Senate subcommittee advances bill to shorten foster-care permanency timelines and speed adoptions

A Senate Family and Veteran Services subcommittee voted to give bill S.240 a favorable report to the full committee on a voice vote after adopting amendments that tighten timelines for permanency planning and speed steps toward adoption.

The bill, introduced on the floor by Senator Billy Garrett, would reduce the time before a court moves from reunification efforts to a permanency plan that can include termination of parental rights (TPR). "All we're trying to do is take 3 months off of the permanency planning and instead of having, we'll have to wait a year and 18, excuse me, 18 months total, bring it down to 15 months," Garrett said when explaining the measure's core change.

Why it matters: Subcommittee members, adoptive attorneys and child-welfare officials said shorter deadlines and earlier hearings should reduce the number of children who linger in foster care and improve chances of adoption. Amanda Whittle, state child advocate and director of the Department of Children's Advocacy, told the panel that "time matters," noting federal guidance seeking permanency within 24 months and arguing earlier hearings reduce long stays that worsen outcomes. Whittle added, "as of today, there are 3,274 children and youth in foster care in South Carolina," and said an earlier permanency-planning hearing helps identify necessary next steps sooner.

Key pro…