We are deeply grateful to God at the conclusion of this successful two-year legislative session (2023-2024). The South Carolina Legislature sought the common good in many ways by passing important legislation that will impact generations to come.
There are many bills that have been signed and are now the law of the land here in the Palmetto State that are cause for celebration. See below for the latest pro-Catholic bills that have become law in South Carolina. RESPECT FOR LIFE
S. 474: Fetal Heartbeat Act
Protects the unborn from abortion upon detection of a baby’s heartbeat.
Signed into law May 25, 2023 and challenged in court by Planned Parenthood.
On Aug. 23, 2023, the state Supreme Court ruled that the law was constitutional.
Click HERE for an update about abortion statistics in the state.
H. 4159: Telehealth and Telemedicine Modernization Act
Provides safeguards for telehealth and telemedicine practices in South Carolina and protects pro-life safeguards already in place.
HUMAN DIGNITY
H. 3424: Child Online Safety Act
Protects minors from explicit, pornographic websites by requiring sites to verify the ages of their patrons.
H. 4624: Gender Reassignment Procedures
Protects minors from harmful gender procedures like cross-sex hormones, puberty blockers, and “sex-change” surgeries.
Budget Proviso
Protects the privacy of students from having to share bathrooms, locker rooms, and changing areas with people of the opposite sex.
EDUCATION
S. 39: Educational Scholarship Trust Fund (ESTF)
Gives qualifying families appropriate funding to select the best institution of learning for their child’s individual needs.
The application deadline for this school year has passed, but the number of families who can qualify will increase each year (NOTE: The Proviso to extend the application deadline failed).
H. 3360: Center for School Safety and Targeted Violence
Establishes a division within the state Law Enforcement Division to train law enforcement, teachers, administrators, school personnel and parents on school safety to identify and prevent future threats.
H. 4023: First Steps
Restructures First Steps, free 4-yr old kindergarten program, to increase access for more communities.
PRO-FAMILY
H. 3553: Adoption
Cuts bureaucratic red-tape and eliminates the 90-day waiting period to finalize adoption.
H. 3908: Paid Family Leave
Provides six weeks of paid family leave for public school teachers and other full-time district employees.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE
H. 3503: Trafficking in Fentanyl
Makes fentanyl a Schedule I drug in the state and increases felony penalties for traffickers.
H. 3605: Earn and Learn Act of 2023
Allows workers to earn wages while fulfilling licensing requirements, giving a chance to expand knowledge and skills in their career fields.
H. 4617: Xylazine
Criminalizes the production, distribution and possession of the drug xylazine and adds it to the list of Schedule III drugs.
POOR AND VULNERABLE
S. 142: Safe Harbor for Exploited Minors
Protects minors who have been coerced or forced into the sex trafficking industry.
Provides affirmative defense of and expungement for victims.
S. 164: State Health Facility Licensure Act
Repeals and amends the state’s Certificate of Need law that monopolized the hospital system and limited healthcare access in rural communities.
S. 445: Recovery Housing
Funds and builds infrastructure to assist men and women in their recovery from addiction.
Budget Proviso
Provides funding to Catholic Charities of South Carolina for Next Level Services and Getting Ahead, programs in South Carolina to help people escape cyclical poverty.
The Catholic Conference thanks the Legislature for their diligence this session. We also thank our Catholic Conference advocates for sending letters, praying and fasting that made these bills a reality.