South Carolina 2018-2019 Appropriations Bill (HB 4950)

HB 4950 is a budget bill which includes a provision that allows child-placement agencies to refuse to provide any service that conflicts with a “sincerely-held religious belief or moral conviction.”

The provision (section 38.29) defines child-placing agency to mean “any person or entity who holds legal or physical custody of a child for the purpose of placement of foster care or adoption or a private placement and, which for the purposes of these regulations, retain their own system of foster homes.”

The provision prohibits the state from taking any adverse action against a faith-based child-placing agency, or an agency seeking to become a child-placing agency on the basis that such an agency has declined or will decline services due to a religious belief or moral conviction.

Child-placement agencies may now be allowed to discriminate against same-sex couples or LGBTQ individuals looking to adopt.

Sponsors

Sponsored by the House of Delegates Ways and Means Committee.

STATUS

Passed the house on March 14, 2018, by a 117-2 vote.

Amended and passed the senate on April 12, 2018, by a 37-4 vote.

Passed the house on June 28, 2018, by a 84-28 vote.

Passed the senate on June 28, 2018, by a 30-9 vote.