SC S 121
in committeeAdoption
South Carolina · 2026 Regular Session · upper
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Quick answers
Did SC S 121 pass?
Not yet. SC S 121 is in committee and has not come to a final vote. Latest recorded action (2026-01-14): Referred to Committee on Judiciary
What is SC S 121 about?
A BILL TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 63-7-40(B), RELATING TO SAFE HAVEN FOR ABANDONED BABIES, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT THE SAFE HAVEN MUST OFFER THE PERSON LEAVING THE INFANT INFORMATION PREPARED BY THE DEPARTMENT CONCERNING THE LEGAL EFFECT OF LEAVING THE INFANT WITH THE SAFE HAVEN; BY AMENDING SECTION 63-7-1700(A), RELATING TO PERMANENCY PLANNING, SO AS TO DECREASE THE TIME IN WHICH A PERMANENCY PLANNING HEARING MUST BE HELD FROM NO LATER THAN ONE YEAR TO NO LATER THAN NINE MONTHS AFTER THE CHILD IS FIRST PLACED IN FOSTER CARE; BY AMENDING SECTION 63-7-1700(E), RELATING TO THE FILING OF A PETITION TO TERMINATE PARENTAL RIGHTS, SO AS TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT TO COMPLETE AND FILE WITH THE COURT A BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION AND REPORT REGARDING THE CHILD WITHIN SIXTY DAYS OF THE FILING OF A PETITION TO TERMINATE PARENTAL RIGHTS; BY AMENDING SECTION 63-7-1700(F) AND SECTION 63-7-1700(H), RELATING TO AN EXTENSION FOR REUNIFICATION, SO AS TO DECREASE THE TIME IN WHICH AN EXTENSION MAY BE GRANTED FOR REUNIFICATION EFFORTS FROM EIGHTEEN MONTHS TO FIFTEEN MONTHS; BY AMENDING SECTION 63-7-1700(I), RELATING TO PERMANENCY PLANNING HEARINGS, BY PROVIDING THAT A TERMINATION OF PARENTAL RIGHTS HEARING MAY SERVE AS THE NEXT PERMANENCY PLANNING HEARING ONLY IF IT IS HELD NO LATER THAN NINE MONTHS FROM THE DATE OF THE PREVIOUS PERMANENCY PLANNING HEARING, AND SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT A PERMANENCY PLANNING HEARING MUST BE HELD QUARTERLY INSTEAD OF ANNUALLY AFTER THE TERMINATION OF PARENTAL RIGHTS HEARING; BY AMENDING SECTION 63-7-1710, RELATING TO TERMINATION OF PARENTAL RIGHTS, SO AS TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT TO COMPLETE AND FILE WITH THE COURT A BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION AND REPORT REGARDING THE CHILD WITHIN SIXTY DAYS OF THE FILING OF A PETITION TO TERMINATE PARENTAL RIGHTS; BY AMENDING SECTION 63-7-2550, RELATING TO SERVICE OF PETITION, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT AN UNMARRIED BIOLOGICAL FATHER MUST RECEIVE SERVICE OF A TERMINATION OF PARENTAL RIGHTS ACTION; BY AMENDING SECTION 63-7-2570, RELATING TO GROUNDS, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT WHEN FINDING THAT TERMINATION OF PARENTAL RIGHTS IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF A CHILD, THE COURT MUST FIND THAT THE HOME OF THE CHILD'S PARENTS IS NOT SAFE FOR THE RETURN OF THE CHILD AT THE TIME OF THE TERMINATION OF PARENTAL RIGHTS HEARING; BY AMENDING SECTION 63-9-730, RELATING TO NOTICE OF ADOPTION PROCEEDINGS, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT IF NOTICE OF AN ADOPTION PROCEEDING CANNOT BE EFFECTED BY PERSONAL SERVICE, THEN NOTICE MAY BE GIVEN BY PUBLICATION OF THE SUMMONS IN WHICH THE REQUESTED RELIEF OF TERMINATION OF PARENTAL RIGHTS, OR ADOPTION, OR BOTH, IS SET FORTH; BY AMENDING SECTION 63-9-760, RELATING TO THE EFFECT OF A FINAL ADOPTION DECREE, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT THE FINAL DECREE IS NOT AFFECTED BY A POSTADOPTION AGREEMENT ENTERED INTO BEFORE OR AFTER THE ADOPTION; BY ADDING SECTION 63-9-765, SO AS TO PROVIDE FOR POSTADOPTION CONTACT AGREEMENTS TO BE ENFORCEABLE IF AGREED TO BY THE PARTIES; BY AMENDING SECTION 63-7-820, RELATING TO THE PUTATIVE FATHER REGISTRY, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT A REGISTRANT MUST INCLUDE ANY ALIASES WHEN HE REGISTERS; AND BY ADDING SECTION 12-6-3595, SO AS TO PROVIDE FOR A TAX CREDIT FOR ANY RESIDENT TAXPAYER THAT CLAIMS THE FEDERAL TAX CREDIT FOR QUALIFIED ADOPTION EXPENSES RELATED TO A DOMESTIC ADOPTION.
Who sponsors SC S 121?
Garrett, Cash, Campsen are the primary sponsors of SC S 121.
Description
A BILL TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 63-7-40(B), RELATING TO SAFE HAVEN FOR ABANDONED BABIES, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT THE SAFE HAVEN MUST OFFER THE PERSON LEAVING THE INFANT INFORMATION PREPARED BY THE DEPARTMENT CONCERNING THE LEGAL EFFECT OF LEAVING THE INFANT WITH THE SAFE HAVEN; BY AMENDING SECTION 63-7-1700(A), RELATING TO PERMANENCY PLANNING, SO AS TO DECREASE THE TIME IN WHICH A PERMANENCY PLANNING HEARING MUST BE HELD FROM NO LATER THAN ONE YEAR TO NO LATER THAN NINE MONTHS AFTER THE CHILD IS FIRST PLACED IN FOSTER CARE; BY AMENDING SECTION 63-7-1700(E), RELATING TO THE FILING OF A PETITION TO TERMINATE PARENTAL RIGHTS, SO AS TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT TO COMPLETE AND FILE WITH THE COURT A BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION AND REPORT REGARDING THE CHILD WITHIN SIXTY DAYS OF THE FILING OF A PETITION TO TERMINATE PARENTAL RIGHTS; BY AMENDING SECTION 63-7-1700(F) AND SECTION 63-7-1700(H), RELATING TO AN EXTENSION FOR REUNIFICATION, SO AS TO DECREASE THE TIME IN WHICH AN EXTENSION MAY BE GRANTED FOR REUNIFICATION EFFORTS FROM EIGHTEEN MONTHS TO FIFTEEN MONTHS; BY AMENDING SECTION 63-7-1700(I), RELATING TO PERMANENCY PLANNING HEARINGS, BY PROVIDING THAT A TERMINATION OF PARENTAL RIGHTS HEARING MAY SERVE AS THE NEXT PERMANENCY PLANNING HEARING ONLY IF IT IS HELD NO LATER THAN NINE MONTHS FROM THE DATE OF THE PREVIOUS PERMANENCY PLANNING HEARING, AND SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT A PERMANENCY PLANNING HEARING MUST BE HELD QUARTERLY INSTEAD OF ANNUALLY AFTER THE TERMINATION OF PARENTAL RIGHTS HEARING; BY AMENDING SECTION 63-7-1710, RELATING TO TERMINATION OF PARENTAL RIGHTS, SO AS TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT TO COMPLETE AND FILE WITH THE COURT A BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION AND REPORT REGARDING THE CHILD WITHIN SIXTY DAYS OF THE FILING OF A PETITION TO TERMINATE PARENTAL RIGHTS; BY AMENDING SECTION 63-7-2550, RELATING TO SERVICE OF PETITION, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT AN UNMARRIED BIOLOGICAL FATHER MUST RECEIVE SERVICE OF A TERMINATION OF PARENTAL RIGHTS ACTION; BY AMENDING SECTION 63-7-2570, RELATING TO GROUNDS, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT WHEN FINDING THAT TERMINATION OF PARENTAL RIGHTS IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF A CHILD, THE COURT MUST FIND THAT THE HOME OF THE CHILD'S PARENTS IS NOT SAFE FOR THE RETURN OF THE CHILD AT THE TIME OF THE TERMINATION OF PARENTAL RIGHTS HEARING; BY AMENDING SECTION 63-9-730, RELATING TO NOTICE OF ADOPTION PROCEEDINGS, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT IF NOTICE OF AN ADOPTION PROCEEDING CANNOT BE EFFECTED BY PERSONAL SERVICE, THEN NOTICE MAY BE GIVEN BY PUBLICATION OF THE SUMMONS IN WHICH THE REQUESTED RELIEF OF TERMINATION OF PARENTAL RIGHTS, OR ADOPTION, OR BOTH, IS SET FORTH; BY AMENDING SECTION 63-9-760, RELATING TO THE EFFECT OF A FINAL ADOPTION DECREE, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT THE FINAL DECREE IS NOT AFFECTED BY A POSTADOPTION AGREEMENT ENTERED INTO BEFORE OR AFTER THE ADOPTION; BY ADDING SECTION 63-9-765, SO AS TO PROVIDE FOR POSTADOPTION CONTACT AGREEMENTS TO BE ENFORCEABLE IF AGREED TO BY THE PARTIES; BY AMENDING SECTION 63-7-820, RELATING TO THE PUTATIVE FATHER REGISTRY, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT A REGISTRANT MUST INCLUDE ANY ALIASES WHEN HE REGISTERS; AND BY ADDING SECTION 12-6-3595, SO AS TO PROVIDE FOR A TAX CREDIT FOR ANY RESIDENT TAXPAYER THAT CLAIMS THE FEDERAL TAX CREDIT FOR QUALIFIED ADOPTION EXPENSES RELATED TO A DOMESTIC ADOPTION.
- Introduced
- 2025-01-14
- Latest action
- 2026-01-14 — Referred to Committee on Judiciary
- Bill type
- bill
- Last updated
- —
Sponsors
- Garrettprimary
- Cashprimary
- Campsenprimary
Committees
Not provided by source.
Action timeline
Newest first
2026-01-14
Referred to Committee on Judiciary
referral-committee
2026-01-14
Introduced and read first time
introduction,reading-1
2025-05-08
Roll call Ayes-45 Nays-0
2025-05-08
Read third time and sent to House
passage,reading-3
2025-05-08
Amended
amendment-passage
2025-04-29
Roll call Ayes-42 Nays-0
2025-04-29
Read second time
reading-2
2025-04-29
Amended
amendment-passage
2025-04-29
Committee Amendment Adopted
amendment-passage
2025-04-22
Scrivener's error corrected
2025-04-16
Committee report: Favorable with amendment Family and Veterans' Services
committee-passage-favorable
2025-01-14
Referred to Committee on Family and Veterans' Services
referral-committee
2025-01-14
Introduced and read first time
introduction,reading-1
2024-12-11
Referred to Committee on Family and Veterans' Services
referral-committee
2024-12-11
Prefiled
filing
Versions
Documents
Votes
2nd Reading
2025-04-29 · pass · 42-0
Member-level votes (45)
- Adams, Brian: yes
- Alexander, Thomas C.: yes
- Allen, Karl B.: yes
- Bennett, Sean M.: yes
- Campsen, George E., III: yes
- Cash, Richard J.: yes
- Chaplin, JD: yes
- Climer, Wes: yes
- Corbin, Thomas D.: yes
- Cromer, Ronnie W.: yes
- Davis, Tom: yes
- Devine, Tameika Isaac: yes
- Elliott, Jason: yes
- Fernandez, Tom: yes
- Gambrell, Michael W.: yes
- Garrett, Billy: yes
- Goldfinch, Stephen L.: yes
- Graham, Jeffrey R.: yes
- Grooms, Lawrence K.: yes
- Hembree, Greg: yes
- Hutto, Brad: yes
- Jackson, Darrell: yes
- Johnson, Michael: yes
- Kennedy, Carlisle: yes
- Kimbrell, Josh: yes
- Leber, Matthew W.: yes
- Massey, A. Shane: yes
- Nutt, Roger A.: yes
- Ott, Russell L.: yes
- Peeler, Harvey S., Jr.: yes
- Rankin, Luke A.: yes
- Reichenbach, Mike: yes
- Rice, Rex F.: yes
- Sabb, Ronnie A.: yes
- Stubbs, Everett: yes
- Sutton, Ed: yes
- Turner, Ross: yes
- Verdin, Daniel B., III: yes
- Walker, Overture: yes
- Williams, Kent M.: yes
- Young, Tom, Jr.: yes
- Zell, Jeff: yes
- Blackmon, Allen: excused
- Martin, Shane R.: excused
- Tedder, Deon T.: excused
3rd Reading
2025-05-08 · pass · 45-0
Member-level votes (46)
- Adams, Brian: yes
- Alexander, Thomas C.: yes
- Allen, Karl B.: yes
- Bennett, Sean M.: yes
- Blackmon, Allen: yes
- Campsen, George E., III: yes
- Cash, Richard J.: yes
- Chaplin, JD: yes
- Climer, Wes: yes
- Corbin, Thomas D.: yes
- Cromer, Ronnie W.: yes
- Davis, Tom: yes
- Devine, Tameika Isaac: yes
- Elliott, Jason: yes
- Fernandez, Tom: yes
- Gambrell, Michael W.: yes
- Garrett, Billy: yes
- Goldfinch, Stephen L.: yes
- Graham, Jeffrey R.: yes
- Hembree, Greg: yes
- Hutto, Brad: yes
- Jackson, Darrell: yes
- Johnson, Michael: yes
- Kennedy, Carlisle: yes
- Kimbrell, Josh: yes
- Leber, Matthew W.: yes
- Martin, Shane R.: yes
- Massey, A. Shane: yes
- Matthews, Margie Bright: yes
- Nutt, Roger A.: yes
- Ott, Russell L.: yes
- Peeler, Harvey S., Jr.: yes
- Rankin, Luke A.: yes
- Reichenbach, Mike: yes
- Rice, Rex F.: yes
- Sabb, Ronnie A.: yes
- Stubbs, Everett: yes
- Sutton, Ed: yes
- Tedder, Deon T.: yes
- Turner, Ross: yes
- Verdin, Daniel B., III: yes
- Walker, Overture: yes
- Williams, Kent M.: yes
- Young, Tom, Jr.: yes
- Zell, Jeff: yes
- Grooms, Lawrence K.: excused
Related bills
No related bills recorded for this bill.
Official source
Attribution
Data from openstates_bulk_csv, retrieved 2026-07-24T05:32:06.227230Z
Inspect retained evidence for changes recorded after evidence tracking began:
Session-wide evidence can include changes to other bills:
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