KLS Keeping Law Simple Legislation in plain English

Straight-ahead summaries built from the official bill text. We keep the source links front and center and leave the decision up to you.

Back to South Carolina

H4638 • 2026

Human Embryos

Human Embryos

Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor
Reps. Oremus, McCravy, Pope, Chumley and White
Last action
2026-01-20
Official status
Member(s) request name added as sponsor: White
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Human Embryos

Human Embryos

What This Bill Does

  • Human Embryos

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. 2026-01-20 House

    Member(s) request name added as sponsor: White

  2. 2026-01-13 House

    Introduced and read first time ( House Journal-page 43 )

  3. 2026-01-13 House

    Referred to Committee on Judiciary ( House Journal-page 43 )

  4. 2025-12-16 House

    Prefiled

  5. 2025-12-16 House

    Referred to Committee on Judiciary

Official Summary Text

Human Embryos

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
2025-2026 Bill 4638: Human Embryos - South Carolina Legislature Online

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026
Download
This Bill
in Microsoft Word Format
Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter
H. 4638
STATUS INFORMATION
General Bill
Sponsors: Reps. Oremus, McCravy, Pope, Chumley and White
Document Path: LC-0334VR26.docx
Introduced in the House on January 13, 2026
Currently residing in the House
Summary: Human Embryos
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
Judiciary

1/13/2026

House

Introduced and read first time (
House Journal-page 43
)

1/13/2026

House

Referred to Committee on
Judiciary
(
House Journal-page 43
)

1/20/2026

House

Member(s) request name added as sponsor: White

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

A bill

TO AMEND THE SOUTH
CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ADDING ARTICLE 17 TO CHAPTER 43, TITLE 44 SO AS TO
PROHIBIT THE SALE OR PURCHASE OF HUMAN EMBRYOS CREATED BY IN VITRO
FERTILIZATION; AND TO ESTABLISH PENALTIES.

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

S
ECTION 1.
C
hapter 43, Title 44 of the S.C. Code is amended by
adding:

A
rticle 17

H
uman Embryos

S
ection
44-43-1710
.
(
A) A person may not
knowingly advertise or offer to purchase or sell, or purchase, sell, or
otherwise transfer for valuable consideration, a human embryo created by in
vitro fertilization. As used in this section, the term "valuable consideration"
does not include the reasonable costs associated with the removal, storage, and
transportation of a human embryo.

(
B)
A person who violates this section is guilty of a felony and, upon conviction:

(
1)
for a first offense, must be imprisoned not more than fifteen years;

(
2)
for a second offense, must be imprisoned not more than thirty years;

(
3)
for a third or subsequent offense, must be imprisoned not more than forty-five
years.

S
ECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval
by the Governor.

----XX----

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