Committee endorses DSS technical amendment as staff outlines paid‑leave and eviction bills Committee staff reviewed four bills (including S11 on paid parental leave and H4270 on eviction ceilings) and the committee endorsed a Department of Social Services technical amendment to a 2024 background‑check provision by voice vote.

South Carolina's Joint Citizens and Legislative Committee on Children is making waves with key updates on paid parental leave and eviction bills—find out what’s next for these important measures!

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#SC #SouthCarolinaChildren #ParentalLeave #CitizenPortal #HousingStability

Advocates urge cross‑sector housing solutions as stability rises to top of child welfare agenda Advocates from the Institute for Child Success and the South Carolina Housing Coalition told the Joint Citizens and Legislative Committee on Children that housing stability is central to child well‑being and announced statewide listening sessions this July and an Oct. 23 housing summit to gather community input for legislative action.

Advocates are calling for housing stability to be prioritized in child welfare, with community listening sessions and a major summit on the horizon!

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#SC #SouthCarolinaChildren #CitizenPortal #ChildWelfare #HousingStability #CommunityInput

State public health officials tout Fitnessgram data, cite post‑COVID declines and a July 2024 funding commitment Department of Public Health staff told the committee that the SC Fitnessgram statewide data system expanded participation to 91% of districts, tracked declines in student fitness after COVID and received recurring funding in July 2024 to sustain data collection and support.

South Carolina's Fitnessgram program has surged to 91% district participation, revealing troubling declines in student fitness post-COVID and a renewed commitment to improving health supports.

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#SC #SouthCarolinaChildren #PublicHealth #CitizenPortal #StudentFitness

Committee backs bill to limit addictive social-media features for children and set parental-consent safeguards A bill to force large social platforms to estimate user age, default child accounts to high privacy settings, ban certain addictive features for children, and create enforcement remedies received a favorable committee report as amended; debate focused on which platforms to cover and how definitions interact with earlier laws.

A new bill aims to protect children from addictive social media features by enforcing strict age verification and privacy settings on major platforms.

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#SC #SouthCarolinaChildren #CitizenPortal #DigitalWellbeing #SocialMediaRegulation #ChildPrivacy

Committee adopts amendment to give parents custody of children's DNA kits The committee voted to amend bill 38-73 to require child identification/DNA kits be provided to a parent or legal custodian upon request and to have the Department of Education supply student counts by district; the amendment passed by roll call (15 aye, 1 abstain, 2 absent).

The South Carolina committee just passed a crucial amendment ensuring parents can easily access child identification kits, shifting the responsibility back to families for their children's safety.

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#SC #SouthCarolinaChildren #CitizenPortal #EducationPolicy #ChildIdentification

Senate panel advances Margaret Bodman for South Carolina state child advocate A Senate committee gave a favorable report to Margaret Bodman’s nomination to lead the Department of Children’s Advocacy after a confirmation hearing in which she outlined fiscal fixes, a pilot for direct legal representation for children, data improvements and priorities on mental-health placements.

Margaret Bodman's nomination as South Carolina's state child advocate is gaining momentum as she outlines bold plans to stabilize child welfare programs and enhance legal support for vulnerable youth.

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#SC #SouthCarolinaChildren #CitizenPortal #ChildWelfare #CommunitySupport

South Carolina subcommittee advances bill shielding parental treatment of transgender youth amid warnings it could limit abuse protections A Senate child-welfare subcommittee advanced Senate Bill 540 after testimony from pediatricians, clergy, foster parents and attorneys who said the bill’s language could be read to block child-abuse findings and limit courts’ ability to act when children face harm. The panel voted 3–2 to give the bill a favorable report.

A controversial new bill in South Carolina could shield harmful parental practices under the guise of affirming a child's gender identity, raising serious concerns from experts about the safety of vulnerable youth.

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#SC #SouthCarolinaChildren #CitizenPortal #ChildProtection

SC Senate Subcommittee Hears Split Testimony on SB540; Panel Carries Bill Over for More Hearings A subcommittee heard competing testimony for and against SB540, a proposal to clarify that raising a child 'consistent with the child’s sex at birth' does not constitute child abuse. Pediatricians warned the bill could enable harmful conversion practices and complicate foster-care decisions; religious advocates said it protects parental conscience. The committee carried the bill over for another subcommittee session.

A fierce debate is raging in South Carolina over SB540, with pediatricians warning it could endanger vulnerable youth while supporters argue it's a necessary protection for parental rights.

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#SC #CitizenPortal #ChildProtection #SouthCarolinaChildren #ParentalRights

South Carolina Children's Committee releases annual report on educational challenges and suspensions Committee outlines rising preschool suspensions and seeks legislative changes to address issues.

The South Carolina House is tackling alarming preschool suspension rates and advocating for essential support in classrooms—can this be the turning point for our children's education?

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#SC #ChildhoodDevelopment #LegislativeAccountability #EducationReform #SouthCarolinaChildren

Senate subcommittee discusses new measures to protect children from social media risks Subcommittee members highlight the need for legislation to safeguard children's mental health.

The Senate is taking bold steps to protect our youth from the mental health risks of social media, with urgent calls for new legislation that could reshape their digital landscape.

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#SC #CitizenPortal #EducationPolicy #SouthCarolinaChildren #SocialMediaRegulation

South Carolina Senate recognizes Child Advocacy Center Day with visiting school groups Senate honors child advocacy centers and welcomes students from Prince of Peace Catholic School.

The South Carolina Senate recently celebrated Child Advocacy Center Day, welcoming students who could one day become the state's future leaders in child welfare.

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#SC #ChildWelfare #CitizenPortal #YouthAdvocacy #SouthCarolinaChildren #CivicEducation

South Carolina committee reviews social media regulation bills for child protection Committee evaluates two competing bills aimed at regulating children's social media use.

South Carolina lawmakers are tackling the tough challenge of regulating social media to protect children, with two competing bills that could reshape how platforms engage with young users.

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#SC #ChildOnlineSafety #CitizenPortal #DigitalRegulation #SouthCarolinaChildren

Dr Edwards advocates for South Carolina bill to regulate social media use among minors Dr Edwards supports H 3 4 3 1 to protect children's mental health from social media harm.

Dr. Edwards warns that unregulated social media is fueling a mental health crisis among youth, urging immediate action to protect our children with Bill H 3431.

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#SC #YouthMentalHealth #CyberbullyingPrevention #CitizenPortal #SouthCarolinaChildren #SocialMediaRegulation

Boys and Girls Club leaders address staffing and resource challenges in expansion plans Leaders discuss high demand and resource limitations impacting Boys and Girls Club expansion.

South Carolina's youth services are at a crossroads, as critical discussions reveal a pressing need for resources and collaboration to expand vital programs like the Boys and Girls Club.

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#SC #CitizenPortal #YouthServices #SouthCarolinaChildren #CommunityCollaboration

Legislators advocate for stronger laws against child exploitation and online abuse Lawmakers push for new legislation to protect children from digital exploitation and bullying.

Lawmakers in South Carolina are taking urgent action to protect children from digital exploitation after harrowing testimonies revealed the chilling reality of online manipulation.

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#SC #LegislativeAction #SouthCarolinaChildren #ChildProtection #CitizenPortal

South Carolina committee advances bills against AI-generated child exploitation images Committee seeks to enhance legal tools for prosecuting morphed and obscene child imagery.

South Carolina's House Judiciary Committee is taking a bold stand against the alarming rise of AI-generated child exploitation images, aiming to strengthen laws and protect vulnerable victims.

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#SC #AIEthics #SouthCarolinaChildren #ChildProtection #CitizenPortal #DigitalSafety

South Carolina legislature targets tobacco use in cars with children present State bill prohibits smoking tobacco in vehicles with passengers under twelve years old

South Carolina lawmakers are taking a bold step to protect children by proposing a bill that bans smoking in vehicles with young passengers—could this change the game for public health?

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#SC #SouthCarolinaChildren #PublicHealth #TobaccoControl #ChildSafety #CitizenPortal