Bill S. 121 seeks to amend the South Carolina Code of Laws regarding adoption and child welfare, introducing several key changes aimed at expediting the adoption process and improving child welfare. Notable amendments include a requirement for safe havens to inform individuals about the legal implications of leaving an infant, a reduction in the timeline for permanency planning hearings from one year to nine months after a child is placed in foster care, and a mandate for the Department to complete background investigations within sixty days of filing a petition to terminate parental rights. The bill also decreases the maximum time for reunification extensions from eighteen months to fifteen months and requires that permanency planning hearings occur quarterly following a termination of parental rights hearing.

Additionally, the bill mandates that unmarried biological fathers receive notice of termination of parental rights actions and obligates the court to assess the safety of a child's home during termination hearings. It introduces enforceable post-adoption contact agreements, provided they are agreed upon in writing by the involved parties. Furthermore, the bill establishes a tax credit for residents claiming federal tax credits for qualified adoption expenses related to domestic adoptions, capped at $2,500 per child adopted, and allows taxpayers to carry the credit forward for up to five years. Overall, these changes aim to streamline the adoption process, protect the rights of all parties involved, and provide financial support to families adopting children.

Statutes affected:
12/11/2024: 63-7-40, 63-7-1700, 63-7-1710, 63-7-2550, 63-7-2570, 63-9-730, 63-9-760, 63-9-765, 63-7-820, 12-6-3595
12/11/2024-A: 63-7-40, 63-7-1700, 63-7-1710, 63-7-2550, 63-7-2570, 63-9-730, 63-9-760, 63-9-765, 63-7-820, 12-6-3595
04/16/2025: 63-7-40, 63-7-1700, 63-7-1710, 63-7-2550, 63-7-2570, 63-9-730, 63-9-760, 63-9-765, 63-7-820, 12-6-3595
04/22/2025: 63-7-40, 63-7-1700, 63-7-1710, 63-7-2550, 63-7-2570, 63-9-730, 63-9-760, 63-9-765, 63-7-820, 12-6-3595
04/22/2025-A: 63-7-40, 63-7-1700, 63-7-1710, 63-7-2550, 63-7-2570, 63-9-730, 63-9-760, 63-9-765, 63-7-820, 12-6-3595
04/29/2025: 63-7-40, 63-7-1700, 63-7-1710, 63-7-2550, 63-7-2570, 63-9-730, 63-9-760, 63-9-765, 63-7-820, 12-6-3595
05/08/2025: 63-7-40, 63-7-1700, 63-7-1710, 63-7-2550, 63-7-2570, 63-9-730, 63-9-760, 63-9-765, 63-7-820, 12-6-3595
Latest Version: 63-7-40, 63-7-1700, 63-7-1710, 63-7-2550, 63-7-2570, 63-9-730, 63-9-760, 63-9-765, 63-7-820, 12-6-3595