State AI law
South Carolina
AI laws
We track 25 artificial-intelligence bills and regulations in South Carolina. 4 have been signed or enacted, and 17 are still moving.
Last updated Oct 13, 2026 · How we collect and check bills
Where South Carolina’s bills stand
25 bills- Introduced
- 0
- In committee
- 14
- Passed a chamber
- 3
- Signed or enacted
- 4
- Dead or vetoed
- 4
Overview
How South Carolina regulates AI
South Carolina has 25 published AI-related bills in our register, 4 of them signed or enacted. Every bill below links to its own page with the status, dates and a plain-English summary.
Industries these bills touch
South Carolina AI law guides
Deepfake Laws in South Carolina
South Carolina has enacted deepfake legislation. See how it compares with other states, including penalties, scope and enforcement.
South Carolina AI bills
RSS feed for South CarolinaChatbot Regulation
South Carolina's S 896 was introduced as the Chatbot Protection Act (Chapter 80 of Title 39). The Senate Labor, Commerce and Industry Committee reported it favorably with an amendment on May 6, 2026, and the amended text is the Protecting Children from Chatbots Act: operators with 50,000 or more monthly active users would need age verification and parental consent for minors, with civil penalties of up to $50,000 per violation. It has not passed the Senate.
Health insurance
Not law. S. 920 would have required South Carolina health insurers that use AI, algorithms or other software for prior authorization to base decisions on the patient's own medical history and clinical circumstances, have a licensed physician or other qualified professional make every denial, reduction or deferral, tell enrollees that AI is used, certify yearly that their tools are fair and non-discriminatory, and share denial rates on request, with Department of Insurance enforcement. The Senate Banking and Insurance Committee reported it favorably on April 30, 2026, but it was never taken up before the regular session ended.
Artificial Intelligence and Therapy or Psychotherapy
South Carolina's S 788 (committee-amended text of April 28, 2026) would add Chapter 86 to Title 40. A licensed professional could not use AI for supplementary support in therapy where the session is recorded or transcribed unless the patient is told in writing that AI will be used and why and gives written consent. No one could knowingly and intentionally offer therapy to the public, including through internet-based AI, unless a licensed professional conducts it, and professionals could not let AI make independent therapeutic decisions. Licensing boards would assess civil penalties up to $10,000 per violation. It passed the Senate and is in a House committee; not enacted.
Protecting Children from Chatbots
South Carolina's H 5476, the Protecting Children from Chatbots Act (new Chapter 81 of Title 39), would require chatbot operators with 500,000 or more monthly active users to offer a limited-access mode, verify users' ages and obtain verifiable parental consent before minors use restricted features. The Attorney General could seek civil penalties of up to $50,000 per violation. Introduced March 31, 2026 and referred to the House Judiciary Committee; it has not passed either chamber.
Protecting Children from Chatbots
South Carolina's S 1037, the Protecting Children from Chatbots Act (new Chapter 81 of Title 39), would require chatbot operators with five hundred thousand or more monthly active users worldwide to offer a limited-access mode, verify age and obtain verifiable parental consent before minors use restricted features. The Attorney General could seek civil penalties of up to $50,000 per violation. Referred to the Senate Labor, Commerce and Industry Committee March 19, 2026; it has not passed either chamber.
Artificial intelligence, consumer protection
South Carolina's S 963 would enact the Consumer Protections in Interactions with Artificial Intelligence Systems Act (Chapter 31 of Title 37). Developers and deployers of high-risk AI systems used in consequential decisions would owe a duty of reasonable care against algorithmic discrimination, with impact assessments, consumer notices and appeal rights. The Attorney General would have exclusive enforcement. Introduced February 26, 2026 and referred to the Senate Banking and Insurance Committee; it has not passed either chamber.
Ai in education
South Carolina's H 5253 would add Section 59-28-195 limiting AI in public schools. Schools would need written opt-in parental consent before requiring or permitting student AI use, AI could not replace a licensed teacher in core instruction or final grading, and student data could not be sold or used for profiling. Introduced February 24, 2026 and referred to the House Education and Public Works Committee; it has not passed either chamber.
AI Week
South Carolina's House Resolution H. 5085 declares March 30 - April 2, 2026, as "AI Week" in South Carolina and encourages all citizens of the Palmetto State to learn more about artificial intelligence. Its recitals note that Horry-Georgetown Technical College will celebrate AI that week under the theme "Empowering Innovation with AI" and call competent use of AI a foundational skill for the modern workforce; a copy goes to the college. Introduced and adopted by the House February 4, 2026; a resolution of one chamber does not change the law.
Chatbot Regulation
South Carolina's H 5138 would enact the Chatbot Protection Act (new Chapter 80 of Title 39). Chatbot providers would need affirmative consent to process personal data, could not use chat logs for advertising, would have to disclose that the user is talking to a chatbot, and would face civil penalties of up to $5,000 per violation. Introduced February 10, 2026 and referred to the House Labor, Commerce and Industry Committee; it has not passed either chamber.
South Carolina Social Media Regulation Act
South Carolina's H. 3431 (Act No. 96 of 2026) adds an Age-Appropriate Code Design chapter (S.C. Code Title 39, Chapter 80) for online services, including AI-based ones, meeting revenue or data thresholds and reasonably likely to be accessed by minors. They must use reasonable care to prevent listed harms to minors, offer tools to turn off features like infinite scroll and autoplay, let users opt out of personalized recommendation systems (the default for known minors), minimize minors' data, limit profiling of known minors, stop targeted ads to minors, provide parental tools and publish annual independent audits. The Attorney General enforces. Signed February 5, 2026; effective on approval.
Right to Compute Act
South Carolina's H 4657, the Right to Compute Act, would add Chapter 35 to Title 1. A deployer of AI that controls critical infrastructure in whole or part would have to develop a reasonable risk management policy, and government restrictions on private use of computing resources would have to be demonstrably necessary and narrowly tailored to a compelling interest. Introduced January 13, 2026 and referred to the House Labor, Commerce and Industry Committee; it has not passed either chamber.
Artificial Intelligence Electives
South Carolina's H 4582, 'Artificial Intelligence Electives', would add Section 59-59-260. Starting in the 2026-2027 school year, school districts may offer age-appropriate instruction on accessing, using and critically evaluating AI tools, and the Department of Education must issue implementation guidance. Introduced January 13, 2026 and referred to the House Education and Public Works Committee; it has not passed either chamber.
Video Surveillance
South Carolina's H 4675 would create the Community Data Protection and Responsible Surveillance Act. State and local law enforcement could not use surveillance systems (automated license plate readers) that store data on third-party servers or use AI to identify or track vehicles by appearance. Data would be kept at most 21 days and searched only with a warrant. Referred to the House Judiciary Committee January 13, 2026; it has not passed either house.
AN ACT TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 16-15-375, RELATING TO THE DEFINITIONS PERTAINING TO THE DISSEMINATION O…
South Carolina's Act 58 of 2025 (S. 29) targets digitally manipulated sexual images of real children. It defines "identifiable minor" and "morphed image" in S.C. Code 16-15-375: a visual depiction created, adapted or modified to appear that an identifiable minor is engaging in sexual conduct or is in sexually explicit nudity. Creating, distributing, receiving or possessing morphed images is added to the first, second and third degree sexual exploitation of minors offenses (16-15-395, -405, -410). New 16-15-412 limits arrest warrants for morphed-image offenses. It took effect on the Governor's approval, May 22, 2025.
AN ACT TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ADDING SECTION 16-15-390 SO AS TO CREATE THE OFFENSE OF OBSCENE VISUAL REPRESENTATIONS OF…
South Carolina's Act 57 of 2025 (S. 28, titled "AI Child Abuse" on the legislature's site) adds S.C. Code 16-15-390, obscene visual representations of child sexual abuse. A visual depiction includes computer-generated images, and it is not an element of the offense that the minor depicted actually exists, so AI-generated child sexual abuse material is covered. Producing, distributing or soliciting such obscene material, and knowingly possessing it, are felonies punishable by up to ten years. The offense is added to Tier I of the sex offender registry. It took effect on the Governor's approval, May 22, 2025.
Disclosure of Intimate Images
South Carolina's H. 3058 (Act No. 37 of 2025) creates the crime of unauthorized disclosure of intimate images (S.C. Code §§ 16-15-330, 16-15-332), covering real images and "digitally forged intimate images" made or substantially modified with machine learning or other computer means, even if labeled as fake. Intentionally sharing one without the person's effective consent is a felony if meant to cause harm or for profit (first offense up to $5,000 and/or 5 years; later offenses up to $10,000 and/or 1 to 10 years) and otherwise a misdemeanor for a first offense. Signed May 12, 2025; effective on approval.
Children and Social Media
South Carolina's S 268, 'Children and Social Media', would add Chapter 80 to Title 39. Covered online services, which may include AI-based products, would owe minors a duty of care, face limits on data, notifications and profiling, and have to explain personalized recommendation systems and report on their algorithms. The Senate approved it 43-0 on second reading April 30, 2025 and gave it third reading May 1, 2025; it was then referred to the House Judiciary Committee.
Health Claims & AI
South Carolina's S 443 would add Section 38-59-23 on health care coverage decisions made with artificial intelligence. Actions on coverage decisions could not be based solely on AI results or an automated decision-making tool, and a health care professional would have to supervise and meaningfully review decisions that modify or deny provider authorization requests. Introduced March 11, 2025 and referred to the Senate Banking and Insurance Committee; it has not passed either chamber.
AI open sourced, decentralized
South Carolina's S 225 is a Senate resolution, so it would not change the law. If adopted, the Senate would express support for the development of artificial intelligence technologies in South Carolina and opposition to censorship or bias that would hamper that growth, with whereas clauses favoring open-source AI. Introduced January 15, 2025 and referred to the Senate Labor, Commerce and Industry Committee; it has not been adopted.
Deceptive and fraudulent deepfake media in elections
Not law. H 3517 would have barred anyone from distributing, within 90 days of an election, synthetic media they knew or should have known was a deceptive and fraudulent deepfake of a candidate on the ballot, unless it carried a disclosure that it was manipulated or generated by AI. Depicted candidates could have sought injunctions and damages; violations would have been a misdemeanor (up to 90 days or $500), and a felony for a repeat offense within five years. News coverage, paid broadcasters acting in good faith and satire were exempt. It never left the House Judiciary Committee before South Carolina's 2026 regular session ended.
Distribution of Intimate Images
South Carolina's S 72 would add Sections 16-15-330, 16-15-332 and 16-15-333 making it a felony to intentionally disseminate an intimate image or a digitally forged intimate image, including one generated or substantially modified with machine-learning techniques, without the depicted person's effective consent. A first offense carries a fine up to $5,000 or up to five years' imprisonment. Introduced January 14, 2025 and referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee; it has not passed either chamber.
Eavesdropping, Peeping, and Voyeurism
South Carolina's H 3042 would amend Section 16-17-470 on eavesdropping, peeping and voyeurism. It would add voyeurism by creating, with generative adversarial network techniques or other digital technology, a realistic but false image, audio or video of another person for sexual gratification, and cover selling or distributing such material. It also raises penalties. Introduced January 14, 2025 and referred to the House Judiciary Committee; it has not passed either chamber.
Technology Transparency
South Carolina's H 3401, 'Technology Transparency', would add Chapter 31 to Title 37. It would bar government entities from working with social media platforms on content moderation, give consumers rights to opt out of profiling with significant effects, require search engines to publish plain-language ranking parameters, and require data protection assessments. Introduced January 14, 2025 and referred to the House Judiciary Committee; it has not passed either chamber.
Eavesdropping, Peeping, and Voyeurism
South Carolina's H. 5394 (2023-24) would have amended Code 16-17-470 (eavesdropping, peeping and voyeurism) to increase penalties and to cover knowingly creating or altering images, audio, video or digital files with a generative adversarial network or other digital technology to make a realistic but false depiction of another person without consent, for sexual arousal or gratification, and knowingly selling or distributing such material without consent. It would also have required destruction of evidence and notice to additional victims. Referred to House Judiciary April 10, 2024; it did not pass.
Deceptive and fraudulent deepfake media in elections
South Carolina's H. 4660 (2023-24) would have added Code 7-25-230 barring distribution, within ninety days of an election, of synthetic media the distributor knows or should know is a deceptive and fraudulent deepfake of a candidate on the ballot, unless it carries the disclosure 'This _____ (image, video, or audio) has been manipulated or generated by artificial intelligence.' A first violation would be a misdemeanor (up to 90 days, $500) and a second within five years a felony. Referred to House Judiciary January 9, 2024; it did not pass.
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