A bill

 

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ADDING SECTION 63-7-2355 SO AS TO REQUIRE THAT CHILDREN IN FOSTER CARE WHO ARE PLACED IN RESIDENTIAL FACILITIES BE ASSIGNED TO SEX-SPECIFIC FACILITIES BASED ON THE CHILD'S ANATOMICAL SEX AT BIRTH AS RECOGNIZED ON THEIR ORIGINAL BIRTH CERTIFICATE.

 

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

 

SECTION 1.  Article 5, Chapter 7, Title 63 of the S.C. Code is amended by adding:

 

    Section 63-7-2355. (A) Any residential facility licensed by the Department of Social Services for the placement of children in foster care shall assign residents to housing units, sleeping quarters, and other sex-specific facilities based strictly upon the individual's anatomical sex at birth as recognized on their original birth certificate and shall not take into consideration the gender identity of the child.

    (B) The department is responsible for monitoring compliance and enforcing the provisions of this section.

    (C) Any residential facility found to be in wilful violation of this section is subject to administrative penalties, up to and including licensing sanctions.

    (D) For the purposes of this section, "residential facility" means a group home, residential treatment center, or other facility that, pursuant to a contract with or a license or permit issued by the department, provides residential services to children in the custody of the department. This includes, but is not limited to, child caring institutions, emergency shelters, group homes, wilderness therapeutic camps, and organizations with supervised individual living facilities.

 

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

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