South Carolina H 4166: Levonorgestrel/Plan B distribution in public schools

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 4166 Text of Previous Version (Mar. 06, 2025) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 4166

Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

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

A bill

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ADDING SECTION 
59-63-92 SO AS TO PROVIDE A SAFE, EFFECTIVE, AND TIMELY OPTION FOR STUDENTS TO 
PREVENT UNINTENDED PREGNANCIES BY ENSURING THAT ALL PUBLIC MIDDLE AND HIGH 
SCHOOL STUDENTS IN THIS STATE HAVE ACCESS TO LEVONORGESTREL/PLAN B, AN 
EMERGENCY CONTRACEPTIVE, THROUGH THE SCHOOL NURSE OR, IN THE ABSENCE OF A 
SCHOOL NURSE, ANOTHER DESIGNATED ADMINISTRATOR, TO PROVIDE DEFINITIONS, TO 
PROVIDE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DISTRIBUTION OF LEVONORGESTREL/B PURSUANT TO THIS ACT, 
AND TO PROVIDE IMMUNITY FOR PARTIES INVOLVED IN IMPLEMENTING THE PROVISIONS OF 
THIS ACT, AMONG OTHER THINGS.

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

SECTION 1. Article 1, Chapter 63, Title 59 of the S.C. Code is amended 
by adding:

 Section 
59-63-92. (A) The purpose of this 
section is to provide a safe, effective, and timely option for students to 
prevent unintended pregnancies by ensuring that all public middle and high 
school students in this State have access to Levonorgestrel/Plan B, an 
emergency contraceptive, through the school nurse or, in the absence of a 
school nurse, another designated administrator.

 (B) 
For purposes of this section:

 (1) 
"Levonorgestrel/Plan B" or "Plan B" means a one-dose, regime medication 
containing 1.5 milligrams of the hormone levonorgestrel that is intended to be 
used as an emergency contraception to prevent pregnancy after unprotected sex 
or contraceptive failure.

 (2) 
"Emergency contraception" means a method used to prevent pregnancy after 
unprotected sex or contraceptive failure.

 (3) 
"School nurse" means a licensed nurse employed by a school district to work in 
a public school to provide student health services.

 (C) 
All public middle schools and high schools in this State shall maintain a 
supply of Plan B on school premises, available for emergency contraception 
purposes. The medication must be stored securely and administered only by a 
licensed school nurse or, in the absence of a school nurse, another designated 
administrator.

 (D) 
Each public middle school and public high school shall make Plan B available 
for distribution to students during school hours. The school nurse or, in the 
absence of a school nurse, another designated administrator, shall dispense the 
medication to students who request it in accordance with the guidelines 
established in this section.

 (E) 
The distribution of Plan B must be conducted in a manner that ensures the 
privacy and confidentiality of the student receiving the medication. Students 
may not be required to obtain parental consent to access Plan B, but they must 
be provided with educational information about the medication, including its 
use, potential risks, and the importance of seeking further medical care if 
needed.

 (F) 
Each school nurse or other person designated to dispense Plan B pursuant to 
this section shall:

 (1) 
receive training on the proper storage and administration of Plan B, including 
counseling students on its correct use, possible side effects, and the 
importance of taking the medication within a specified time frame after 
unprotected sex; and

 (2) 
maintain a confidential log of all Plan B dispensed to students, including the 
date, the grade level of the student, and the reason for distribution. This log 
must comply with all privacy laws and be made available only to authorized 
personnel, and is not subject to disclosure under the Freedom of Information 
Act.

 (G) 
The State Department of Education shall:

 (1) 
provide training for school nurses and other designated administrators on the 
proper administration of levonorgestrel and reproductive health education, 
ensuring all personnel involved are adequately prepared to support students;

 (2) 
conduct an annual review of the program's effectiveness, which includes 
assessing the number of students served, outcomes related to pregnancy 
prevention, and the overall success of the program, and provide a report of 
this review to the General Assembly before January first; and

 (3) 
promulgate regulations necessary to carry out the provisions of this section.

 (H)(1) A school, school district, the 
State Department of Education, and employees, volunteers, and other agents of 
all of those entities including, but not limited to, a school nurse and other 
designated school personnel, who undertake an act under this section, are not 
subject to civil or criminal liability for damages caused by injuries to a 
student or another person resulting from the distribution of Plan B made in 
compliance with the provisions of this section and regulations promulg