South Carolina General Assembly
125th Session, 2023-2024

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Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

S. 160

STATUS INFORMATION

General Bill
Sponsors: Senators Young and Climer
Document Path: SR-0119KM23.docx

Introduced in the Senate on January 10, 2023
Currently residing in the Senate Committee on Judiciary

Summary: Admissibility of out-of-court statements made by children

HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS

Date Body Action Description with journal page number
11/30/2022 Senate Prefiled
11/30/2022 Senate Referred to Committee on Judiciary
1/10/2023 Senate Introduced and read first time (Senate Journal-page 88)
1/10/2023 Senate Referred to Committee on Judiciary (Senate Journal-page 88)

View the latest legislative information at the website

VERSIONS OF THIS BILL

11/30/2022



A bill

to amend the South Carolina Code of Laws by amending Section 19-1-180(G), relating to THE ADMISSIBILITY OF OUT-OF-COURT STATEMENTS MADE BY CHILDREN, so as to ADD AN EXCEPTION FOR STATEMENTS MADE TO EMPLOYEES OR AGENTS OF CHILDREN'S ADVOCACY CENTERS.

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

SECTION 1.   Section 19-1-180(G) of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

   (G)(1) If the parents of the child are separated or divorced, then the hearsay statement shall be is inadmissible if:

         (1)(a) one of the parents is the alleged perpetrator of the alleged abuse or neglect; and

         (2)(b) the allegation was made after the parties separated or divorced.

      (2) Notwithstanding this subsection, a statement alleging abuse or neglect made by a child to a law enforcement official, an officer of the court, a licensed family counselor or therapist, a physician or other health care provider, a teacher, a school counselor, a Department of Social Services staff member, or to a child care childcare worker in a regulated child care childcare facility, or an employee or agent of one of the Children's Advocacy Centers in this State, as established by Article 3, Chapter 11, Title 63, is admissible under pursuant to this section.

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

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This web page was last updated on May 28, 2024 at 12:19 PM