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H 4591 South Carolina House · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Stop Harm from Addictive Social Media

Summary
AN ACT TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS SO AS TO ENACT THE "STOP HARM FROM ADDICTIVE SOCIAL MEDIA (SHASM) ACT" BY ADDING ARTICLE 9 TO CHAPTER 5, TITLE 39 SO AS TO REQUIRE COVERED SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS TO USE REASONABLE MEANS TO ESTIMATE THE AGE OF CERTAIN ACCOUNT HOLDERS, TO VERIFY THE AGE OF CERTAIN ACCOUNT HOLDERS, TO CREATE DEFAULT ACCOUNT SETTINGS FOR CERTAIN USERS, AND TO CREATE CERTAIN PARENTAL CONSENTS. - RATIFIED TITLE
Issues: ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyRequires age verification, parental consent, and default settings for minors on social media platforms to protect users, aligning with consumer protection regulations in tech policy.85% confidence
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2026
Committee Review
May 2026
House Passage
May 2026
Senate Passage
May 2026
Signed into Law
May 2026
Introduced Jan 13, 2026 Signed May 19, 2026
Floor votes · Senate May 14, 2026 · House Mar 31, 2026

How they voted

41–1
Passed · 1 other
Total votes 43
May 14, 2026
D Democratic12
12 Yea
100% Yea
R Republican31
29 Yea 1 Nay 1
93% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
32
Key actions
10
Committee
5
Amendments
3
May 19, 2026
Signed into law
Signed By Governor
legislature
May 14, 2026
Lower · Passed
Concurred in Senate amendment and enrolled
lower
May 14, 2026
Upper · Passed
Read third time and returned to House with amendments
upper
May 14, 2026
Upper · Passed
Amended
upper
May 13, 2026
Upper · Passed
Amended
upper
May 12, 2026
Upper · Passed
Recalled from Committee on Labor, Commerce and Industry
upper
Apr 1, 2026
Committee
Referred to Committee on Labor, Commerce and Industry
upper
Apr 1, 2026
Introduced
Introduced and read first time
upper
Apr 1, 2026
Lower · Passed
Read third time and sent to Senate
lower
Mar 31, 2026
Lower · Passed
Amended
lower
Mar 31, 2026
House · Passed
House Vote: pass (106-0-9)
house
Mar 26, 2026
Lower · Passed
Committee report: Favorable with amendment Judiciary
lower
Jan 13, 2026
Committee
Referred to Committee on Judiciary
lower
Jan 13, 2026
Introduced
Introduced and read first time
lower
Dec 16, 2025
Committee
Referred to Committee on Judiciary
lower
23 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of Brandon Guffey
Brandon Guffey
RRepublican
SC
48
P
Photo of Brian Lawson
Brian Lawson
RRepublican
SC
30
P
Photo of Carla Schuessler
Carla Schuessler
RRepublican
SC
61
P
Photo of Chris Huff
Chris Huff
RRepublican
SC
28
P
Photo of Daniel Gibson
Daniel Gibson
RRepublican
SC
12
P
Photo of David Martin
David Martin
RRepublican
SC
26
P
Photo of Don Chapman
Don Chapman
RRepublican
SC
8
P
Photo of Fawn Pedalino
Fawn Pedalino
RRepublican
SC
64
P
Photo of Gary Brewer
Gary Brewer
RRepublican
SC
114
P
Photo of Greg Ford
Greg Ford
RRepublican
SC
98
P
Photo of Heath Sessions
Heath Sessions
RRepublican
SC
46
P
Photo of Jackie Terribile
Jackie Terribile
RRepublican
SC
66
P
Photo of Jerry Govan
Jerry Govan
DDemocratic
SC
93
P
Photo of John Lastinger
John Lastinger
RRepublican
SC
88
P
Photo of Lee Hewitt
Lee Hewitt
RRepublican
SC
108
P
Photo of Melissa Oremus
Melissa Oremus
RRepublican
SC
84
P
Photo of Paul Wickensimer
Paul Wickensimer
RRepublican
SC
22
P
Photo of Paula Calhoon
Paula Calhoon
RRepublican
SC
87
P
Photo of Randy Ligon
Randy Ligon
RRepublican
SC
43
P
Photo of Robby Robbins
Robby Robbins
RRepublican
SC
97
P
Photo of Tommy Pope
Tommy Pope
RRepublican
SC
47
P
Photo of Travis Moore
Travis Moore
RRepublican
SC
33
P
Photo of Weston Newton
Weston Newton
RRepublican
SC
120