H 4854

A Bill To Amend Section 63-7-20, As Amended, Code Of Laws Of South Carolina, 1976, Relating To Terms Defined In The South Carolina Children'S Code, So As To Incorporate "Torture" Into The Definition Of "Child Abuse Or Neglect" And To Define The Term; To Amend Section 63-7-1640, As Amended, Relating To Family Preservation And Reunification, So As To Allow The Department Of Social Services To Forego Reasonable Efforts To Reunify A Family In The Case Of Torture; To Amend Section 63-7-2570, As Amended, Relating To Grounds For Termination Of Parental Rights, So As To Add Torture, Or Conspiring To Commit Torture, As A Ground For Terminating A Parent'S Rights; To Amend Section 16-3-85, Relating To Homicide By Child Abuse, So As To Add Death Of A Child By Torture, Or By Conspiring To Torture, As Actions Constituting The Offense, And To Establish Criminal Penalties; By Adding Section 16-3-100 So As To Provide That Torturing A Child, Or Allowing Another To Torture A Child, Is A Criminal Offense, And To Establish Penalties; And For Other Purposes.