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S. 892
STATUS INFORMATION
General Bill
Sponsors: Senators Shealy, Hutto, Jackson and Campbell
Document Path: l:\council\bills\cc\15674vr20.docx
Companion/Similar bill(s): 4799
Introduced in the Senate on January 14, 2020
Introduced in the House on March 11, 2020
Last Amended on March 4, 2020
Currently residing in the House Committee on Judiciary
Summary: SC Child Abuse Response Protocol Act
HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS
Date Body Action Description with journal page number
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12/11/2019 Senate Prefiled
12/11/2019 Senate Referred to Committee on Family and Veterans' Services
1/14/2020 Senate Introduced and read first time (Senate Journal-page 29)
1/14/2020 Senate Referred to Committee on Family and Veterans' Services
(Senate Journal-page 29)
2/12/2020 Senate Committee report: Favorable with amendment Family and
Veterans' Services (Senate Journal-page 8)
2/13/2020 Scrivener's error corrected
3/4/2020 Senate Committee Amendment Adopted (Senate Journal-page 87)
3/4/2020 Senate Read second time (Senate Journal-page 87)
3/4/2020 Senate Roll call Ayes-46 Nays-0 (Senate Journal-page 87)
3/10/2020 Senate Read third time and sent to House
(Senate Journal-page 25)
3/11/2020 House Introduced and read first time
3/11/2020 House Referred to Committee on Judiciary
View the latest legislative information at the website
VERSIONS OF THIS BILL
12/11/2019
2/12/2020
2/13/2020
3/4/2020
Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT ADOPTED AND AMENDED
March 4, 2020
S. 892
S. Printed 3/4/20--S.
Read the first time January 14, 2020.
TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, TO ENACT THE "SOUTH CAROLINA CHILD ABUSE RESPONSE PROTOCOL ACT" BY ADDING ARTICLE 24 TO CHAPTER 11, TITLE 63 SO AS TO REQUIRE MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAMS INVOLVED IN CHILD ABUSE INVESTIGATION AND PROSECUTION TO FOLLOW CERTAIN CHILD ABUSE RESPONSE PROTOCOL, TO PROVIDE FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO REVIEW AND UPDATE THE PROTOCOL, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES; AND TO AMEND SECTION 63-11-310, RELATING TO CHILDREN'S ADVOCACY CENTERS, SO AS TO REQUIRE CHILDREN'S ADVOCACY CENTERS TO HOLD CERTAIN ACCREDITATION STATUS OR BE ACTIVELY PURSUING ACCREDITATION, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
Amend Title To Conform
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
SECTION 1. This act may be known and cited as the "South Carolina Child Abuse Response Protocol Act".
SECTION 2. Chapter 11, Title 63 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:
Section 63-11-2400. In the investigation and prosecution of a known or suspected crime against a child, a multidisciplinary team must follow the South Carolina Child Abuse Response Protocol as developed by the South Carolina Children's Justice Act Task Force and the South Carolina Network of Children's Advocacy Centers.
Section 63-11-2410. (A) The South Carolina Children's Justice Act Task Force and the South Carolina Network of Children's Advocacy Centers shall develop and provide initial training on the protocol and updated training as needed for this purpose. The protocol must be publicly available and must be reviewed annually and updated as needed by an advisory committee known as the Child Abuse Protocol Review Committee.
(B)(1) The Governor shall appoint the members of the advisory committee and may consult with the South Carolina Children's Justice Act Task Force and the South Carolina Network of Children's Advocacy Centers in making his appointments. The advisory committee shall consist of eleven members as follows:
(a) the Executive Director of the South Carolina Network of Children's Advocacy Centers, or his designee;
(b) one member from state law enforcement;
(c) one member from county law enforcement;
(d) one member from a solicitor's office;
(e) the Executive Director of the Department of Social Services, or his designee;
(f) one member who is the Medical Director of the South Carolina Children's Advocacy Medical Response System, or his designee;
(g) one member from the State Guardian Ad Litem Program or Richland County Court Appointed Special Advocates;
(h) one member from a school district;
(i) one member from a statewide organization experienced in working with children with all disabilities; and
(j) two at-large members.
(2) The Department of Children's Advocacy shall convene the first meeting of the advisory committee for the purpose of electing a chair and shall thereafter provide staff support to the advisory committee. Members of the advisory committee shall serve for terms of four years and may serve in a holdover capacity for up to six months after the expiration of their term, should a qualified successor not be appointed.
Section 63-11-2420. The Department of Children's Advocacy shall maintain the protocol and the advisory committee's updates to the protocol."
SECTION 3. Section 63-11-310(B)(1) , (C), and (D) of the 1976 Code is amended to read:
"(1) Children's Advocacy Centers must establish memoranda of agreement with governmental entities charged with the investigation and prosecution of child abuse. Fully operational centers must function in a manner consistent with standards of the National Children's Alliance, and all centers must strive to achieve full membership in the National Children's Alliance Children's Advocacy Centers must be fully accredited by the National Children's Alliance or must be an Associate/Developing or Affiliate Member of the South Carolina Network of Children's Advocacy Centers and be actively pursuing full accreditation with the National Children's Alliance within the next two years.
(C) The South Carolina Network of Children's Advocacy Centers and the South Carolina Chapter of the National Children's Alliance must coordinate and facilitate the exchange of information among statewide centers and provide technical assistance to communities in the establishment, growth, and certification of local centers. The network must also educate the public and legislature regarding the needs of abused children and provide or coordinate multidisciplinary training opportunities which support the comprehensive response to suspected child maltreatment.
(D) Nothing in this section requires the exclusive use of a Children's Advocacy Center."
SECTION 4. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.
This web page was last updated on March 11, 2020 at 10:53 AM