The bill H. 4651 aims to amend the South Carolina Code of Laws by adding Section 63-15-115, which addresses parental alienation in custody cases. It mandates that if a court determines that a party has engaged in parental alienation, the offending party must reimburse the targeted parent for specific costs. These include reasonable attorney's fees incurred due to the alienating behavior, expenses related to supervised visitation, reunification therapy, and fees for court-appointed professionals such as custody evaluators and guardians ad litem.

Additionally, the bill stipulates that the court cannot waive the reimbursement unless it finds clear and convincing evidence that doing so would cause undue financial hardship to the offending party, which must significantly outweigh the need for accountability in the child's best interest. The provisions outlined in this bill are supplementary to existing legal remedies and do not limit the court's ability to modify custody or visitation arrangements based on the child's best interests. The act will take effect upon the Governor's approval.

Statutes affected:
12/17/2025: 63-15-115
Latest Version: 63-15-115