S 415 South Carolina Senate · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Child Welfare Caregivers

Summary
AN ACT TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 63-7-20, RELATING TO CHILDREN'S CODE DEFINITIONS, SO AS TO ADD THE TERM "LICENSED"; BY AMENDING SECTION 63-9-1110, RELATING TO ADOPTION BY A STEPPARENT OR RELATIVE, SO AS TO APPLY TO CHILDREN PLACED WITH RELATIVES OR FICTIVE KIN FOR THE PURPOSE OF ADOPTION; BY AMENDING SECTION 63-7-2320, RELATING TO THE KINSHIP FOSTER CARE PROGRAM, SO AS TO LOWER THE MINIMUM AGE OF A KINSHIP FOSTER PARENT FROM TWENTY-ONE TO EIGHTEEN AND TO ALLOW THE DEPARTMENT TO USE DIFFERENT STANDARDS WHEN LICENSING RELATIVES AND FICTIVE KIN; BY AMENDING SECTION 63-7-2350, RELATING TO RESTRICTIONS ON FOSTER CARE, ADOPTION, OR LEGAL GUARDIAN PLACEMENTS, SO AS TO MAKE CONFORMING CHANGES; AND BY AMENDING SECTION 63-7-2400, RELATING TO THE NUMBER OF FOSTER CHILDREN WHO MAY BE PLACED IN A FOSTER HOME, SO AS TO REMOVE THERAPEUTIC FOSTER CARE PLACEMENT LIMITATIONS FROM KINSHIP FOSTER CARE PLACEMENTS. - RATIFIED TITLE
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Mar 2025
Committee Review
Feb 2026
Senate Passage
Feb 2026
House Passage
Feb 2026
Signed into Law
Feb 2026
Introduced Mar 4, 2025 Signed Feb 27, 2026
Floor votes · Senate Apr 1, 2025 · House Feb 5, 2026

How they voted

450
Passed
Total votes 45
Apr 1, 2025
D Democratic12
12 Yea
100% Yea
R Republican33
33 Yea
100% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
22
Key actions
9
Committee
4
Amendments
1
Feb 27, 2026
Signed into law
Signed By Governor
legislature
Feb 11, 2026
Upper · Passed
Concurred in House amendment and enrolled
upper
Feb 6, 2026
Lower · Passed
Read third time and returned to Senate with amendments
lower
Feb 5, 2026
Lower · Passed
Amended
lower
Feb 5, 2026
House · Passed
House Vote: pass (100-0-15)
house
Feb 3, 2026
Lower · Passed
Committee report: Favorable with amendment Judiciary
lower
Apr 3, 2025
Committee
Referred to Committee on Judiciary
lower
Apr 3, 2025
Introduced
Introduced and read first time
lower
Apr 2, 2025
Upper · Passed
Read third time and sent to House
upper
Apr 1, 2025
Senate · Passed
Senate Vote: pass (45-0)
senate
Mar 26, 2025
Upper · Passed
Committee report: Favorable Family and Veterans' Services
upper
Mar 4, 2025
Committee
Referred to Committee on Family and Veterans' Services
upper
Mar 4, 2025
Introduced
Introduced and read first time
upper
7 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors