# South Carolina S 0702: A BILL TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 16-25-10, RELATING TO DEFINITIONS PERTAINING TO A "DATING RELATIONSHIP" AND "COERCIVE CONTROL", SO AS TO INCLUDE PERSONS WHO ARE PRESENTLY IN OR HAVE FORMERLY BEEN IN A DATING RELATIONSHIP IN THE DEFINITION OF "HOUSEHOLD MEMBER" AND TO ADD THE DEFINITIONS OF DATING RELATIONSHIP AND COERCIVE CONTROL; BY AMENDING SECTION 16-25-20, RELATING TO PROHIBITED ACTS, SO AS TO MAKE IT UNLAWFUL FOR A PERSON TO ENGAGE IN COERCIVE CONTROL OVER A PERSON'S OWN HOUSEHOLD; BY AMENDING SECTION 20-3-10, RELATING TO GROUNDS FOR DIVORCE, SO AS TO INCLUDE CRIMINAL DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AGAINST A SPOUSE, STALKING, AND HARASSMENT AS GROUNDS FOR DIVORCE; BY AMENDING SECTION 20-4-20, RELATING TO DEFINITIONS PERTAINING TO ABUSE, SO AS TO INCLUDE HARASSMENT, STALKING, AND COERCIVE CONTROL INTO THE DEFINITIONS OF "ABUSE" AND TO FURTHER PROVIDE THAT A HOUSEHOLD MEMBER INCLUDES PERSONS WHO ARE PRESENTLY IN OR HAVE FORMERLY BEEN IN A DATING RELATIONSHIP; AND BY AMENDING SECTION 63-15-240, RELATING TO THE CONTENTS OF ORDER FOR CUSTODY AFFECTING RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF PARENTS AND THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE CHILD, SO AS TO INCLUDE THE STATUTORY REFERENCE TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND ADD STALKING AND HARASSMENT AS ACTIVITY FOR A COURT TO CONSIDER WHEN DETERMINING WHAT IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF A CHILD. South Carolina S 0702, A BILL TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 16-25-10, RELATING TO DEFINITIONS PERTAINING TO A "DATING RELATIONSHIP" AND "COERCIVE CONTROL", SO AS TO INCLUDE PERSONS WHO ARE PRESENTLY IN OR HAVE FORMERLY BEEN IN A DATING RELATIONSHIP IN THE DEFINITION OF "HOUSEHOLD MEMBER" AND TO ADD THE DEFINITIONS OF DATING RELATIONSHIP AND COERCIVE CONTROL; BY AMENDING SECTION 16-25-20, RELATING TO PROHIBITED ACTS, SO AS TO MAKE IT UNLAWFUL FOR A PERSON TO ENGAGE IN COERCIVE CONTROL OVER A PERSON'S OWN HOUSEHOLD; BY AMENDING SECTION 20-3-10, RELATING TO GROUNDS FOR DIVORCE, SO AS TO INCLUDE CRIMINAL DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AGAINST A SPOUSE, STALKING, AND HARASSMENT AS GROUNDS FOR DIVORCE; BY AMENDING SECTION 20-4-20, RELATING TO DEFINITIONS PERTAINING TO ABUSE, SO AS TO INCLUDE HARASSMENT, STALKING, AND COERCIVE CONTROL INTO THE DEFINITIONS OF "ABUSE" AND TO FURTHER PROVIDE THAT A HOUSEHOLD MEMBER INCLUDES PERSONS WHO ARE PRESENTLY IN OR HAVE FORMERLY BEEN IN A DATING RELATIONSHIP; AND BY AMENDING SECTION 63-15-240, RELATING TO THE CONTENTS OF ORDER FOR CUSTODY AFFECTING RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF PARENTS AND THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE CHILD, SO AS TO INCLUDE THE STATUTORY REFERENCE TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND ADD STALKING AND HARASSMENT AS ACTIVITY FOR A COURT TO CONSIDER WHEN DETERMINING WHAT IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF A CHILD., is a 126th General Assembly (2025-2026) Senate bill sponsored by Stephen L. Goldfinch (Republican); status failed, last action 2026-01-14 (Scrivener's error corrected) (as of 2026-10-12). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/SC-S0702-2025-2026 - As of: 2026-10-12 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: South Carolina S 0702 - State: South Carolina - Session: 126th General Assembly (2025-2026) - Title: A BILL TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 16-25-10, RELATING TO DEFINITIONS PERTAINING TO A "DATING RELATIONSHIP" AND "COERCIVE CONTROL", SO AS TO INCLUDE PERSONS WHO ARE PRESENTLY IN OR HAVE FORMERLY BEEN IN A DATING RELATIONSHIP IN THE DEFINITION OF "HOUSEHOLD MEMBER" AND TO ADD THE DEFINITIONS OF DATING RELATIONSHIP AND COERCIVE CONTROL; BY AMENDING SECTION 16-25-20, RELATING TO PROHIBITED ACTS, SO AS TO MAKE IT UNLAWFUL FOR A PERSON TO ENGAGE IN COERCIVE CONTROL OVER A PERSON'S OWN HOUSEHOLD; BY AMENDING SECTION 20-3-10, RELATING TO GROUNDS FOR DIVORCE, SO AS TO INCLUDE CRIMINAL DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AGAINST A SPOUSE, STALKING, AND HARASSMENT AS GROUNDS FOR DIVORCE; BY AMENDING SECTION 20-4-20, RELATING TO DEFINITIONS PERTAINING TO ABUSE, SO AS TO INCLUDE HARASSMENT, STALKING, AND COERCIVE CONTROL INTO THE DEFINITIONS OF "ABUSE" AND TO FURTHER PROVIDE THAT A HOUSEHOLD MEMBER INCLUDES PERSONS WHO ARE PRESENTLY IN OR HAVE FORMERLY BEEN IN A DATING RELATIONSHIP; AND BY AMENDING SECTION 63-15-240, RELATING TO THE CONTENTS OF ORDER FOR CUSTODY AFFECTING RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF PARENTS AND THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE CHILD, SO AS TO INCLUDE THE STATUTORY REFERENCE TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND ADD STALKING AND HARASSMENT AS ACTIVITY FOR A COURT TO CONSIDER WHEN DETERMINING WHAT IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF A CHILD. - Status: failed - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2025-12-10 - Last action: 2026-01-14, Scrivener's error corrected - Sponsor: Stephen L. Goldfinch (Republican) - Cosponsors: 1 - Touches household money: no - Economic provisions PRIA read: 0 ## Summary Criminal Coercive Control ## Bill overview No economic impacts identified for this bill. ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Stephen L. Goldfinch (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Lawrence K. "Larry" Grooms (Republican), Senate ## Actions (5) - 2026-01-14: Scrivener's error corrected (legislature) - 2026-01-13: Referred to Committee on Judiciary (Senate) - 2026-01-13: Introduced and read first time (Senate) - 2025-12-10: Referred to Committee on Judiciary (Senate) - 2025-12-10: Prefiled (Senate) ## Bill text - Introduced: [HTML](https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess126_2025-2026/bills/702.htm) ## Related bills - S 0623: AN ACT TO EXEMPT GEORGETOWN COUNTY FROM CERTAIN BUILDING REQUIREMENTS AND TO ALLOW THE COUNTY TO INSTEAD ENFORCE AE STANDARDS IN GEORGETOWN COUNTY'S FLOOD DAMA… (became law) - S 0586: AN ACT TO AMEND ACT 172 OF 1995, RELATING TO THE KERSHAW COUNTY TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT EACH MEMBER OF THE KERSHAW COUNTY TRANSPORTATIO… (signed) - H 5653: AN ACT TO AMEND ACT 843 OF 1952, AS AMENDED, RELATING TO THE LEE COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION, SO AS TO CLARIFY THE METHOD BY WHICH PERSONS FILE TO BECOME A CANDI… (signed) - S 1062: A JOINT RESOLUTION TO APPROVE REGULATIONS OF THE STATE COMMISSION ON HIGHER EDUCATION, RELATING TO DETERMINATION OF RATES OF TUITION AND FEES, DESIGNATED AS RE… (signed) - S 0779: A JOINT RESOLUTION TO PROVIDE THAT EACH MEMBER OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY SHALL RECEIVE A MONTHLY LEGISLATIVE EXPENSE ALLOWANCE OF ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS; TO PROVID… (signed) - H 5261: A JOINT RESOLUTION TO EXTEND THE DEADLINE FOR RECEIVING ALCOHOL SERVER TRAINING AS PROVIDED FOR IN CHAPTER 3, TITLE 61 TO MAY 1, 2026. (signed) ## Sources - [Introduced (HTML)](https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess126_2025-2026/bills/702.htm) ## Related - [S 0623: AN ACT TO EXEMPT GEORGETOWN COUNTY FROM CERTAIN BUILDING REQUIREMENTS AND TO AL…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/SC-S0623-2025-2026) - [S 0586: AN ACT TO AMEND ACT 172 OF 1995, RELATING TO THE KERSHAW COUNTY TRANSPORTATION…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/SC-S0586-2025-2026) - [H 5653: AN ACT TO AMEND ACT 843 OF 1952, AS AMENDED, RELATING TO THE LEE COUNTY BOARD O…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/SC-H5653-2025-2026) - [S 1062: A JOINT RESOLUTION TO APPROVE REGULATIONS OF THE STATE COMMISSION ON HIGHER EDU…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/SC-S1062-2025-2026) - [S 0779: A JOINT RESOLUTION TO PROVIDE THAT EACH MEMBER OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY SHALL RE…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/SC-S0779-2025-2026) - [H 5261: A JOINT RESOLUTION TO EXTEND THE DEADLINE FOR RECEIVING ALCOHOL SERVER TRAINING…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/SC-H5261-2025-2026) - [South Carolina bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/south-carolina/bills) - [South Carolina state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/south-carolina) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/SC-S0702-2025-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).