---
type: "Bill"
title: "AN ACT TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 63-7-735 SO AS TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES TO INFORM A RELATIVE WITH WHOM A CHILD MAY BE PLACED OF THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE LICENSED AS A FOSTER PARENT, INCLUDING THE LICENSURE PROCESS AND BENEFITS OF BEING LICENSED AS A FOSTER PARENT, AND TO REQUIRE THE COURT TO MAKE CERTAIN FINDINGS BEFORE SIGNING AN ORDER APPROVING PLACEMENT OF A CHILD WITH A RELATIVE WHO IS NOT A LICENSED FOSTER PARENT; TO AMEND SECTION 63-7-650, RELATING IN PART TO THE DEPARTMENT MAKING AN INTERIM PLACEMENT OF A CHILD WITH A RELATIVE INSTEAD OF TAKING CUSTODY OF A CHILD, SO AS TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT TO EXPLAIN TO THE RELATIVE ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY TO BECOME LICENSED AS A KINSHIP FOSTER PARENT IF THE CHILD IS UNABLE TO RETURN HOME; TO AMEND SECTION 63-7-2320, RELATING TO THE KINSHIP FOSTER PROGRAM, SO AS TO ALLOW THE DEPARTMENT TO WAIVE CERTAIN NONSAFETY LICENSURE REQUIREMENTS WHEN LICENSING A RELATIVE AS A FOSTER PARENT AND TO INDICATE THE PREFERENCE FOR PLACING A CHILD WITH A RELATIVE; TO AMEND SECTION 63-7-2330, RELATING TO PLACEMENT OF A CHILD WITH A RELATIVE AS PART OF A REMOVAL ACTION, SO AS TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT TO INFORM THE RELATIVE OF THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE LICENSED AS A FOSTER PARENT, INCLUDING THE LICENSURE PROCESS AND BENEFITS OF BEING SO LICENSED; TO AMEND SECTION 63-7-2350, RELATING TO RESTRICTIONS ON FOSTER CARE PLACEMENTS, SO AS TO CLARIFY THE PROCESS THE DEPARTMENT MUST FOLLOW TO DETERMINE WHETHER A PERSON HAS COMMITTED A CRIME THAT MAKES THE PERSON INELIGIBLE TO BE A FOSTER PARENT; TO AMEND SECTION 43-1-210, RELATING TO DEPARTMENT REPORTING REQUIREMENTS, SO AS TO REQUIRE REPORTING OF KINSHIP CARE DATA; AND TO AMEND SECTION 63-7-20, RELATING TO TERMS DEFINED IN THE CHILDREN'S CODE, SO AS TO CHANGE THE DEFINITION OF CHILD ABUSE OR NEGLECT TO INCLUDE CHILD TRAFFICKING IN CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES. - ratified title"
description: "AN ACT TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 63-7-735 SO AS TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES TO INFORM A RELATIVE WITH WHOM A CHILD MAY BE PLACED OF THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE LICENSED AS A FOSTER PARENT, INCLUDING THE LICENSURE PROCESS AND BENEFITS OF BEING LICENSED AS A FOSTER PARENT, AND TO REQUIRE THE COURT TO MAKE CERTAIN FINDINGS BEFORE SIGNING AN ORDER APPROVING PLACEMENT OF A CHILD WITH A RELATIVE WHO IS NOT A LICENSED FOSTER PARENT; TO AMEND SECTION 63-7-650, RELATING IN PART TO THE DEPARTMENT MAKING AN INTERIM PLACEMENT OF A CHILD WITH A RELATIVE INSTEAD OF TAKING CUSTODY OF A CHILD, SO AS TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT TO EXPLAIN TO THE RELATIVE ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY TO BECOME LICENSED AS A KINSHIP FOSTER PARENT IF THE CHILD IS UNABLE TO RETURN HOME; TO AMEND SECTION 63-7-2320, RELATING TO THE KINSHIP FOSTER PROGRAM, SO AS TO ALLOW THE DEPARTMENT TO WAIVE CERTAIN NONSAFETY LICENSURE REQUIREMENTS WHEN LICENSING A RELATIVE AS A FOSTER PARENT AND TO INDICATE THE PREFERENCE FOR PLACING A CHILD WITH A RELATIVE; TO AMEND SECTION 63-7-2330, RELATING TO PLACEMENT OF A CHILD WITH A RELATIVE AS PART OF A REMOVAL ACTION, SO AS TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT TO INFORM THE RELATIVE OF THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE LICENSED AS A FOSTER PARENT, INCLUDING THE LICENSURE PROCESS AND BENEFITS OF BEING SO LICENSED; TO AMEND SECTION 63-7-2350, RELATING TO RESTRICTIONS ON FOSTER CARE PLACEMENTS, SO AS TO CLARIFY THE PROCESS THE DEPARTMENT MUST FOLLOW TO DETERMINE WHETHER A PERSON HAS COMMITTED A CRIME THAT MAKES THE PERSON INELIGIBLE TO BE A FOSTER PARENT; TO AMEND SECTION 43-1-210, RELATING TO DEPARTMENT REPORTING REQUIREMENTS, SO AS TO REQUIRE REPORTING OF KINSHIP CARE DATA; AND TO AMEND SECTION 63-7-20, RELATING TO TERMS DEFINED IN THE CHILDREN'S CODE, SO AS TO CHANGE THE DEFINITION OF CHILD ABUSE OR NEGLECT TO INCLUDE CHILD TRAFFICKING IN CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES. - ratified title"
jurisdiction: "us/states/sc"
legislature: "South Carolina General Assembly"
session: "2017-2018"
identifier: "H 3701"
citation: "South Carolina H 3701 (2017-2018)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: []
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: ["Brown", "Henderson-Myers", "Henegan", "Knight", "Putnam", "Whipper"]
version_count: 7
action_count: 27
vote_count: 3
first_action: "2017-02-08"
last_action: "2018-04-09"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/c2efe6bf-8bbd-4c4f-95ba-6a0a186791ac"
source_url: "http://www.scstatehouse.gov/billsearch.php?billnumbers=3701&session=122&summary=B"
source_hash: "37fff7a3e406e6b4f187162264754184062cd65755190538829863ef05b16310"
vintage: "2026-07-01"
source_snapshot: "https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-06"
confidence: "reported"
tags: ["legislation", "bill", "us-sc"]
---

# South Carolina H 3701 (2017-2018) — AN ACT TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 63-7-735 SO AS TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES TO INFORM A RELATIVE WITH WHOM A CHILD MAY BE PLACED OF THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE LICENSED AS A FOSTER PARENT, INCLUDING THE LICENSURE PROCESS AND BENEFITS OF BEING LICENSED AS A FOSTER PARENT, AND TO REQUIRE THE COURT TO MAKE CERTAIN FINDINGS BEFORE SIGNING AN ORDER APPROVING PLACEMENT OF A CHILD WITH A RELATIVE WHO IS NOT A LICENSED FOSTER PARENT; TO AMEND SECTION 63-7-650, RELATING IN PART TO THE DEPARTMENT MAKING AN INTERIM PLACEMENT OF A CHILD WITH A RELATIVE INSTEAD OF TAKING CUSTODY OF A CHILD, SO AS TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT TO EXPLAIN TO THE RELATIVE ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY TO BECOME LICENSED AS A KINSHIP FOSTER PARENT IF THE CHILD IS UNABLE TO RETURN HOME; TO AMEND SECTION 63-7-2320, RELATING TO THE KINSHIP FOSTER PROGRAM, SO AS TO ALLOW THE DEPARTMENT TO WAIVE CERTAIN NONSAFETY LICENSURE REQUIREMENTS WHEN LICENSING A RELATIVE AS A FOSTER PARENT AND TO INDICATE THE PREFERENCE FOR PLACING A CHILD WITH A RELATIVE; TO AMEND SECTION 63-7-2330, RELATING TO PLACEMENT OF A CHILD WITH A RELATIVE AS PART OF A REMOVAL ACTION, SO AS TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT TO INFORM THE RELATIVE OF THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE LICENSED AS A FOSTER PARENT, INCLUDING THE LICENSURE PROCESS AND BENEFITS OF BEING SO LICENSED; TO AMEND SECTION 63-7-2350, RELATING TO RESTRICTIONS ON FOSTER CARE PLACEMENTS, SO AS TO CLARIFY THE PROCESS THE DEPARTMENT MUST FOLLOW TO DETERMINE WHETHER A PERSON HAS COMMITTED A CRIME THAT MAKES THE PERSON INELIGIBLE TO BE A FOSTER PARENT; TO AMEND SECTION 43-1-210, RELATING TO DEPARTMENT REPORTING REQUIREMENTS, SO AS TO REQUIRE REPORTING OF KINSHIP CARE DATA; AND TO AMEND SECTION 63-7-20, RELATING TO TERMS DEFINED IN THE CHILDREN'S CODE, SO AS TO CHANGE THE DEFINITION OF CHILD ABUSE OR NEGLECT TO INCLUDE CHILD TRAFFICKING IN CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES. - ratified title

## Version chain

The bill's text revisions, in order — the diff chain from filing to enrollment.

1. **1/23/2018** (committee substitute) — [source](http://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess122_2017-2018/prever/3701_20180123.htm)
2. **1/24/2018** (committee substitute) — [source](http://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess122_2017-2018/prever/3701_20180124.htm)
3. **1/25/2018** (committee substitute) — [source](http://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess122_2017-2018/prever/3701_20180125.htm)
4. **1/26/2018** (committee substitute) — [source](http://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess122_2017-2018/prever/3701_20180126.htm)
5. **2/28/2018** (committee substitute) — [source](http://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess122_2017-2018/prever/3701_20180228.htm)
6. **2/8/2017** (committee substitute) — [source](http://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess122_2017-2018/prever/3701_20170208.htm)
7. **3/13/2018** (committee substitute) — [source](http://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess122_2017-2018/prever/3701_20180313.htm)

## Votes

- Passage of Bill — **101–0** (pass) · lower
- Concur in Senate Amendments — **105–0** (pass) · lower
- 2nd Reading — **41–0** (pass) · upper

## Sponsors

- Brown — primary (person)
- Henderson-Myers — primary (person)
- Henegan — primary (person)
- Knight — primary (person)
- Putnam — primary (person)
- Whipper — primary (person)

## Timeline

The legislative action history — every referral, reading, and vote.

- **2017-02-08** Introduced and read first time `introduction, reading-1`
- **2017-02-08** Referred to Committee on Judiciary `referral-committee`
- **2017-05-04** Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Whipper, Brown
- **2017-05-09** Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Knight, Henegan
- **2018-01-23** Committee report: Favorable with amendment Judiciary `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2018-01-24** Scrivener's error corrected
- **2018-01-25** Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Henderson-Myers
- **2018-01-25** Requests for debate-Rep(s). Delleney, Bannister, Hill, Hosey, Mack, Whitmire, Ott, Crawford, Anderson, Caskey, Weeks, Davis, Alexander, Kirby, Pope, Bryant, Brown, Fry, GR Smith
- **2018-01-25** Amended `amendment-passage`
- **2018-01-25** Read second time `reading-2`
- **2018-01-25** Roll call Yeas-101 Nays-0
- **2018-01-25** Unanimous consent for third reading on next legislative day
- **2018-01-26** Scrivener's error corrected
- **2018-01-26** Read third time and sent to Senate `passage, reading-3`
- **2018-01-30** Introduced and read first time `introduction, reading-1`
- **2018-01-30** Referred to Committee on General `referral-committee`
- **2018-02-28** Committee report: Favorable with amendment General `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2018-03-13** Committee Amendment Adopted `amendment-passage`
- **2018-03-14** Read second time `reading-2`
- **2018-03-14** Roll call Ayes-41 Nays-0
- **2018-03-15** Read third time and returned to House with amendments `passage, reading-3`
- **2018-03-22** Concurred in Senate amendment and enrolled
- **2018-03-22** Roll call Yeas-105 Nays-0
- **2018-04-03** Ratified R 154
- **2018-04-04** Signed By Governor `executive-signature`
- **2018-04-06** Effective date 04/04/18
- **2018-04-09** Act No. 146

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/c2efe6bf-8bbd-4c4f-95ba-6a0a186791ac`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official South Carolina legislature records).