the South Carolina Guardian Ad Litem Program or on behalf of Richland County CASA must report in accordance with this section when in the person's professional capacity the person has received information which gives the person reason to believe that a child has been or may be abused or neglected as defined in Section 63-7-20.

(B)    If a person required to report pursuant to subsection (A) has received information in the person's professional capacity which gives the person reason to believe that a child's physical or mental health or welfare has been or may be adversely affected by acts or omissions that would be child abuse or neglect if committed by a parent, guardian, or other person responsible for the child's welfare, but the reporter believes that the act or omission was committed by a person other than the parent, guardian, or other person responsible for the child's welfare, the reporter must make a report to the appropriate law enforcement agency.

(C)    Except as provided in subsection (A), a person, including, but not limited to, a volunteer non-attorney guardian ad litem serving on behalf of the South Carolina Guardian Ad Litem Program or on behalf of Richland County CASA, who has reason to believe that a child's physical or mental health or welfare has been or may be adversely affected by abuse and neglect may report, and is encouraged to report, in accordance with this section.

(D)    Reports of child abuse or neglect may be made orally by telephone or otherwise to the county department of social services or to a law enforcement agency in the county where the child resides or is found."

Time effective

SECTION    2.    This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

Ratified the 1st day of June, 2010.

Became law without the signature of the Governor -- 6/8/10.