South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

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S. 863

STATUS INFORMATION

General Bill
Sponsors: Senators Grooms, Cromer, Martin, Bennett, Rankin, Tedder, Sutton and Matthews
Companion/Similar bill(s): 5177
Document Path: SR-0511KM26.docx

Introduced in the Senate on January 28, 2026
Introduced in the House on April 2, 2026
Passed by the General Assembly on May 7, 2026

Summary: Culinary Arts Management Degree

HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS

Date Body Action Description with journal page number
1/28/2026 Senate Introduced and read first time (Senate Journal-page 9)
1/28/2026 Senate Referred to Committee on Education (Senate Journal-page 9)
1/28/2026 Scrivener's error corrected
3/25/2026 Senate Committee report: Favorable Education (Senate Journal-page 9)
4/1/2026 Senate Read second time (Senate Journal-page 45)
4/1/2026 Senate Roll call Ayes-42 Nays-2 (Senate Journal-page 45)
4/1/2026 Senate Unanimous consent for third reading on next legislative day (Senate Journal-page 45)
4/2/2026 Senate Read third time and sent to House (Senate Journal-page 9)
4/2/2026 House Introduced and read first time (House Journal-page 33)
4/2/2026 House Referred to Committee on Ways and Means (House Journal-page 33)
4/28/2026 House Committee report: Favorable Ways and Means (House Journal-page 6)
4/29/2026 Scrivener's error corrected
4/29/2026 House Debate adjourned (House Journal-page 27)
4/30/2026 House Debate adjourned until Tues., 5-5-26 (House Journal-page 87)
5/6/2026 House Debate adjourned until Wed., 5-6-26 (House Journal-page 27)
5/6/2026 House Read second time (House Journal-page 38)
5/6/2026 House Roll call Yeas-119 Nays-0 (House Journal-page 38)
5/7/2026 House Read third time and enrolled (House Journal-page 18)
5/14/2026 Ratified R 158
5/18/2026 Signed By Governor

View the latest legislative information at the website

VERSIONS OF THIS BILL

1/28/2026
1/28/2026-A
3/25/2026
4/28/2026
4/29/2026


NOTE: THIS IS A TEMPORARY VERSION. THIS DOCUMENT WILL REMAIN IN THIS VERSION UNTIL FINAL APPROVAL BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

(R158, S863)

AN ACT TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 59-103-15, RELATING TO THE STATE'S MISSION AND GOALS FOR HIGHER EDUCATION, SO AS TO PROVIDE FOR AN APPLIED BACCALAUREATE IN CULINARY ARTS MANAGEMENT DEGREE FROM INSTITUTIONS THAT ARE PART OF THE STATE TECHNICAL AND COMPREHENSIVE EDUCATION SYSTEM; AND BY AMENDING SECTION 59-103-15, RELATING TO FUNDING FOR CERTAIN DEGREES, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT APPLIED BACCALAUREATE IN CULINARY ARTS MANAGEMENT DEGREE PROGRAMS ARE ONLY ALLOWED IF STATE FUNDS ARE NOT APPROPRIATED TO FUND THE PROGRAMS.

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

Applied Baccalaureate in Culinary Arts Management degree authorized

SECTION 1.    Section 59-103-15(B)(5)(e) and (f) of the S.C. Code are amended to read:

(e) continue to remain technical, vocational, or occupational colleges with a mission as stated in item (4) and primarily focused on technical education and the economic development of the State;

(f) subject to subsection (C), an Applied Baccalaureate in Advanced Manufacturing Technology degree approved first by the Board for Technical and Comprehensive Education and then the Commission on Higher Education; and

(g) subject to subsection (C), an Applied Baccalaureate in Culinary Arts Management degree approved first by the Board for Technical and Comprehensive Education and then the Commission on Higher Education.

Prohibition on use of new state funds

SECTION 2.    Section 59-103-15(C) of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

(C) Notwithstanding subsection (B), the degrees set forth in subsection (B)(3)(e), (f), (g), and (h), and subsection (B)(5)(f) and (g) are only allowed so long as new state general funds are not appropriated for the operations of the degree program.

Time effective

SECTION 3.    This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

Ratified the 14th day of May, 2026.

______________________________________________________________________

President of the Senate

_____________________________________________________________________

Speaker of the House of Representatives

Approved the _____________ day of _________________________________________2026.

____________________________________________________________________

Governor

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This web page was last updated on May 14, 2026 at 8:46 PM