S 28 is sponsored by Senator Brad Hutto, Senator Mike Reichenbach, Senator Stephen L. Goldfinch, Senator Matthew W. "Matt" Leber, Senator Darrell Jackson, Senator Thomas C. Alexander, Senator Rex F. Rice, Senator Tom Fernandez, Senator George E. "Chip" Campsen III, Senator JD Chaplin, Senator Brian Adams, Senator Tom Young, Jr., Senator Billy Garrett, Senator Jason Elliott, Senator Ross Turner, Senator Russell L. Ott, Senator Jeffrey R. Graham, Senator Ed Sutton, Senator Ronnie W. Cromer, Senator Daniel B. "Danny" Verdin III, Senator Carlisle Kennedy, Senator Wes Climer, Senator Jeff Zell, and Senator Tameika Isaac Devine.

Where can I track S 28?

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South Carolina 2025-2026 Regular Session Status: Enacted

S 28 — AI Child Abuse

Last action May 27, 2025 — Act No. 57

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Introduced
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In Committee
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Passed Senate
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Passed House
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To Executive
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Enacted

This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced December 11, 2024. Enacted.

Signed by Governor Henry McMaster (Republican) on May 22, 2025.

Prognosis

Likely to advance 64% · moderate confidence

Where this bill stands today.

Odds of enactment

High

How often bills like it became law.

Enacted

Current position in the legislative process.
24 sponsors

24 primary, 0 co-sponsors signed on.
Mixed recorded votes

7 passed, 1 failed in recorded votes so far.

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

AN ACT TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ADDING SECTION 16-15-390 SO AS TO CREATE THE OFFENSE OF OBSCENE VISUAL REPRESENTATIONS OF CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE, DEFINE TERMS, AND ESTABLISH PENALTIES; BY AMENDING SECTION 23-3-430, RELATING TO THE SEX OFFENDER REGISTRY, SO AS TO ADD THE OFFENSE OF OBSCENE VISUAL REPRESENTATIONS OF CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE TO THE SEX OFFENDER REGISTRY; AND BY AMENDING SECTION 23-3-462, RELATING TO TERMINATION OF REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS, SO AS TO MAKE CONFORMING CHANGES. - RATIFIED TITLE

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

10 added · 53 removed

Plain-language change summary

The latest version of Bill S 28 has added the specific offense of "obscene visual representations of child sexual abuse" to the sex offender registry, which strengthens laws surrounding child protection. Additionally, it includes changes to the registration requirements linked to this offense. These amendments are important as they aim to enhance legal tools to combat child exploitation and ensure that offenders are more closely monitored. This reflects a commitment to improving safeguards for children in South Carolina.

2025-2026 Bill 28 Text of Previous Version ~~(Feb.~~(Dec.

~~05,~~11, ~~2025)~~2024) - South Carolina Legislature Online South Carolina General Assembly126th Session, 2025-2026Bill 28Indicates Matter StrickenIndicates New Matter(Text matches printed bills.

Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.) ~~Indicates~~ ~~Matter~~ ~~Stricken~~ ~~Indicates~~ ~~New~~ ~~Matter~~ ~~Committee~~ ~~Report~~A ~~February~~bill 5, ~~2025~~TO AMEND S.THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ADDING SECTION 16-15-390 SO AS TO CREATE THE OFFENSE OF OBSCENE VISUAL REPRESENTATIONS OF CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE, DEFINE TERMS, AND ESTABLISH PENALTIES;

~~28 Introduced by Senators Hutto, Reichenbach, Goldfinch, Leber, Jackson, Alexander, Rice, Fernandez, Campsen, Chaplin, Devine, Adams, Young, Garrett, Elliott, Turner, Ott, Graham and Sutton S.~~

~~Printed 2/5/25--S.~~

~~Read the first time January 14, 2025 ________ The committee on Senate Judiciary To whom was referred a Bill (S.~~

~~28) to amend the South Carolina Code of Laws by adding Section 16-15-390 so as to create the offense of obscene visual representations of child sexual abuse, define, etc., respectfully Report:~~

~~That they have duly and carefully considered the same, and recommend that the same do pass with amendment:~~

~~Amend the bill, as and if amended, SECTION 2, by striking Section 23-3-430(C)(1)(i) and (j) and inserting:~~

~~(i) any other offense as described in Section 23-3-430(D), or;~~

~~(j) any other offense required by Title I of the federal Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006 (Pub.~~

~~109-248), the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).;~~

~~or Amend the bill further, SECTION 3, by striking Section 23-3-462(A)(1)(b) and inserting:~~

(b) after fifteen years of twenty-five years of having been registered for at least twenty-five years or after twenty-five years from the date of discharge from incarceration without supervision, or the termination of active supervision of probation, parole, or any other active alternative to incarceration, if the offender was convicted as an adult, and was required to register as is a Tier II offender;

~~Renumber sections to conform.~~

~~Amend title to conform.~~

~~LUKE RANKIN for Committee.~~

_______ A bill TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ADDING SECTION 16-15-390 SO AS TO CREATE THE OFFENSE OF OBSCENE VISUAL REPRESENTATIONS OF CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE, DEFINE TERMS, AND ESTABLISH PENALTIES;

----XX---- This web page was last updated on ~~February~~December ~~05,~~11, ~~2025~~2024 at ~~06:15~~04:24 PM

Latest

2025-2026 Bill 28 Text of Previous Version ~~(Feb.~~

2025-2026 Bill 28 Text of Previous Version (Dec.

~~05,~~ ~~2025)~~ - South Carolina Legislature Online South Carolina General Assembly126th Session, 2025-2026Bill 28Indicates Matter StrickenIndicates New Matter(Text matches printed bills.

11, 2024) - South Carolina Legislature Online South Carolina General Assembly126th Session, 2025-2026Bill 28Indicates Matter StrickenIndicates New Matter(Text matches printed bills.

Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.) ~~Indicates~~ ~~Matter~~ ~~Stricken~~ ~~Indicates~~ ~~New~~ ~~Matter~~ ~~Committee~~ ~~Report~~ ~~February~~ 5, ~~2025~~ S.

Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.) A bill TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ADDING SECTION 16-15-390 SO AS TO CREATE THE OFFENSE OF OBSCENE VISUAL REPRESENTATIONS OF CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE, DEFINE TERMS, AND ESTABLISH PENALTIES;