211 Network

2025-2026 Bill 4704: 211 Network - South Carolina Legislature Online

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026
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H. 4704
STATUS INFORMATION
General Bill
Sponsors: Rep. Pope
Companion/Similar bill(s): 697
Document Path: LC-0330DG26.docx
Introduced in the House on January 13, 2026
Currently residing in the House Committee on
Labor, Commerce and Industry
Summary: 211 Network
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
Labor, Commerce and Industry

1/13/2026

House

Introduced and read first time (
House Journal-page 61
)

1/13/2026

House

Referred to Committee on
Labor, Commerce and Industry
(
House Journal-page 61
)

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

A bill

TO TRANSFER THE SOUTH CAROLINA 211 NETWORK TO THE
DEPARTMENT OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS; TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY
ADDING SECTION
37-6-515
SO AS TO CREATE THE SOUTH CAROLINA 211 NETWORK WITHIN
THE DEPARTMENT OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS; AND BY AMENDING SECTION
1-11-770
, RELATING
TO the SOUTH CAROLINA 211 NETWORK, SO AS TO MAKE CONFORMING CHANGES.

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

S
ECTION 1. Effective
July 1, 2026, the South Carolina 211 Network, created within the Budget and
Control Board pursuant to Section
1-11-770
by Act 339 of 2002, is transferred
to the Department of Consumer Affairs.

S
ECTION 2.
C
hapter 6, Part 5, Title 37 of the S.C. Code is amended
by adding:

S
ection
37-6-515
.
(
A) Pursuant to Section
1-11-770
(C), there is created within the Department of Consumer Affairs a
statewide South Carolina 211 Network, which must serve as the single point of
coordination for information and referral for health and human services. The objectives
for establishing the South Carolina 211 Network are to:

(
1)
provide comprehensive and cost-effective access to health and human services
information;

(
2)
improve access to accurate information by simplifying and enhancing state and
local health and human services information and referral systems and by
fostering collaboration among information and referral systems;

(
3)
electronically connect local information and referral systems to each other, to
service providers, and to consumers of information and referral services;

(
4)
establish and promote standards for data collection and for distributing
information among state and local organizations;

(
5)
promote the use of a common dialing access code and the visibility and public
awareness of the availability of information and referral services;

(
6)
provide a management and administrative structure to support the South Carolina
211 Network and establish technical assistance, training, and support programs
for information and referral-service programs;

(
7)
test methods for integrating information and referral services with local and
state health and human services programs and for consolidating and streamlining
eligibility and case-management processes;

(
8)
provide access to standardized, comprehensive data to assist in identifying
gaps and needs in health and human services programs; and

(
9)
provide a unified systems plan with a developed platform, taxonomy, and
standards for data management and access.

(
B)
(
1) In order to participate in the
South Carolina 211 Network, a 211 provider must be certified by the Department
of Consumer Affairs. The department must develop criteria for certification and
must adopt the criteria as regulations.

(
2)
If any provider of information and referral services or other entity leases a
211 number from a local exchange company and is not certified by the
department, the department shall, after consultation with the local exchange
company and the Public Service Commission, request that the Federal
Communications Commission direct the local exchange company to revoke the use
of the 211 number.

(
3)
The department shall seek the assistance and guidance of the Public Service
Commission and the Federal Communications Commission in resolving any disputes
arising over jurisdiction related to 211 numbers.

S
ECTION 3.
S
ection
1-11-770
of the S.C. Code is amended by adding:

(
C) The South Carolina 211 Network
program authorized by this section is transferred to the Department of Consumer
Affairs and is established thereto as set forth in Section
37-6-515
.

S
ECTION 4. This act takes effect on July 1,
2026.

----XX----

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