H 5350

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026
Bill 5350
Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter
(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)
A concurrent RESOLUTION
TO RECOGNIZE THAT ABUSE AND NEGLECT
OF CHILDREN IS A SIGNIFICANT PROBLEM AND TO DECLARE WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1, 2026,
AS "CHILDREN'S ADVOCACY CENTER DAY" IN SOUTH CAROLINA.
Whereas, more than 380,000 children are served by Children's Advocacy
Centers nationwide each year; and
Whereas, in 2025, Children's Advocacy Centers throughout South
Carolina served 14,184 child victims of abuse, providing victim advocacy and
support services to them and their families. This represents a 71% increase in
children served per year by Children's Advocacy Centers in South Carolina since
2016; and
Whereas, although sexual abuse was the most common form of child
maltreatment reported by children served at South Carolina Children's Advocacy
Centers in 2025, victims also suffer year after year from physical abuse,
neglect, drug endangerment, commercial sexual exploitation, and psychological
maltreatment; and
Whereas, Children's Advocacy Centers seek to model, promote, and
deliver excellence in child abuse response and prevention through direct
service, education, collaboration, and leadership; and
Whereas, it is entirely appropriate for the South Carolina General
Assembly to pause in its deliberations to underline the growing problem of
child abuse and the serious impact its continued existence has on the citizens
of South Carolina and on the nation as a whole, and it is, moreover, fitting to
recognize the important work done to combat the significant problem of child
maltreatment. Now, therefore,
Be it resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring:
That the members of the South Carolina General Assembly, by this
resolution, recognize that abuse and neglect of children is a significant
problem and declare Wednesday, April 1, 2026, as "Children's Advocacy Center
Day" in South Carolina.
Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be presented to
Thomas Knapp, president & CEO, of the South Carolina Network of Children's
Advocacy Centers.
----XX---
This web page was last updated on March 11, 2026 at 11:08 AM