South Carolina General Assembly
123rd Session, 2019-2020

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S. 211

STATUS INFORMATION

General Bill
Sponsors: Senator Young
Document Path: l:\s-res\try\006chil.sp.try.docx

Introduced in the Senate on January 8, 2019
Introduced in the House on February 21, 2019
Currently residing in the House Committee on Judiciary

Summary: Authorized uses of unfounded child abuse and neglect reports

HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS

     Date      Body   Action Description with journal page number
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  12/12/2018  Senate  Prefiled
  12/12/2018  Senate  Referred to Committee on General
    1/8/2019  Senate  Introduced and read first time (Senate Journal-page 135)
    1/8/2019  Senate  Referred to Committee on Family and Veterans' Services 
                        (Senate Journal-page 135)
   2/13/2019  Senate  Committee report: Favorable Family and Veterans' 
                        Services (Senate Journal-page 13)
   2/14/2019          Scrivener's error corrected
   2/19/2019  Senate  Read second time (Senate Journal-page 19)
   2/19/2019  Senate  Roll call Ayes-45  Nays-0 (Senate Journal-page 19)
   2/20/2019  Senate  Read third time and sent to House 
                        (Senate Journal-page 16)
   2/21/2019  House   Introduced and read first time (House Journal-page 131)
   2/21/2019  House   Referred to Committee on Judiciary 
                        (House Journal-page 131)

View the latest legislative information at the website

VERSIONS OF THIS BILL

12/12/2018
2/13/2019
2/14/2019

(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

Indicates Matter Stricken

Indicates New Matter

COMMITTEE REPORT

February 13, 2019

S. 211

Introduced by Senator Young

S. Printed 2/13/19--S.    [SEC 2/14/19 11:20 AM]

Read the first time January 8, 2019.

            

THE COMMITTEE ON FAMILY AND VETERANS' SERVICES

To whom was referred a Bill (S. 211) to amend Section 63-7-940 of the 1976 Code, relating to authorized uses of unfounded child abuse and neglect reports, to authorize release of information about child fatalities, etc., respectfully

REPORT:

That they have duly and carefully considered the same and recommend that the same do pass:

KATRINA F. SHEALY for Committee.

            

A BILL

TO AMEND SECTION 63-7-940 OF THE 1976 CODE, RELATING TO AUTHORIZED USES OF UNFOUNDED CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT REPORTS, TO AUTHORIZE RELEASE OF INFORMATION ABOUT CHILD FATALITIES OR NEAR FATALITIES; TO AMEND SECTION 63-7-1990, AS AMENDED, RELATING TO CONFIDENTIALITY OF CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT RECORDS, TO AUTHORIZE THE RELEASE OF INFORMATION ABOUT CHILD FATALITIES OR NEAR FATALITIES; AND TO AMEND SECTION 63-7-20, RELATING TO CHILD PROTECTION DEFINITIONS, TO PROVIDE A DEFINITION FOR "NEAR FATALITY".

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

SECTION    1.    Section 63-7-940(A) of the 1976 Code is amended by adding an appropriately numbered item at the end to read:

"( )    the state director or the director's designee publicly may disclose findings or information about an unfounded case of child abuse or neglect, the circumstances of which resulted in a child fatality or near fatality, provided that the disclosed information is limited to the following: (a) the cause and circumstances regarding the child fatality or near fatality; (b) the age and gender of the child; (c) information describing any previous reports of child abuse or neglect that are pertinent to the abuse or neglect that led to the child fatality or near fatality; (d) information describing any previous investigations pertinent to the abuse or neglect that led to the child fatality or near fatality; (e) the result of any such investigations; and (f) the services provided by the State and actions of the State on behalf of the child that are pertinent to the child abuse or neglect that led to the child fatality or near fatality. The department may delay public disclosure of findings or information pursuant to this item if the disclosure of the findings or information would threaten the safety or well-being of a child or the child's family, or when disclosure of the findings or information would impede a criminal investigation or endanger a reporter of abuse or neglect."

SECTION     2.    Section 63-7-1990(H) of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"(H)    The state director or the director's designee is authorized to prepare and release reports of the results of the department's investigations into the deaths fatalities or near fatalities of children, in its custody or receiving child welfare services at the time of death provided that the disclosed information is limited to the following: (a) the cause and circumstances regarding the child fatality or near fatality; (b) the age and gender of the child; (c) information describing any previous reports of child abuse or neglect that are pertinent to the abuse or neglect that led to the child fatality or near fatality; (d) information describing any previous investigations pertinent to the abuse or neglect that led to the child fatality or near fatality; (e) the result of any such investigations; and (f) the services provided by the State and actions of the State on behalf of the child that are pertinent to the child abuse or neglect that led to the child fatality or near fatality. The department may delay public disclosure of a report pursuant to this subsection if the disclosure of the report would threaten the safety or well-being of a child or the child's family, or when disclosure of the report would impede a criminal investigation or endanger a reporter of abuse or neglect."

SECTION    3.    Section 63-7-20 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding an appropriately numbered item to read:

"(    )    'Near fatality' means an act that, as certified by a physician, places a child in serious or critical condition."

SECTION    4.    This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

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This web page was last updated on February 22, 2019 at 1:09 PM