The Joint Citizens and Legislative Committee on Children has released its 2024 Annual Report. The report includes topics of concern identified by committee members, stakeholders, partners and constituents. It makes recommendations for consideration by Gov. McMaster and the General Assembly.
The 2024 Annual Report addresses several issues facing children. Still, much of the report is dedicated to children’s safety and wellbeing threats. The committee learned about predators morphing images of identifiable children into pictures of child sexual abuse material or using AI to generate child sexual abuse material, neither of which is currently addressed under state law. Child sex trafficking victims can still be adjudicated delinquent under state law for status offenses and non-violent criminal offenses related to being trafficked. Additionally, guardians ad litem in private cases, who interview and meet with children, operate without oversight by any entity, meaning someone with nefarious intentions could take advantage of this regulatory loophole to gain access to children. South Carolina’s laws must be updated and enhanced to remain effective in prosecuting those who place children in jeopardy and protecting child victims.
“State law cannot keep pace with technology, but we can be proactive and update our laws to address issues law enforcement sees in South Carolina,” said committee chair, Sen. Brad Hutto. “The Attorney General’s office and the Internet Crimes Against Children unit told us the number of these incidents is increasing exponentially year over year.”
“We would like to extend protections in state law for child victims of trafficking for ‘status offenses’ and ‘non-violent offenses’ they commit due to being trafficked,” said vice-chair Rep. Paula Rawl Calhoon. “These children and youth need services and care to recover from trauma and abuse they experienced, not potential time in DJJ or Corrections.”
The committee is a consortium of legislators, Governor-appointed citizens, and agency directors charged with identifying and studying issues facing South Carolina’s children and making policy recommendations to the Governor and General Assembly. The Committee on Children is the only legislative committee charged with looking comprehensively at issues affecting children and coordinating legislative efforts to address them.
For additional information about the Committee on Children, current legislative initiatives, hearings and publications, email Shealy Reibold at shealyreibold@sc.edu.
The annual report is available on the committee’s website at www.sccommitteeonchildren.org/publications.
The committee is a consortium of legislators, governor-appointed citizens, and agency directors who identify and study issues facing South Carolina’s children and make policy recommendations to the governor and general assembly.
Members include:
Sen. Brad Hutto (Chair) – Dist. 40 (Allendale, Bamberg, Barnwell, Colleton, Hampton and Orangeburg counties)
Sen. Katrina Shealy – Dist. 23 (Lexington Co.)
Sen. Mike Reichenbach – Dist. 31 (Darlington & Florence counties)
Rep. Paula Rawl Calhoon (Vice-chair) – Dist. 87 (Lexington)
Rep. Beth Bernstein – Dist. 78 (Richland)
Rep. Raye Felder – Dist. 26 (York)
Dr. Kay Phillips, Ph.D. – Executive Director, Dorchester Children’s Advocacy Center, Summerville
W. Derek Lewis – Executive Director, Greenville First Steps
Bronwyn McElveen – Asst. Solicitor for the Third Circuit Solicitor (Sumter)
