South Carolina H 3014: Elections

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 3014 Text of Previous Version (Dec. 06, 2024) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 3014

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 AMENDING 
SECTION 63-17-20, RELATING IN PART TO AN UNMARRIED FATHER'S VISITATION RIGHTS, 
SO AS TO REQUIRE THE COURT TO AWARD VISITATION TO THE FATHER IF PATERNITY IS ACKNOWLEDGED 
OR ADJUDICATED, WITH EXCEPTIONS.

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

SECTION 1. Section 63-17-20(B) of the S.C. Code is amended to 
read:

 (B) Unless the court orders otherwise, 
the custody of an illegitimate child is solely in the natural mother unless the 
mother has relinquished her rights to the child. If paternity has been 
acknowledged or adjudicated, the father may petition the 
court for rights of visitation or custody in a proceeding before the court 
apart from an action to establish paternity the 
court must award visitation to the father. The frequency, duration, and any 
other conditions or stipulations regarding the terms of visitation must be set 
forth in a court order. Within ten days of the order awarding visitation to the 
father, the mother may file a motion to reconsider along with an affidavit 
objecting to the award of visitation on the basis that the parent is unfit and 
poses a risk to the health, safety, and well-being of the child.

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

----XX----

This web page was last updated on December 06, 2024 at 09:44 AM