South Carolina General Assembly
106th Session, 1985-1986

Bill 2787

                    Current Status

Bill Number:               2787
Ratification Number:       353
Act Number:                334
Introducing Body:          House
Subject:                   Relating to the South Carolina Children's
                           Code
View additional legislative information at the LPITS web site.

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

(A334, R353, H2787)

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTIONS 20-7-490, 20-7-640, AND 20-7-650, AS AMENDED, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE SOUTH CAROLINA CHILDREN'S CODE, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT THE DEFINITION OF "LOCAL CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICE AGENCY" REFERS TO THE AGENCY OR THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES, TO REQUIRE THE AGENCY TO FOLLOW THE POLICIES AND REGULATIONS OF THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES, AND TO AUTHORIZE THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES TO ADOPT REGULATIONS; AND TO AMEND SECTION 43-1-80, RELATING TO THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES, SO AS TO REQUIRE THE STATE DEPARTMENT TO SUPERVISE AND ADMINISTER ACTIVITIES OF CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES.

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

Definition

SECTION 1. Item (O) of Section 20-7-490 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"(O) 'Local child protective service agency' means the agency or Department of Social Services in a county or contiguous counties having prime responsibility for local efforts to strengthen and improve the prevention, identification, and treatment of child abuse and neglect."

Acts of agency

SECTION 2. Section 20-7-650 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding a new subsection at the end to read:

"( ) The agency in all instances must act in accordance with the policies, procedures, and regulations that are promulgated and distributed by the State Department of Social Services pursuant to this chapter."

State Department of Social Services to

supervise child protective services

SECTION 3. Section 43-1-80 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"Section 43-1-80. The State Department shall supervise and administer the public welfare activities and functions of the State as provided in Chapters 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 19, and 23 and child protective services as referred to in Title 20, Chapter 7 or as otherwise authorized by law and may act as the agent of the State, cooperate with any federal agency for the purpose of carrying out matters of mutual concern and administer any federal funds granted the State in the furtherance of the duties imposed upon the State Department. The Department shall study the various social problems confronting the State, inquiring into their causes and possible cures, making such surveys, gathering such statistics, and formulating such recommended public policies in connection thereto as may be in the interest of the State, and shall make such information available in published form. The Department may adopt all necessary rules and regulations and formulate policies and methods of administration, when not otherwise fixed by law, to carry out effectively the activities and responsibilities delegated to it. The aim of the Department shall be to promote the unified development of welfare activities and agencies of the State and local governments so that each agency and governmental institution may function as an integral part of a general system."

Regulations

SECTION 4. Section 20-7-640 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding a subsection to read:

"(E) The State Department of Social Services may adopt all necessary rules and regulations and formulate policies and methods of administration to carry out effectively child protective services, activities, and responsibilities."

Time effective

SECTION 5. This act shall take effect upon approval by the Governor.