South Carolina 2025-2026 Regular Session Status: In Committee

H 3390 — Homicide by child abuse

Last action — Referred to Committee on Judiciary

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  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. 2
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed House
  4. 4
    Passed Senate
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill is in committee in the House. Introduced December 05, 2024. It must pass committee before a floor vote.

Next likely step: a committee vote, then a floor vote in the House.

Prognosis

Stalled 20% · moderate confidence

Where this bill stands today.

Odds of enactment

Low

How often bills like it became law.

  • In Committee

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 4 sponsors

    4 primary, 0 co-sponsors signed on.

Prognosis reads this bill's own signals — stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes and cross-state momentum. Odds come from a model trained on which bills have become law.

Summary

A BILL TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 16-3-85, RELATING TO HOMICIDE BY CHILD ABUSE, SO AS TO INCREASE THE AGE OF A CHILD UNDER THIS SECTION FROM UNDER THE AGE OF ELEVEN TO UNDER THE AGE EIGHTEEN.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

56 added · 21 removed

Plain-language change summary

The recent amendment to Bill H 3390 extends the definition of "homicide by child abuse" to include children under the age of eighteen instead of just those under eleven. This change aims to better protect older minors from severe harm while reinforcing accountability for abusive behaviors that can lead to such tragedies. By increasing the age limit, the law acknowledges that older children are also vulnerable to abuse and neglect, and it ensures that perpetrators can face harsher penalties regardless of a child's age.

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2025-2026 Bill 3390 Text of Previous Version (Dec.
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06, 2024) - South Carolina Legislature Online South Carolina General Assembly126th Session, 2025-2026Bill 3390Indicates Matter StrickenIndicates New Matter(Text matches printed bills.
Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)                 A bill   TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 16-3-85, RELATING TO HOMICIDE BY CHILD ABUSE, SO AS TO INCREASE THE AGE OF A CHILD UNDER THIS SECTION FROM UNDER THE AGE OF ELEVEN TO UNDER THE AGE EIGHTEEN.
  Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
  SECTION 1.  Section 16-3-85 of the S.C.
Code is amended to read:
      Section 16-3-85.
(A) A person is guilty of homicide by child abuse if the person:
       (1) causes the death of a child under the age of eleven eighteen while committing child abuse or neglect, and the death occurs under circumstances manifesting an extreme indifference to human life;
or        (2) knowingly aids and abets another person to commit child abuse or neglect, and the child abuse or neglect results in the death of a child under the age of eleven eighteen.
    (B) For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:
       (1) "child Child abuse or neglect" means an act or omission by any person which causes harm to the child's physical health or welfare;
       (2) "harm Harm" to a child's health or welfare occurs when a person:
           (a) inflicts or allows to be inflicted upon the child physical injury, including injuries sustained as a result of excessive corporal punishment;
           (b) fails to supply the child with adequate food, clothing, shelter, or health care, and the failure to do so causes a physical injury or condition resulting in death;  or            (c) abandons the child resulting in the child's death.
    (C) Homicide by child abuse is a felony and a person who is convicted of or pleads guilty to homicide by child abuse:
       (1) under subsection (A)(1) may be imprisoned for life but not less than a term of twenty years;
or        (2) under subsection (A)(2) must be imprisoned for a term not exceeding twenty years nor less than ten years.
    (D) In sentencing a person under this section, the judge must consider any aggravating circumstances including, but not limited to, a defendant's past pattern of child abuse or neglect of a child under the age of eleven eighteen, and any mitigating circumstances;
however, a child's crying does not constitute provocation so as to be considered a mitigating circumstance.
  SECTION 2.  This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.
----XX---- This web page was last updated on December 06, 2024 at 11:36 AM
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Action History

  1. Referred to Committee on Judiciary

  2. Introduced and read first time

  3. Referred to Committee on Judiciary

  4. Prefiled

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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4 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 166 not signed on

Sponsors (4)

Co-sponsors (0)

None.

Not signed on (166)

166 members have not signed on to this bill.

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"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Subjects

public-safety civil-rights
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Frequently asked questions

What does H 3390 do?
A BILL TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 16-3-85, RELATING TO HOMICIDE BY CHILD ABUSE, SO AS TO INCREASE THE AGE OF A CHILD UNDER THIS SECTION FROM UNDER THE AGE OF ELEVEN TO UNDER THE AGE EIGHTEEN.
Who sponsors H 3390?
H 3390 is sponsored by Representative Thomas E. "Tommy" Pope, Representative Robby Robbins, Representative Donald G. "Don" Chapman, and Representative Fawn M. Pedalino.
What is the current status of H 3390?
This bill is in committee in the House. Introduced December 05, 2024. It must pass committee before a floor vote.
Where can I track H 3390?
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