South Carolina H 3524: Department of Crime Victim Services Training, Provider Certification, and Statistical Analysis

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 3524 Text of Previous Version (Mar. 26, 2025) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 3524

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. 3524

Introduced 
by Reps. J. E. Johnson and Spann-Wilder 

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

Read the first time January 14, 2025

________

The committee on House Judiciary

To whom was referred a Bill (H. 3524) to amend 
the South Carolina Code of Laws by amending Section 16-3-1410, relating to the Department 
of Crime Victim Services Training, Provider Certification, etc., respectfully

Report:

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

W. NEWTON for Committee.

statement of estimated fiscal impact

Explanation of Fiscal Impact

State Expenditure

This bill removes the exemption certain 
crime victim service providers from basic certification requirements and adds 
mental health clinicians who are licensed in South Carolina to the list of 
entities that are not considered victim service providers.

The Department of Crime Victim Service 
Training, Provider Certification, and Statistical Analysis, within the Office 
of the Attorney General, provides certification for victim service providers. 
The Office of Attorney General reports this bill will have no expenditure 
impact because the agency will administer the responsibilities resulting from 
the bill with existing staff and resources.

Frank A. Rainwater, Executive Director

Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Office

_______

A bill

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING 
SECTION 16-3-1410, RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF CRIME VICTIM SERVICES 
TRAINING, PROVIDER CERTIFICATION, AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS, SO AS TO DELETE A 
PROVISION EXEMPTING CERTAIN CRIME VICTIM SERVICE PROVIDERS FROM BASIC 
CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS; AND BY AMENDING SECTION 16-3-1420, RELATING TO 
DEFINITIONS FOR PURPOSES OF the ARTICLE ON CRIME VICTIM SERVICES TRAINING, 
PROVIDER CERTIFICATION, AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS, SO AS TO REVISE THE 
DEFINITION OF "VICTIM SERVICE PROVIDER" TO EXCLUDE MENTAL HEALTH CLINICIANS 
LICENSED IN THIS STATE.

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

SECTION 1. Section 16-3-1410(C)(2) of the S.C. Code is amended to 
read:

 (2) Crime victim 
service providers, serving in public or private nonprofit programs and employed 
on the effective date of this article, are exempt from basic certification 
requirements but must meet annual continuing education requirements to maintain 
certification. Crime victim service providers, serving in public or 
private nonprofit programs and employed after the 
effective date of this article, are required to complete the basic 
certification requirements within one year from the date of employment and to 
meet annual continuing education requirements to maintain certification 
throughout their employment.

SECTION 2. Section 16-3-1420(1) of the S.C. Code is amended to 
read:

 (1) "Victim service provider" means a 
person:

 (a) 
who is employed by a local government or state agency and whose job duties 
involve providing victim assistance as mandated by South Carolina law; or

 (b) 
whose job duties involve providing direct services to victims and who is 
employed by an organization that is incorporated in South Carolina, holds a 
certificate of authority in South Carolina, or is registered as a charitable 
organization in South Carolina, and the organization's mission is victim 
assistance or advocacy and the organization is privately funded or receives 
funds from federal, state, or local governments to provide services to victims.

 "Victim service 
provider" does not include a mental health clinician 
licensed in South Carolina, municipal court judge, magistrates court 
judge, circuit court judge, special circuit court judge, or family court judge.

SECTION 3. This act takes effect upon approval 
by the Governor.

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This web page was last updated on March 26, 2025 at 07:52 PM