South Carolina H 3214: Kinship foster care program

Bill Text

South Carolina General Assembly

124th Session, 2021-2022



H. 3214



STATUS INFORMATION



General Bill

Sponsors: Reps. Bernstein, Collins, Kimmons, Felder, Cobb‑Hunter, W. Cox, Brawley, Oremus, Gilliard, Rivers, Murray, Henegan, Jefferson and R. Williams

Document Path: l:\council\bills\cc\15862vr21.docx

Companion/Similar bill(s): 222



Introduced in the House on January 12, 2021

Currently residing in the House Committee on Judiciary



Summary: Kinship foster care program





HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS



	Date	Body	Action Description with journal page number	

	12/9/2020	House	Prefiled

	12/9/2020	House	Referred to Committee on Judiciary

	1/12/2021	House	Introduced and read first time (House Journal‑page 118)

	1/12/2021	House	Referred to Committee on Judiciary (House Journal‑page 118)

	1/28/2021	House	Member(s) request name added as sponsor: W.Cox

	2/18/2021	House	Committee report: Favorable Judiciary (House Journal‑page 51)

	2/23/2021	House	Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Brawley, Oremus, Gilliard, Rivers, Murray, Henegan, Jefferson, R.Williams

	2/23/2021	House	Read second time (House Journal‑page 30)

	2/23/2021	House	Roll call Yeas‑107  Nays‑0 (House Journal‑page 30)

	2/24/2021	House	Recommitted to Committee on Judiciary (House Journal‑page 16)



View the latest legislative information at the website





VERSIONS OF THIS BILL



12/9/2020

2/18/2021





Indicates Matter Stricken

Indicates New Matter



COMMITTEE REPORT

February 18, 2021



	H. 3214



Introduced by Reps. Bernstein, Collins, Kimmons, Felder, Cobb‑Hunter and W. Cox



S. Printed 2/18/21--H.

Read the first time January 12, 2021.

            



THE COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY

	To whom was referred a Bill (H. 3214) to amend Section 63‑7‑2320, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, relating to the Kinship Foster Care Program, etc., respectfully

REPORT:

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



CHRIS MURPHY for Committee.

            





















A BILL



TO AMEND SECTION 63‑7‑2320, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE KINSHIP FOSTER CARE PROGRAM, SO AS TO DEFINE “FICTIVE KIN”; TO PROVIDE THAT FICTIVE KIN ARE ELIGIBLE TO BE FOSTER PARENTS UNDER THE KINSHIP FOSTER CARE PROGRAM; AND TO PROVIDE THAT RELATIVES AND FICTIVE KIN MAY FOSTER A CHILD BEFORE BEING LICENSED AS A KINSHIP FOSTER CARE PROVIDER UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES.



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



SECTION	1.	Section 63‑7‑2320 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:



	“Section 63‑7‑2320.	(A)	As used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires:

		(1)	‘Department’ means the Department of Social Services; and.

		(2)	‘Fictive kin’ means an individual who is not related by birth, adoption, or marriage to a child but who has an emotionally significant relationship with the child or the child’s family.

		(3)	‘Foster parent’ means any person with whom a child in the care, custody, or guardianship of the department is placed for temporary or long‑term care.

	(B)	There is established a ‘Kinship Foster Care Program’ in the State Department of Social Services.

	(C)	When a child has been removed from his home and is in the care, custody, or guardianship of the department, the department shall attempt to identify a relative or fictive kin who would be appropriate for placement of the child in accordance with the preliminary investigation requirements of subarticle 3, Article 3 and in accordance with Section 63‑7‑1680(E)(1). If the department determines that it is in the best interest of a child requiring out‑of‑home placement that the child be placed with a relative or fictive kin for foster care, or if a relative or fictive kin advises the department that the relative or fictive kin is interested in providing placement for a child requiring foster care, and the relative or fictive kin is not already licensed to provide foster care, the department shall inform the relative or fictive kin of the procedures for being licensed as a kinship foster parent, assist the foster parent with the licensing process, and inform the relative or fictive kin of availability of payments and other services to kinship foster parents. If the relative or fictive kin is licensed by the department to provide kinship foster care services, in accordance with rules and regulations adopted by the department regarding kinship foster care, and a placement with the relative or fictive kin is made, the relative or fictive kin may receive payment for the full foster care rate for the care of the child and any other benefits that might be available to foster parents, whether in money or in services.

	(D)	The department shall establish, in accordance with this section and the rules and regulations promulgated hereunder, eligibility standards for becoming a kinship foster parent.

		(1)	A person may be eligible for licensing as a kinship foster parent if he is: