South Carolina General Assembly
108th Session, 1989-1990

Bill 561

                    Current Status

Bill Number:               561
Ratification Number:       136
Act Number                 83
Introducing Body:          Senate
Subject:                   To provide for the Adoption and Birth
                           Parent Services Program
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(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

(A83, R136, S561)

AN ACT TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 20-7-1897 SO AS TO PROVIDE FOR THE ADOPTION AND BIRTH PARENT SERVICES PROGRAM WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES TO BE THE ONLY PUBLIC ADOPTION PROGRAM IN SOUTH CAROLINA.

Whereas, the General Assembly in 1986 through Act 525 determined that there no longer should be two public adoption agencies in South Carolina and that a single system within a comprehensive children's services agency is needed to assure that public adoption services are provided in the most effective and efficient manner; and

Whereas, the merging of the two programs has been implemented in accordance with the Transition Committee Plan for the Merger of Adoption Services in South Carolina; and

Whereas, the functions of the merged adoption program have been formalized and evaluated for effectiveness by the Advisory Committee on Adoptions, the State Reorganization Commission, and the South Carolina Health and Human Services Finance Commission and have been found to be operating successfully and within program standards; and

Whereas, the Adoption and Birth Parent Services Program of the South Carolina Department of Social Services has received a national award issued by the American Public Welfare Association for innovative and successful projects; and

Whereas, adoptive placements have increased twenty-five percent since the merger. Now, therefore,

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

Only public adoption program

SECTION 1. Subarticle 7, Article 11, Chapter 7, Title 20 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Section 20-7-1897. The Adoption and Birth Parent Services Program within the South Carolina Department of Social Services is the only public adoption program in South Carolina."

Time effective

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