Legislative Session Weekly Update, February 17-19
The Week in Review (February 17-19):
Here’s what happened during week six of legislative session, what’s at stake, and how you can take action to help build a better South Carolina for women and girls.
CARE Act
First, some good news!
S. 385 (CARE ACT) has passed out of Senate subcommittee!
S. 385 supports early pregnancy screening for people in custody and allows those who qualify to remain in the community during pregnancy and up to 12 months after birth.
WREN is proud to partner with the ACLU and Pro-Life Greenville to advance this important legislation.
Please contact your Senators and urge them to SUPPORT S. 385. You can use our Advocacy Toolkit to find your local legislators.
Expanding Access to Care
S. 477, the Pharmacy Access Act fix, received its second and third reading in the House.
This legislation strengthens the Pharmacy Access Act by allowing pharmacists to directly provide birth control, improving timely and affordable care, especially in rural communities and areas with fewer health care options.
S. 477 returned to the Senate for concurrence, and if the Senate concurs, it will be ratified and sent to the Governor to sign into law.
WREN is proud to work alongside the South Carolina Pharmacy Association and Senator Tom Davis on this effort, continuing the partnership that helped pass the original Pharmacy Access Act in 2022.
Anti-Transgender Bathroom Bill
S. 199 (Anti-Transgender Bathroom Bill) was heard in Senate subcommittee but did not receive a vote.
S. 199 would force students in public schools and universities to use restrooms and locker rooms based on what was recorded at birth and opens the door to lawsuits based on suspicion alone.
Women and girls deserve dignity and safety, not scrutiny in private spaces.
Please use our partner’s action link to tell Senators to VOTE NO on S. 199.
Harmful “Parental Rights” Bill
H. 4757 (Harmful “Parental Rights” Bill) was debated on the House floor and received its second and third reading.
H. 4757 would require parental consent for more non-emergency care and roll back current confidentiality protections, making it harder for teens to get reproductive, prenatal, and postpartum care.
Please contact your Senators and urge them to VOTE NO on H. 4757.
Immigration Enforcement Mandate
H. 4764 (Immigration Enforcement Mandate) was heard in the House, but did not receive a vote.
H. 4764 would require local jail-running law enforcement agencies to partner with federal immigration authorities and pull them into federal immigration enforcement.
It undermines trust in local institutions, makes people less likely to seek help or report crimes, and divert local resources away from other priorities, which ultimately destabilizes families and communities.
WREN opposes this bill.
Child Protection Rollback Bill
S. 540 (Child Protection Rollback Bill) was heard in the Senate subcommittee, but did not receive a vote.
S. 540 would undermine child protection standards, restrict courts’ ability to act in a child’s best interest, weaken oversight in foster care and adoption, and risk harm to LGBTQ+ youth in state systems.
Child welfare decisions must center children, not politics.
Please contact your Senators and urge them to VOTE NO on S. 540.
This Week (February 24-26):
Anti-Transgender Bathroom Bills
Senators will debate S. 199 and H. 4756 on Tuesday, February 24 at 10:00AM.
Both bills are anti-trans bathroom bans that would require people in schools to use restrooms and locker rooms based on “sex assigned at birth” and invite suspicion, harassment, and even lawsuits and undermine dignity and safety instead of protecting it.
Please use our partners’ action links to urge lawmakers to VOTE NO on S. 199 and H. 4756.
Reproductive Advocacy Day
Join us for 2026 Reproductive Advocacy Day!
On Tuesday, February 24 from 9:00AM – 1:30PM, the South Carolina Healthy Families Coalition is hosting an advocacy training designed to equip you for meaningful, values-driven conversations with lawmakers.
Together, we’ll build the tools and confidence to speak up for reproductive health care access in South Carolina. Participants will meet directly with legislators to share why reproductive freedom matters to our families and communities, and we’ll close the day united at a press conference to amplify our collective voice.
This is about showing up, speaking with clarity, and shaping the policies that shape our lives.
Thank you for showing up, staying engaged, and taking action. We’ll continue sharing updates and meaningful ways to get involved as this fast-moving session continues.