The bill H. 4725 proposes to amend the South Carolina Code of Laws by adding Section 59-33-130, which mandates that all K-12 public schools record special education classroom instruction. This includes various instructional activities, whether conducted in-person or virtually, and requires schools to maintain the necessary recording equipment and secure storage for these recordings. Schools must inform students and their guardians about the recording upon enrollment and obtain explicit written consent for recordings, which must be retained for five years. The recordings will be accessible to the public for five years, subject to privacy protections such as redaction of personal identifiers.

Additionally, the bill outlines the responsibilities of the State Department of Education in overseeing compliance and providing guidance to schools. Schools are required to submit annual reports detailing their compliance and any privacy concerns, and they must notify the department of any interruptions in recording capabilities. The bill also prohibits the commercial use of these recordings, establishing penalties for violations. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2026.

Statutes affected:
12/17/2025: 59-33-130
Latest Version: 59-33-130