TO AMEND SECTION 63-7-310, AS AMENDED, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO MANDATED REPORTERS OF CHILD ABUSE OR NEGLECT, SO AS TO ADD PARENTS, STEPPARENTS, AND GUARDIANS AS MANDATED REPORTERS.

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

SECTION    1.    Section 63-7-310(A) of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 222 of 2018, is further amended to read:

"(A)    The following persons must report in accordance with this section when, in such person's professional capacity, he has received information that gives him reason to believe that a child has been or may be abused or neglected as defined in Section 63-7-20: a physician, nurse, dentist, optometrist, medical examiner, or coroner, or an employee of a county medical examiner's or coroner's office, or any other medical, emergency medical services, mental health, or allied health professional, a member of the clergy, including a Christian Science Practitioner or religious healer, a clerical or nonclerical religious counselor who charges for services, a school teacher, counselor, principal, assistant principal, school attendance officer, social or public assistance worker, substance abuse treatment staff, or childcare worker in a childcare center or foster care facility, a foster parent, parent, stepparent, or guardian of the child, a police or law enforcement officer, a juvenile justice worker, an undertaker, a funeral home director or employee of a funeral home, persons a person responsible for processing films, a computer technician, a judge, and a volunteer non-attorney guardian ad litem serving on behalf of the South Carolina Guardian Ad Litem Program or on behalf of Richland County CASA."

SECTION    2.    This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.