Childcare Facilities

2025-2026 Bill 4632: Childcare Facilities - South Carolina Legislature Online

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026
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H. 4632
STATUS INFORMATION
General Bill
Sponsors: Reps. Martin, M.M. Smith, Pope, C. Mitchell and Guffey
Document Path: LC-0337VR26.docx
Introduced in the House on January 13, 2026
Currently residing in the House
Summary: Childcare Facilities
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
Education and Public Works

1/13/2026

House

Introduced and read first time (
House Journal-page 41
)

1/13/2026

House

Referred to Committee on
Education and Public Works
(
House Journal-page 41
)

1/21/2026

House

Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Guffey

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legislative information
at the website
VERSIONS OF THIS BILL
12/17/2025

A bill

TO AMEND THE SOUTH
CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ENACTING THE "CASH BERRY CHILDCARE SAFETY AND QUALITY
RATING ACT" BY ADDING SECTION
63-13-220
SO AS TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT OF
SOCIAL SERVICES TO DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT A CHILDCARE FACILITY SAFETY AND
QUALITY GRADING SYSTEM AND TO PROMULGATE APPLICABLE REGULATIONS TO IMPLEMENT
THE SYSTEM; TO REQUIRE LICENSED CHILDCARE FACILITIES TO POST THEIR GRADE ON A
PLACARD IN A PROMINENT LOCATION AND TO PROHIBIT TAMPERING WITH THE PLACARD; TO
REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT TO ESTABLISH A SEARCHABLE ONLINE DATABASE WITH CHILDCARE
FACILITY GRADES AND INSPECTION HISTORY; TO ALLOW CHILDCARE FACILITIES TO
REQUEST REINSPECTIONS IN CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES; TO ESTABLISH PENALTIES FOR
CHILDCARE FACILITIES THAT FAIL TO DISPLAY THEIR ASSIGNED GRADE; AND FOR OTHER
PURPOSES.

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

S
ECTION 1.
This act may be cited as the "Cash Berry Childcare Safety and Quality
Rating Act."

S
ECTION 2.
A
rticle 1, Chapter 13, Title 63 of the S.C. Code is
amended by adding:

S
ection
63-13-220
.
(
A) For purposes of this
section, "grade" means a letter grade of A, B, C, D, or F assigned by the
Department of Social Services to reflect a childcare facility's compliance and
performance based on inspection and data criteria.

(
B)
(
1) The department shall develop and
implement a childcare safety and quality grading system for all licensed
childcare facilities in South Carolina.

(
2)
The grading system must:

(
a)
assign each licensed childcare facility a letter grade of A, B, C, D, or F,
reflecting the overall performance of the childcare facility;

(
b)
be based upon objective, measurable data collected during department
inspections, reviews, and reports; and

(
c)
include, but not be limited to, the following factors:

(
i)
compliance with department regulations and safety standards;

(
ii) cleanliness and sanitary
conditions of the childcare facility;

(
iii) completion and accuracy of
mandatory incident and injury reports;

(
iv) number and severity of
substantiated violations or citations within the prior thirty-six months;

(
v)
background check compliance and staff credential verification;

(
vi) record of any criminal activity
occurring on or near the premises;

(
vii) child-staff ratios and
supervision policies;

(
viii) emergency preparedness and
response plans; and

(
ix) documented injuries, accidents,
or substantiated abuse or neglect incidents.

(
3)
The department shall promulgate regulations establishing:

(
a)
the weighting of each criterion used in the grade calculation;

(
b)
procedures for calculating composite scores;

(
c)
frequency of reinspection and regrading, which must be no less than annually;
and

(
d)
procedures for appeal and correction by the childcare operator.

(
4)
The department may coordinate with the Department of Public Health, the
Department of Public Safety, and other state agencies to obtain relevant data
for evaluation.

(
C)
(
1) Every licensed childcare facility
shall post its current grade in a prominent place next to its license or
registration using a standardized placard provided by the department.

(
2)
The placard must:

(
a)
display the childcare facility's current letter grade;

(
b)
include the most recent date of inspection; and

(
c)
contain a QR code or website address linking to the department's online portal
where parents can review the full inspection history and explanation of grading
criteria.

(
3)
It is unlawful for any person or childcare facility to alter, obscure, or
remove the official department grade placard without authorization.

(
D)
(
1) The department shall maintain and
update a publicly accessible online database listing each licensed childcare
facility's:

(
a)
current grade and inspection date;

(
b)
violation history for the past three years;

(
c)
corrective actions taken; and

(
d)
contact information and capacity of the childcare facility.

(
2)
The online database maintained pursuant to this subsection must be searchable
by county, zip code, and childcare facility name.

(
E)
(
1) A childcare facility receiving a
grade below a "B" may request a reinspection after submitting proof of
corrective action.

(
2)
The department must conduct the reinspection within sixty days of receiving a
request pursuant to item (1).

(
3)
The department shall establish administrative appeal procedures for childcare
facilities contesting their grade.

(
F)
(
1) A childcare facility that fails to
display its assigned grade in accordance with subsection (C) may be subject to:

(
a)
a civil fine of up to five hundred dollars for each day of noncompliance; or

(
b)
suspension or revocation of its license for repeated violations.

(
2)
The department may impose additional penalties for falsifying, tampering with,
or misrepresenting any grade.

(
G)
The department shall promulgate regulations to carry out the provisions of this
section within twelve months of enactment including, but not limited to:

(
1)
grading methodology;

(
2)
public signage standards;

(
3)
data-sharing protocols between state agencies; and

(
4)
procedures for parental complaints or reporting violations.

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

----XX----

This web page was last updated on January 13, 2026 at 2:43 PM