H 4632

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026
Bill 4632
Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter
(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)
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.
Be it enacted by the
General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
SECTION 1.  This act may be cited as the "Cash Berry Childcare Safety and Quality
Rating Act."
SECTION 2.  Article 1, Chapter 13, Title 63 of the S.C. Code is
amended by adding:
    Section
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.
SECTION 3.  This act takes effect upon approval
by the Governor.
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This web page was last updated on December 17, 2025 at 01:04 PM