South Carolina H 3654: A HOUSE RESOLUTION TO EXTEND THE PRIVILEGE OF THE FLOOR OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TO THE SOUTH CAROLINA DISTRICT TEACHERS OF THE YEAR, AT A DATE AND TIME TO BE DETERMINED BY THE SPEAKER, FOR THE PURPOSE OF BEING RECOGNIZED AND COMMENDED ON BEING SELECTED TO REPRESENT THEIR INDIVIDUAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS AS TEACHERS OF THE YEAR.

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 3654 Text of Previous Version (Mar. 26, 2025) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 3654

Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

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

Indicates Matter Stricken

Indicates New Matter

Committee Report

March 26, 2025

H. 3654

Introduced 
by Reps. Calhoon, Bernstein and Spann-Wilder 

S. Printed 3/26/25--S.

Read the first time February 26, 2025

________

The committee on Senate Family and 
Veterans' Services

To whom was referred a Bill (H. 3654) to amend 
the South Carolina Code of Laws by amending Sections 63-7-1990 and 63-11-550, 
both relating to confidentiality of child welfare records and information, etc., 
respectfully

Report:

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

THOMAS YOUNG for Committee.

_______

A bill

TO AMEND THE SOUTH 
CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTIONS 63-7-1990 AND 63-11-550, BOTH 
RELATING TO CONFIDENTIALITY OF CHILD WELFARE RECORDS AND INFORMATION, SO AS TO 
AUTHORIZE DISCLOSURE OF CASE RECORDS TO COUNTY AND STATE GUARDIAN AD LITEM 
PROGRAM STAFF AND TO THE STATE CHILD ADVOCATE; AND BY AMENDING SECTIONS 
63-11-700, 63-11-1340, AND 63-11-1360, RELATING TO CERTAIN DIVISIONS OF THE 
DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN'S ADVOCACY, SO AS TO UPDATE REFERENCES TO THE DEPARTMENT 
AND THESE DIVISIONS.

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

SECTION 1. Section 63-7-1990(B)(1) and (23) of the S.C. Code is 
amended to read:

 (1) the Department of Children's 
Advocacy, including the Guardian ad Litem Division, and 
county Guardian ad Litem Program staff, when carrying out their duties;

 (23) 
employees of the Division of Guardian ad Litem, for 
purposes of certifying that no potential employee or volunteer is the subject 
of an indicated report or an affirmative determination and 
when carrying out their duties;

SECTION 2. Section 63-11-550(A) of the S.C. Code is amended to 
read:

 (A) All reports and information 
collected pursuant to this article maintained by the South Carolina Guardian ad 
Litem Program, or a county guardian ad litem program operating pursuant to 
Section 63-11-500(B) or by a guardian ad litem, are confidential except as provided for in Section 63-7-1990(C). A person 
who disseminates or permits the unauthorized dissemination of the information 
is guilty of contempt of court and, upon conviction, may be fined or 
imprisoned, or both, pursuant to Section 63-3-620. The appointed 
guardian ad litem may share reports and information collected with the county's 
Guardian ad Litem Program staff, the Guardian ad Litem Division, and the State 
Child Advocate.

SECTION 3. Section 63-11-700(E) and (F) of the S.C. Code is 
amended to read:

 (E) The boardDepartment of Children's Advocacy, upon recommendation of 
the division director, shall promulgate regulations to carry out the provisions 
of this article. These regulations shall provide for and must be limited to 
procedures for: reviewing reports and other necessary information at state, 
county, and private agencies and facilities; scheduling of reviews and 
notification of interested parties; conducting local review board and board of 
directors' meetings; disseminating local review board recommendations, 
including reporting to the appropriate family court judges the status of 
judicially approved treatment plans; participating and intervening in family 
court proceedings; and developing policies for summary review of children 
privately placed in privately-owned facilities or group homes.

 (F) 
The GovernorDepartment of 
Children's Advocacy may employ a division director to 
serve at the Governor's pleasure who may be paid an annual salary to be 
determined by the Governor. The director may be removed pursuant to Section 
1-3-240. The division director shall employ and staff 
as is necessary to carry out this article, and the staff 
must be compensated in an amount and in a manner as may be determined by the 
Governor funds for the division director, staff, 
and other purposes of this division must be provided for in the annual general 
appropriations act.

SECTION 
4.A. Section 63-11-1340 of the S.C. Code is amended 
to read:

 Section 
63-11-1340. The State Child Advocate may appointDepartment of Children's Advocacy may employ a Director 
of the Continuum of Care to serve at his pleasure. The 
director shall employand staff necessary to 
carry out the provisions of this article. The funds for the division director, 
staff, and other purposes of the Continuum of Care Division must be provided in 
the annual general appropriations act. The department, upon the recommendation 
of the division director, may promulgate regulations in accordance with this 
article and the provisions of the Administrative Procedures Act and formulate 
necessary policies and procedur