Parental Leave

2025-2026 Bill 4611: Parental Leave - South Carolina Legislature Online

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026
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Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter
H. 4611
STATUS INFORMATION
General Bill
Sponsors: Reps. T. Moore, Collins, C. Mitchell, B. Newton, Pope, Clyburn, Spann-Wilder, Martin, Teeple, Schuessler, Hewitt, Willis, M.M. Smith, Erickson, Weeks, Hartnett, Bowers, Reese, Lastinger and Govan
Document Path: LC-0404SA26.docx
Introduced in the House on January 13, 2026
Introduced in the Senate on April 16, 2026
Currently residing in the Senate Committee on
Finance
Summary: Parental Leave
HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS

Date

Body

Action Description with journal page number

12/16/2025

House

Prefiled

12/16/2025

House

Referred to Committee on
Ways and Means

1/13/2026

House

Introduced and read first time (
House Journal-page 36
)

1/13/2026

House

Referred to Committee on
Ways and Means
(
House Journal-page 36
)

1/21/2026

House

Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Teeple,
Schuessler

3/25/2026

House

Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Hewitt

3/26/2026

House

Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Willis

3/31/2026

House

Member(s) request name added as sponsor: M.M.
Smith, Erickson

4/1/2026

House

Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Weeks

4/2/2026

House

Committee report: Favorable
Ways and Means
(
House Journal-page 9
)

4/14/2026

House

Member(s) request name added as sponsor:
Hartnett, Bowers, Reese, Lastinger

4/15/2026

House

Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Govan

4/15/2026

House

Read second time (
House Journal-page 22
)

4/15/2026

House

Roll call Yeas-105 Nays-0 (
House Journal-page 23
)

4/16/2026

House

Read third time and sent to Senate (
House Journal-page 13
)

4/16/2026

Senate

Introduced and read first time (
Senate Journal-page 4
)

4/16/2026

Senate

Referred to Committee on
Finance
(
Senate Journal-page 4
)

View the latest
legislative information
at the website
VERSIONS OF THIS BILL
12/17/2025
04/02/2026

Indicates Matter
Stricken

Indicates New Matter

Committee Report

April 2, 2026

H. 4611

Introduced by Reps. T. Moore, Collins, C.
Mitchell, B. Newton, Pope, Clyburn, Spann-Wilder, Martin, Teeple, Schuessler,
Hewitt, Willis, M. M. Smith, Erickson and Weeks

S. Printed 4/2/26--H.

Read the first time January 13, 2026

________

The committee on House Ways and
Means

To whom was referred a Bill (H. 4611) to amend
the South Carolina Code of Laws by amending Sections
8-11-150
and
8-11-151
,
both relating to paid parental leave, so as to provide that paid parental leave,
etc., respectfully

Report:

That they have duly and carefully considered
the same, and recommend that the same do pass:

B.W. BANNISTER for Committee.

statement of estimated fiscal impact

Explanation of Fiscal Impact

State Expenditure

This bill adds "stillbirth" as defined in
Section
44-63-55
to the list of qualifying events under which a state employee
or an employee of a school district may be eligible for parental leave.
Currently, qualifying events defined in statute include the birth of a newborn
biological child to an eligible state employee or school district employee, the
birth of a newborn child by a co-parent, or fostering a child in state custody.
Eligible employees who experience a stillbirth may receive either six or two
weeks of leave under the current parental leave program. This bill will have no
impact on state agencies, as Admin indicates that DSHR has already interpreted
the law to provide parental leave to employees who experience a stillbirth.

Local Expenditure

This bill adds "stillbirth" as defined in
Section
44-63-55
to the list of qualifying events under which a school district
employee may be eligible for parental leave. SCDE surveyed all school districts
in the state and received 23 responses that varied widely by district and cost
assumptions used. Most responding districts indicate that their current
parental leave policy includes stillbirths as a qualifying event, or that the
addition of stillbirths would result in a minimal fiscal impact. Some districts
quantified the entire cost of parental leave for their district, or the cost
per teacher using parental leave, and included already budgeted salary
expenses. However, the total impact of this bill will depend on the number of additional
teachers that are eligible for parental leave under the bill, the substitute
teacher rate in the district, and any ancillary costs incurred as a result of
the parental leave, including instances of leave payout if an employee
separates from covered employment. Overall, the expenditure impact for school
districts is not expected to be significant given the limited scope of the
change.

Frank A. Rainwater, Executive Director

Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Office

_______

A bill

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING
SECTIONS
8-11-150
AND
8-11-151
, BOTH RELATING TO PAID PARENTAL LEAVE, SO AS TO
PROVIDE THAT PAID PARENTAL LEAVE APPLIES TO STILLBIRTHS.

B
e it enacted by the
General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

S
ECTION 1.
S
ection
8-11-150
(A) and (B) of the S.C. Code is
amended to read:

(
A) For the purposes of this section:

(
1)
"Child" means a newborn biological child or foster of a child in state custody
and under the age of eighteen. No child can have more than two parents eligible
for paid parental leave.

(
2)
"Eligible state employee" means an employee occupying any percentage of a
full-time equivalent position.

(
3)
"Paid parental leave" means six weeks of paid leave at one hundred percent of
the eligible state employee's base pay or two weeks of paid leave at one
hundred percent of the eligible state employee's base pay. Leave for part-time
eligible state employees must be on a prorated basis corresponding to the
percentage of hours they are normally scheduled to work.

(
4)
"Qualifying event" means the birth of a newborn biological child
or stillbirth
to an eligible state employee or after a
co-parent's birth of a newborn child
, stillbirth,

or fostering a child in state custody.

(
5) "Stillbirth" has the same meaning
as defined in Section
44-63-55
.

(
B)
Eligible state employees who are employed by this State, its departments,
agencies, or institutions and who give birth
or stillbirth

are entitled to receive six weeks of paid parental leave. Other eligible
state employees who do not give birth are entitled to receive two weeks of paid
parental leave.

S
ECTION 2.
S
ection
8-11-151
(A) of the S.C. Code is amended to
read:

(
A) For the purposes of this section:

(
1)
"Child" means a newborn biological child or foster of a child in state custody
and under the age of eighteen. No child can have more than two parents eligible
for paid parental leave.

(
2)
"Eligible school district employee" means an employee defined by the Department
of Education using the Professional Certified Staff system or any full-time
equivalent position categorized as classified staff.

(
3)
"Paid parental leave," for the purpose of duration and percentage of base pay
covered, has the same meaning as Section
8-11-150
(3) for eligible school
district employees.

(
4)
"Qualifying event" means the birth of a newborn biological child
or stillbirth
to an eligible school district employee or
after a coparent's birth of a newborn child
, stillbirth,

or fostering a child in state custody.

(
5) "Stillbirth" has the same meaning
as defined in Section
44-63-55
.

S
ECTION 3. This act takes effect upon approval
by the Governor.

----XX----

This web page was last updated on April 2, 2026 at 4:11 PM