Committee debates adoption-timeline changes in S.121; DSS warns of court and fiscal impacts

Senate Bill S.121, introduced by Senator Garrett, drew extended discussion and was carried over by the Child Welfare Subcommittee after testimony from agency and private-sector witnesses about possible unintended consequences.

Senator Garrett described S.121 as a package to “implement changes to the adoption process in South Carolina by shortening the deadlines of when permanency planning hearings must be held and setting a time to file background reports.” He told the committee the bill also “reduces deadlines for reunification after a child has been placed in foster care,” provides guidance on post-adoption contact agreements and would establish a tax credit for qualified adoption expenses.

Conley Ann Ragley, testifying for the Department of Social Services (DSS), said the department supports timely permanency but raised several concerns. Ragley told the committee that a narrow portion of the bill touches Daniel’s Law — the state’s safe-haven statute for infants — and warned that a provision (section 1.B.2) that would require every qualifying safe-haven location to be provided with department materials could create a substantial…