# South Carolina S 0713: A BILL TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 15-51-10, RELATING TO CIVIL ACTIONS FOR A WRONGFUL ACT CAUSING DEATH, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT A WRONGFUL DEATH ACTION CAN BE MAINTAINED FOR AN UNBORN CHILD AT ANY STAGE OF DEVELOPMENT AND TO PROVIDE THAT A VIOLATION OF ARTICLE 6, CHAPTER 41, TITLE 44 IS PRIMA FACIE EVIDENCE ENTITLING A PARENT TO MAINTAIN A WRONGFUL DEATH ACTION ON BEHALF OF THEIR DECEASED UNBORN CHILD; BY AMENDING SECTION 15-51-20, RELATING TO THE BENEFICIARIES OF ACTION FOR WRONGFUL DEATH AND WHO MAY BRING AN ACTION, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT THE MOTHER, FATHER, OR BOTH THE MOTHER AND FATHER MAY BRING A WRONGFUL DEATH ACTION FOR A DECEASED UNBORN CHILD AND THE FATHER AND MOTHER SHALL BE THE ONLY BENEFICIARIES; AND BY AMENDING SECTION 15-51-42, RELATING TO THE APPROVAL OF SETTLEMENTS OF WRONGFUL DEATH OR SURVIVAL ACTIONS, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT THE PARENT INITIATING THE WRONGFUL DEATH ACTION IS AUTHORIZED TO SETTLE THE ACTION.

South Carolina S 0713, A BILL TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 15-51-10, RELATING TO CIVIL ACTIONS FOR A WRONGFUL ACT CAUSING DEATH, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT A WRONGFUL DEATH ACTION CAN BE MAINTAINED FOR AN UNBORN CHILD AT ANY STAGE OF DEVELOPMENT AND TO PROVIDE THAT A VIOLATION OF ARTICLE 6, CHAPTER 41, TITLE 44 IS PRIMA FACIE EVIDENCE ENTITLING A PARENT TO MAINTAIN A WRONGFUL DEATH ACTION ON BEHALF OF THEIR DECEASED UNBORN CHILD; BY AMENDING SECTION 15-51-20, RELATING TO THE BENEFICIARIES OF ACTION FOR WRONGFUL DEATH AND WHO MAY BRING AN ACTION, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT THE MOTHER, FATHER, OR BOTH THE MOTHER AND FATHER MAY BRING A WRONGFUL DEATH ACTION FOR A DECEASED UNBORN CHILD AND THE FATHER AND MOTHER SHALL BE THE ONLY BENEFICIARIES; AND BY AMENDING SECTION 15-51-42, RELATING TO THE APPROVAL OF SETTLEMENTS OF WRONGFUL DEATH OR SURVIVAL ACTIONS, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT THE PARENT INITIATING THE WRONGFUL DEATH ACTION IS AUTHORIZED TO SETTLE THE ACTION., is a 126th General Assembly (2025-2026) Senate bill sponsored by Josh Kimbrell (Republican); status failed, last action 2026-01-13 (Referred to Committee on Judiciary) (as of 2026-10-12).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/SC-S0713-2025-2026
- 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 0713
- State: South Carolina
- Session: 126th General Assembly (2025-2026)
- Title: A BILL TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 15-51-10, RELATING TO CIVIL ACTIONS FOR A WRONGFUL ACT CAUSING DEATH, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT A WRONGFUL DEATH ACTION CAN BE MAINTAINED FOR AN UNBORN CHILD AT ANY STAGE OF DEVELOPMENT AND TO PROVIDE THAT A VIOLATION OF ARTICLE 6, CHAPTER 41, TITLE 44 IS PRIMA FACIE EVIDENCE ENTITLING A PARENT TO MAINTAIN A WRONGFUL DEATH ACTION ON BEHALF OF THEIR DECEASED UNBORN CHILD; BY AMENDING SECTION 15-51-20, RELATING TO THE BENEFICIARIES OF ACTION FOR WRONGFUL DEATH AND WHO MAY BRING AN ACTION, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT THE MOTHER, FATHER, OR BOTH THE MOTHER AND FATHER MAY BRING A WRONGFUL DEATH ACTION FOR A DECEASED UNBORN CHILD AND THE FATHER AND MOTHER SHALL BE THE ONLY BENEFICIARIES; AND BY AMENDING SECTION 15-51-42, RELATING TO THE APPROVAL OF SETTLEMENTS OF WRONGFUL DEATH OR SURVIVAL ACTIONS, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT THE PARENT INITIATING THE WRONGFUL DEATH ACTION IS AUTHORIZED TO SETTLE THE ACTION.
- Status: failed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2025-12-10
- Last action: 2026-01-13, Referred to Committee on Judiciary
- Sponsor: Josh Kimbrell (Republican)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Touches household money: no
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

Prenatal Wrongful Death

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Josh Kimbrell (Republican), Senate

## Actions (4)

- 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/713.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/713.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)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/SC-S0713-2025-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).