H 4806 General Bill, By Altman
 A BILL TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION
 1-1-703 SO AS TO RECOGNIZE GRITS AS THE OFFICIAL FOOD OF THE STATE.

   03/22/00  House  Introduced and read first time HJ-5
   03/22/00  House  Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Natural
                     Resources and Environmental Affairs HJ-6

TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 1-1-703 SO AS TO RECOGNIZE GRITS AS THE OFFICIAL FOOD OF THE STATE.

Whereas, throughout its history, the South has "relished its grits", making them "a symbol of its diet, its customs, its humor, and its hospitality"; and

Whereas, every community in the State of South Carolina used to be the site of a grist mill and every local economy in the State used to be dependent on its products; and

Whereas, grits has been a part of the life of every South Carolinian of whatever race, background, gender, and income; and

Whereas, grits could very well play a vital role in the future of not only this State, but also the world, if, as The Charleston News and Courier proclaimed in 1952: "An inexpensive, simple, and thoroughly digestible food, [grits] should be made popular throughout the world. Given enough of it, the inhabitants of planet Earth would have nothing to fight about. A man full of [grits] is a man of peace". Now, therefore,

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION 1. The 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Section 1-1-703. The official state food is grits."

SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.