Rural Emergency Hospitals

2025-2026 Bill 895: Rural Emergency Hospitals

South Carolina General Assembly

126th Session, 2025-2026

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This Bill
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A181, R162, S895

STATUS INFORMATION

General Bill

Sponsors: Senators Verdin, Alexander and Hutto

Companion/Similar bill(s): 5173

Document Path: SR-0495KM26.docx

Introduced in the Senate on February 4, 2026

Introduced in the House on March 31, 2026

Governor's Action: May 18, 2026, Signed

Summary: Rural Emergency Hospitals

HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS

Date

Body

Action Description with journal page number

2/4/2026

Senate

Introduced and read first time (
Senate Journal-page 9
)

2/4/2026

Senate

Referred to Committee on
Medical Affairs
(
Senate Journal-page 9
)

3/19/2026

Senate

Committee report: Favorable
Medical Affairs
(
Senate Journal-page 7
)

3/25/2026

Senate

Read second time (
Senate Journal-page 40
)

3/25/2026

Senate

Roll call Ayes-43 Nays-0 (
Senate Journal-page 40
)

3/26/2026

Senate

Read third time and sent to House (
Senate Journal-page 19
)

3/31/2026

House

Introduced and read first time (
House Journal-page 245
)

3/31/2026

House

Referred to Committee on
Medical, Military, Public and Municipal Affairs
(
House Journal-page 245
)

4/21/2026

House

Recalled from Committee on
Medical, Military, Public and Municipal Affairs
(
House Journal-page 29
)

4/23/2026

House

Read second time (
House Journal-page 38
)

4/23/2026

House

Roll call Yeas-108 Nays-0 (
House Journal-page 38
)

4/23/2026

House

Unanimous consent for third reading on next
legislative day (
House Journal-page 40
)

4/24/2026

House

Read third time and enrolled (
House Journal-page 4
)

5/14/2026

Ratified R 162

5/18/2026

Signed By Governor

6/5/2026

Effective date 05/18/26

6/2/2026

Act No. 181

View the latest
legislative information
at the website

VERSIONS OF THIS BILL

02/04/2026
03/19/2026
04/21/2026

(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

NOTE: THIS IS A TEMPORARY VERSION. THIS DOCUMENT WILL REMAIN IN THIS VERSION UNTIL FINAL APPROVAL BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

(A181, R162, S895)

AN ACT TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 44-7-130, RELATING TO STATE HEALTH FACILITY LICENSURE ACT DEFINITIONS, SO AS TO ADD TO THE DEFINITION OF "HOSPITAL" ALL HOSPITALS THAT CONVERT TO RURAL EMERGENCY HOSPITALS.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

Definitions

SECTION 1. Section 44-7-130(17) of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

(17)(a) "Hospital" means a facility that is organized and administered to provide overnight medical or surgical care or nursing care for an illness, injury, or infirmity and must provide on-campus emergency services; that may provide obstetrical care; and in which all diagnoses, treatment, or care is administered by or under the direction of persons currently licensed to practice medicine, surgery, or osteopathy. This definition shall include all hospitals that convert to Rural Emergency Hospitals pursuant to 42 C.F.R. Part 485 Subpart E and Section 125 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021.

(b) "Hospital" may include a residential treatment facility for children, adolescents, or young adults in need of mental health treatment that is physically a part of a licensed psychiatric hospital. This definition does not include facilities that are licensed by the Department of Social Services. A residential treatment facility for children, adolescents, or young adults in need of mental health treatment that is physically part of a licensed psychiatric hospital is not required to provide on-campus emergency services.

Time effective

SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

Ratified the 14th day of May, 2026.

Approved the 18th day of May, 2026.

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This web page was last updated on
June 2, 2026 at 12:41 PM