South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

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Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

S. 996

STATUS INFORMATION

General Bill
Sponsors: Senators Young, Sutton, Reichenbach, Devine, Zell, Elliott and Tedder
Document Path: SR-0024QG26.docx

Introduced in the Senate on March 10, 2026
Currently residing in the Senate

Summary: Fingerprint Background Checks Update

HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS

Date Body Action Description with journal page number
3/10/2026 Senate Introduced and read first time (Senate Journal-page 9)
3/10/2026 Senate Referred to Committee on Family and Veterans' Services (Senate Journal-page 9)
3/12/2026 Senate Polled out of committee Family and Veterans' Services (Senate Journal-page 9)
3/12/2026 Senate Committee report: Favorable Family and Veterans' Services (Senate Journal-page 9)

View the latest legislative information at the website

VERSIONS OF THIS BILL

03/10/2026
03/12/2026



Indicates Matter Stricken

Indicates New Matter

 

Polled Out Of Committee

Majority Favorable

March 12, 2026

 

S. 996

 

Introduced by Senators Young, Sutton, Reichenbach, Devine, Zell, Elliott and Tedder

 

S. Printed 3/12/26--S.

Read the first time March 10, 2026

 

________

 

The committee on Senate Family and Veterans' Services

To whom was referred a Bill (S. 996) to amend the South Carolina Code of Laws by amending Section 63-13-190, relating to fingerprint-based background checks of Department of Social Services personnel,, etc., respectfully

Report:

Has polled the Bill out majority favorable.

 

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A bill

 

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 63-13-190, RELATING TO FINGERPRINT-BASED BACKGROUND CHECKS OF DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES PERSONNEL, SO AS TO REMOVE THE PROVISION THAT A PERSON WHO HAS DIRECT UNSUPERVISED CONTACT WITH A CHILD IN THE CUSTODY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES SHALL UNDERGO A STATE FINGERPRINT-BASED BACKGROUND CHECK.

 

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

 

SECTION 1.  Section 63-13-190(A)(2) of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

 

    (A)(2) A volunteer or an employee of a contractor or subcontractor who contracts for the delivery of protective services, family preservation services, foster care services, family reunification services, adoption services, and or other related services or programs or a person and who has direct unsupervised contact with a child in the custody of the Department of Social Services shall undergo a state fingerprint-based background check to be conducted by the State Law Enforcement Division to determine any state criminal history and a fingerprint-based background check to be conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation to determine any other criminal history.  No person may be employed by a contractor or a subcontractor, act in a volunteer capacity, or have access to a child in the custody of the department if the person has been convicted of or pled guilty or nolo contendere to any crime listed in Section 63-13-40(A).

 

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

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This web page was last updated on March 12, 2026 at 3:11 PM