Scored 8/10 on whether it helps or hurts everyday people.
The Hearings & Credit Bill
SC bill speeds adoption hearings and adds tax credit
Adoption
Good for everyday people ·
The bill would make adoption courts act faster, require more info on kids, and give a tax credit to families who adopt.
Our take
What we think, in plain words.
If passed, children could find permanent homes sooner, reducing time in foster care. Parents who adopt will get a tax break, making adoption costs easier to handle. The bill also adds paperwork for the state, so watchdogs should watch how it is funded.
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The facts
What the bill actually says, no spin.
- Safe havens must give people leaving a baby information about the legal effect of leaving the infant.
- Permanency planning hearings must happen within nine months instead of a year.
- The department must file a background report on the child within 60 days of a termination petition.
- Unmarried biological fathers must be served with termination of parental rights notices.
- Post‑adoption contact agreements become enforceable if both parties agree.
- A tax credit is created for residents who claim the federal adoption credit.
How they voted
The actual floor vote, and who broke from their own party.
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In the news
Scanning the news for this bill…
Headlines gathered from across the news, starting points to explore, not endorsements. Always read the official text before acting.
Sources
Read it yourself: the official bill and records.
This bill is in the South Carolina Bill Book 2026
The best and worst South Carolina bills of 2026, one page each — our take on the left, the bill on the right, and room for your notes. No email needed.
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