South Carolina General Assembly
125th Session, 2023-2024

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A158, R181, S408

STATUS INFORMATION

General Bill
Sponsors: Senators Shealy and McLeod
Document Path: SR-0035JG23.docx

Introduced in the Senate on January 18, 2023
Introduced in the House on February 14, 2024
Last Amended on May 8, 2024
Currently residing in the Senate
Governor's Action: May 20, 2024, Signed

Summary: Suicide Prevention Training for Health Professionals

HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS

Date Body Action Description with journal page number
1/18/2023 Senate Introduced and read first time (Senate Journal-page 5)
1/18/2023 Senate Referred to Committee on Medical Affairs (Senate Journal-page 5)
2/1/2024 Senate Committee report: Favorable with amendment Medical Affairs (Senate Journal-page 8)
2/7/2024 Senate Committee Amendment Adopted (Senate Journal-page 17)
2/7/2024 Senate Read second time (Senate Journal-page 17)
2/7/2024 Senate Roll call Ayes-43 Nays-0 (Senate Journal-page 17)
2/8/2024 Scrivener's error corrected
2/13/2024 Senate Read third time and sent to House (Senate Journal-page 9)
2/14/2024 House Introduced and read first time (House Journal-page 12)
2/14/2024 House Referred to Committee on Labor, Commerce and Industry (House Journal-page 12)
4/24/2024 House Committee report: Favorable with amendment Labor, Commerce and Industry (House Journal-page 1)
4/30/2024 Scrivener's error corrected
5/1/2024 House Amended (House Journal-page 112)
5/1/2024 House Read second time (House Journal-page 112)
5/1/2024 House Roll call Yeas-103 Nays-9 (House Journal-page 115)
5/2/2024 House Read third time and returned to Senate with amendments (House Journal-page 13)
5/8/2024 Senate House amendment amended (Senate Journal-page 190)
5/8/2024 Senate Roll call Ayes-45 Nays-0 (Senate Journal-page 190)
5/8/2024 Senate Returned to House with amendments (Senate Journal-page 190)
5/9/2024 House Concurred in Senate amendment and enrolled (House Journal-page 64)
5/9/2024 House Roll call Yeas-101 Nays-0 (House Journal-page 65)
5/15/2024 Ratified R 181
5/20/2024 Signed By Governor
5/29/2024 Effective date See Act for Effective Date
5/29/2024 Act No. 158

View the latest legislative information at the website

VERSIONS OF THIS BILL

02/01/2024
02/07/2024
02/08/2024
04/24/2024
04/30/2024
05/01/2024
05/08/2024


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

(A158, R181, S408)

AN ACT TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 40-75-250, RELATING TO THE LICENSURE OF PROFESSIONAL COUNSELORS, MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPISTS, AND LICENSED PSYCHO-EDUCATIONAL SPECIALISTS, SO AS TO REQUIRE CONTINUING EDUCATION IN SUICIDE ASSESSMENT, TREATMENT, AND MANAGEMENT; BY AMENDING SECTION 40-75-540, RELATING TO REGULATIONS FOR CONTINUING EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS FOR PROFESSIONAL COUNSELORS, MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPISTS, AND LICENSED PSYCHO-EDUCATIONAL SPECIALISTS, SO AS TO REQUIRE CONTINUING EDUCATION IN SUICIDE ASSESSMENT, TREATMENT, AND MANAGEMENT; AND BY AMENDING SECTION 40-63-250, RELATING TO THE LICENSURE OF SOCIAL WORKERS, SO AS TO REQUIRE CONTINUING EDUCATION IN SUICIDE ASSESSMENT, TREATMENT, AND MANAGEMENT.

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

Professional counselors and related licensees, continuing education requirement

SECTION 1.    Section 40-75-250 of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

Section 40-75-250.    (A) If an applicant satisfies all licensure requirements as provided for in this article, the board may issue a license to the applicant. A license is a personal right and not transferable, and the issuance of a license is evidence that the person is entitled to all rights and privileges of a licensed professional counselor, marriage and family therapist, an addiction counselor, or of an associate, while the license remains current and unrestricted. However, the license is the property of the State and upon suspension or revocation immediately must be returned to the board.

(B) A person licensed under this chapter must display the license in a prominent and conspicuous place in the primary place of practice.

(C) Licenses issued under this chapter must be renewed every two years upon the payment of a renewal fee and upon the fulfillment of continuing education as determined by the board in regulation.

(D) A person licensed under this chapter must receive at least one hour of continuing education in suicide assessment, treatment, and management treatment, which may be completed virtually, as a portion of the total continuing education requirement for license renewal as determined by the board in regulation.

(E) A licensee who allows the license to lapse by failing to renew the license as provided in this section may be reinstated by the board upon payment of a reinstatement fee and the current renewal fee. The board, by regulation, may impose additional requirements for reinstatement.

Professional counselors and related licensees, continuing education regulations

SECTION 2.    Section 40-75-540 of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

Section 40-75-540.    (A) The board shall promulgate regulations in accordance with Chapter 23, Title 1 (Administrative Procedures Act) establishing requirements for continuing education which must be met by a person licensed as a licensed psycho-educational specialist. An applicant for license renewal shall present evidence satisfactory to the board that continuing education requirements have been met.

(B) A person licensed under this chapter must receive at least one hour of continuing education in suicide assessment, treatment, and management treatment, which may be completed virtually, as a portion of the total continuing education requirement for license renewal as determined by the board in regulation.

Social workers, continuing education requirement

SECTION 3.    Section 40-63-250 of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

Section 40-63-250.    (A) If an applicant satisfies all licensure requirements required in this chapter, the board may issue a license to the applicant. A license is a personal right and not transferable, and the issuance of a license is evidence that the person is entitled to all rights and privileges of a licensed social worker while the license remains current and unrestricted. However, the license is the property of the State and upon suspension or revocation immediately must be returned to the board.

(B) A licensee under this chapter must display the license in a prominent and conspicuous place in the primary place of practice.

(C) A licensee under this chapter must indicate his or her category of licensure following his or her name or signature on all professional documents.

(D) Licenses issued under this chapter must be renewed every two years upon the payment of a renewal fee and upon the fulfillment of continuing education as determined by the board in regulation.

(E) A person licensed under this chapter must receive at least one contact hour of continuing education in suicide assessment, treatment, and management treatment, which may be completed virtually, as a portion of the total continuing education requirement for license renewal as determined by the board in regulation.

(F) Any licensee who allows his license to lapse by failing to renew the license as provided in this section may be reinstated by the board upon satisfactory explanation by the licensee of his failure to renew his license and upon payment of a reinstatement fee and the current renewal fee to be determined by the board. If a license has lapsed for more than one year, the board may impose further educational requirements for reinstatement. If a license has lapsed for more than two years, the person must reapply for licensure. Any person practicing as a social worker during the time that his license has lapsed has engaged in unlicensed practice and is subject to penalties provided for in Section 40-63-30.

Time effective

SECTION 4.    This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor. However, SECTIONS 1, 2, and 3 apply to license renewal cycles ending after 2025.

Ratified the 15th day of May, 2024.

Approved the 20th day of May, 2024.

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This web page was last updated on June 24, 2024 at 2:33 PM