South Carolina General Assembly
121st Session, 2015-2016

Download This Bill in Microsoft Word format

A162, R167, H4816

STATUS INFORMATION

General Bill
Sponsors: Rep. J.E. Smith
Document Path: l:\council\bills\ggs\22821zw16.docx

Introduced in the House on February 2, 2016
Introduced in the Senate on February 4, 2016
Passed by the General Assembly on March 22, 2016
Governor's Action: April 21, 2016, Signed

Summary: Post-Traumatic Stress Injury Awareness Day

HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS

     Date      Body   Action Description with journal page number
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    2/2/2016  House   Introduced, read first time, placed on calendar without 
                        reference (House Journal-page 13)
    2/3/2016  House   Read second time (House Journal-page 19)
    2/3/2016  House   Roll call Yeas-103  Nays-0 (House Journal-page 19)
    2/4/2016  House   Read third time and sent to Senate 
                        (House Journal-page 18)
    2/4/2016  Senate  Introduced and read first time (Senate Journal-page 8)
    2/4/2016  Senate  Referred to Committee on Judiciary 
                        (Senate Journal-page 8)
   3/16/2016  Senate  Committee report: Favorable Judiciary 
                        (Senate Journal-page 10)
   3/17/2016  Senate  Read second time (Senate Journal-page 22)
   3/17/2016  Senate  Roll call Ayes-41  Nays-0 (Senate Journal-page 22)
   3/17/2016          Scrivener's error corrected
   3/22/2016  Senate  Read third time and enrolled (Senate Journal-page 10)
   4/19/2016          Ratified R 167
   4/21/2016          Signed By Governor
   4/27/2016          Effective date 04/21/16
    5/2/2016          Act No. 162

View the latest legislative information at the website

VERSIONS OF THIS BILL

2/2/2016
2/2/2016-A
3/16/2016
3/17/2016


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

(A162, R167, H4816)

AN ACT TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 53-3-205 SO AS TO DESIGNATE JUNE TWENTY-SEVENTH OF EACH YEAR AS SOUTH CAROLINA POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS INJURY (PTSI) AWARENESS DAY.

Whereas, the brave men and women who proudly serve the United States Armed Forces by risking their lives to protect our nation and its ideals deserve the investment of all possible resources to their long-term psychological, physical and emotional health; and

Whereas, the acronym PTSI refers to the term post-traumatic stress injury; and

Whereas, post-traumatic stress injury occurs after a person has experienced severe trauma and can result from the stress produced in combat, as well as in car accidents, plane crashes, bombings, child abuse or natural disaster; and

Whereas, post-traumatic stress injuries can be characterized by numerous symptoms including: flashbacks, avoidance, hyper-vigilance, depression, anxiety, insomnia, fatigue, and thoughts of suicide; and

Whereas, more than two million American service men and women have been deployed by the United States Armed Forces since September 11, 2001; and

Whereas, many members of the United States Armed Forces deploy more than once, increasing the risk of developing post-traumatic stress injuries; and

Whereas, the reference to the word "disorder" when describing a post-traumatic stress injury may imply a negative connotation; and

Whereas, this negative connotation can discourage United States Armed Forces service men and women, as well as other citizens who experience post-traumatic stress injuries from seeking and receiving aid; and

Whereas, the establishment of Post-Traumatic Stress Injury Awareness Day would raise public awareness of the injury; and

Whereas, the establishment of Post-Traumatic Stress Injury Awareness Day also would increase awareness of the need to develop effective treatments and aid the effort to eliminate any negative stigmas associated with post-traumatic stress injuries. Now, therefore,

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

PTSI Awareness Day designated

SECTION    1.    Chapter 3, Title 53 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Section 53-3-205.    June twenty-seventh of each year is designated as South Carolina Post-Traumatic Stress Injury (PTSI) Awareness Day."

Time effective

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

Ratified the 19th day of April, 2016.

Approved the 21st day of April, 2016.

__________


This web page was last updated on May 12, 2016 at 1:10 PM