Despite support from prominent Republicans including United States Senator Jim DeMint,[5] Shealy was defeated.
This case went to the SC Supreme Court and resulted in the removal of over 200 candidates from the ballot that year who had also incorrectly filed their paperwork.
She now serves on the Finance Committee, Labor, Commerce and Industry, Rules, Family and Veteran Services, which she chairs, and Corrections and Penology.
In 2018 Shealy was the sponsor of Legislation in SC that was signed into law by the Governor creating the Office of the Child Advocate (S805).
They blocked male state senators from passing a bill that would ban almost all abortions in South Carolina by filibustering it.
[14][15][11] On May 23, 2023, Senate Republicans passed another bill that severely restricted abortion rights to six weeks, exceptions made only in cases of rape, incest, fetal abnormalities or the woman's life or health being in danger and paving the way for a Supreme Court confrontation over its elements.
Shealy had offered an alternative amendment that would have preserved some rights, including a ban expanded to twelve weeks, but it was rejected by the Senate in a 21 to 25 vote.
[18] In 2015 Shealy created a 501(c)3, Katrina's Kids, to serve children in Foster Care and Group Homes across all 46 counties in South Carolina.
Katrina's Kids holds an Annual Music Benefit and a Race for the Case 5K event that helps supply suitcases and backpacks for children entering foster care.