NO. 26
REGULAR SESSION BEGINNING TUESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2025
________
The House assembled at 10:00 a.m.
Deliberations were opened with prayer by Rev. Jeff Lingerfelt as follows:
Our thought for today is from Psalm 34:11: "Come, you children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord."
Let us pray: O Lord our Father, You alone reign supreme. Are you not our God who is high above the highest heavens and that environment cannot contain you! You are transcendent and omnipresent. Your omnipotent power as Creator sustains the entire cosmos. You are "The Almighty and there is none to compare with you. You are kind and gracious. Slow to anger and abound in Covenantal, steadfast love! We in this House of Representatives gather as your ambassadors to administrate the affairs of this state. We stand amazed that you would use fallen men and women of clay feet to be Your representatives in governmental affairs. Oftentimes, our mouths speak but our hearts are far from you. O Lord please forgive us of our sins, transgressions and iniquities. Please separate us from our own selfish ambitions, so that we might represent your eternal will in this House today. We need your help! And all for your magnanimous honor, glory and name's sake we pray. Amen.
Pursuant to Rule 6.3, the House of Representatives was led in the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America by the SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE.
After corrections to the Journal of the proceedings of yesterday, the SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE ordered it confirmed.
Rep. CHUMLEY moved that when the House adjourns, it adjourn in memory of Raymond "Herb" Powers, which was agreed to.
Mr. Speaker- I respectfully request that when we adjourn today, that we do so in memory of Raymond "Herb" Herbert Powers who passed away peacefully at the age of 94. Mr. Powers served in the US Air Force before moving to Enoree. He was a farmer and was married to his wife of over 70 years.
Herb lived a long meaningful life devoted to his family, his work, and his community. We thank him for his service to his country and to the state of South Carolina. He carried with him the discipline, work ethic, dedication and sense of humor he developed in the military throughout his life.
Rep. Bill Chumley
The House stood in silent prayer for the family and friends of Christine Osburn Jackson.
Rep. DILLARD made a statement relative to the contributions to South Carolina of the Greenville 8, Jesse Jackson, Dorris Wright, Hattie Smith Wright, Elaine Means, Willie Joe Wright, Benjamin Downs, Margaree Seawright Crosby, and Joan Mattison Daniel.
On the afternoon of July 16, 1960, eight Black students bravely filed into the whites-only Greenville County (S.C.) Public Library and sat down in the reading room to look at newspapers and books. The students had been to the library once before, but they had left when police arrived and told them to leave or they would be locked up. The Greenville Eight, as they were called (Jesse Jackson, Dorris Wright, Hattie Smith Wright, Elaine Means, Willie Joe Wright, Benjamin Downs, Margaree Seawright Crosby, and Joan Mattison Daniel) had been counseled by the Rev. James S. Hall Jr., vice president of the South Carolina NAACP. They returned to Hall's church, but he instructed them to go back, get a book, and sit down, Daniel recalls. "They would probably arrest us but, he said, don't fear, we would be release."
Within a few minutes the police arrived and arrested all eight for disorderly conduct. Daniel says they were in jail about 15 minutes before African-American attorney Donald J. Sampson and Hall arrived. The court released each of them on a $30 bond.
Attempt to desegregate the Greenville Public Library took a more legal approach in the following months, and, after public pressure mounted, the library was reopened as a desegregated facility on September 19, 1960.
Rep. Chandra Dillard
Rep. ERICKSON, from the Committee on Education and Public Works, submitted a favorable report with amendments on:
H. 5179 (Word version) -- Reps. Erickson, McGinnis, Garvin, Grant, Yow, C. Mitchell and Wooten: A BILL TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ADDING SECTION 59-101-440 SO AS TO CREATE THE SCHOOL MAPPING DATA PROGRAM WITHIN THE STATE LAW ENFORCEMENT DIVISION FOR THE PURPOSE OF FACILITATING EFFICIENT EMERGENCY RESPONSES IN PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING BY PUBLIC SAFETY AGENCIES, TO DEFINE NECESSARY TERMS, TO PROVIDE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE PROGRAM AND ITS IMPLEMENTATION BY THE DIVISION, AND TO PROVIDE RELATED REQUIREMENTS OF INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING AND LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES.
Ordered for consideration tomorrow.
Rep. W. NEWTON, from the Committee on Judiciary, submitted a favorable report with amendments on:
H. 4151 (Word version) -- Reps. W. Newton, G. M. Smith, Hiott, Hixon, Caskey, Robbins, C. Mitchell, Pope, Gagnon, Taylor, Whitmire, B. Newton, Vaughan, Chapman, M. M. Smith, J. E. Johnson, Yow, Bustos, Landing, Gibson, McCravy, Gilliam, Hager, Rankin, Schuessler, Teeple, Erickson, Herbkersman, Hartnett, Wooten, Lawson, Long and Lowe: A BILL TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 63-19-20, RELATING TO TERMS DEFINED IN THE "JUVENILE JUSTICE CODE," SO AS TO CHANGE THE DEFINITION OF "CHILD" OR "JUVENILE," TO PROVIDE EXCEPTIONS FOR MINORS WHO COMMIT CERTAIN VIOLENT CRIMES, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
Ordered for consideration tomorrow.
Rep. W. NEWTON, from the Committee on Judiciary, submitted a favorable report on:
H. 4763 (Word version) -- Reps. Oremus, Brittain, W. Newton, Bailey, Bradley, Brewer, Caskey, Crawford, Duncan, Erickson, Forrest, Gagnon, Gatch, Gilliam, Guest, Haddon, Hardee, Hartnett, Hartz, Hewitt, Hiott, Hixon, Holman, J. E. Johnson, Lawson, Ligon, Long, Lowe, Martin, McCravy, C. Mitchell, B. Newton, Pedalino, Pope, Robbins, Sanders, Schuessler, Sessions, G. M. Smith, M. M. Smith, Taylor, Teeple, Vaughan, Whitmire, Willis, Wooten, Yow, Terribile, White, Lastinger, Wickensimer, Atkinson and Chapman: A BILL TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS SO AS TO ENACT THE "HELPING ALLEVIATE LAWFUL OBSTRUCTION (HALO) ACT"; AND BY ADDING SECTION 16-3-1092 SO AS TO DEFINE THE TERMS "EMERGENCY MEDICAL CARE PROVIDER", "FIRST RESPONDER", AND "HARASS", TO PROVIDE THAT IT IS UNLAWFUL FOR A PERSON TO APPROACH, IMPEDE, CAUSE HARM TO, OR HARASS A FIRST RESPONDER OR EMERGENCY MEDICAL CARE PROVIDER AFTER RECEIVING A VERBAL WARNING, AND TO PROVIDE A PENALTY.
Ordered for consideration tomorrow.
Rep. W. NEWTON, from the Committee on Judiciary, submitted a favorable report on:
H. 5120 (Word version) -- Reps. Cox, Garvin, Holman, T. Moore, Sessions, Wetmore, C. Mitchell and Yow: A BILL TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 63-19-2020, RELATING TO CONFIDENTIALITY OF JUVENILE RECORDS, SO AS TO CLARIFY WHEN NOTICE ABOUT THE DISPOSITION OF A CASE AGAINST A CHILD CHARGED WITH CERTAIN OFFENSES MUST BE PROVIDED TO A SCHOOL PRINCIPAL, AND TO CLARIFY WHEN JUVENILE FINGERPRINT RECORDS AND PHOTOGRAPHS ARE TAKEN, HOW THESE RECORDS ARE MAINTAINED, AND THE CIRCUMSTANCES UNDER WHICH THESE RECORDS MAY BE TRANSMITTED TO ANOTHER AGENCY OR PERSON; AND BY AMENDING SECTION 63-19-2030, RELATING TO JUVENILE LAW ENFORCEMENT RECORDS, SO AS TO CLARIFY WHEN INCIDENT REPORTS ABOUT A CHILD CHARGED WITH CERTAIN OFFENSES MUST BE PROVIDED TO A SCHOOL PRINCIPAL.
Ordered for consideration tomorrow.
Rep. W. NEWTON, from the Committee on Judiciary, submitted a favorable report on:
H. 5121 (Word version) -- Reps. Cox, Garvin, Holman, T. Moore, Sessions, Wetmore, C. Mitchell and Yow: A BILL TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ADDING ARTICLE 25 TO CHAPTER 19, TITLE 63 SO AS TO ESTABLISH A COMMUNITY JUVENILE CRIME PREVENTION PROGRAM BY WHICH PUBLIC OR PRIVATE NONPROFIT ENTITIES MAY BE CERTIFIED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF JUVENILE JUSTICE TO PROVIDE CERTAIN SERVICES AND ACTIVITIES INTENDED TO PREVENT JUVENILE CRIME AND DELINQUENCY, TO PROVIDE FOR THE CERTIFICATION OF COMMUNITY JUVENILE CRIME PREVENTION PROGRAMS BY THE DEPARTMENT, TO ESTABLISH A CIVIL PENALTY FOR THE UNLAWFUL REPRESENTATION OF AN UNCERTIFIED PROGRAM AS CERTIFIED, AND TO PROVIDE THAT THE DEPARTMENT SHALL PROMULGATE NECESSARY REGULATIONS TO EFFECTUATE THE PROVISIONS OF THIS ARTICLE.
Ordered for consideration tomorrow.
The following was introduced:
H. 5254 (Word version) -- Reps. Henderson-Myers, Alexander, Anderson, Atkinson, Bailey, Ballentine, Bamberg, Bannister, Bauer, Beach, Bernstein, Bowers, Bradley, Brewer, Brittain, Burns, Bustos, Calhoon, Caskey, Chapman, Chumley, Clyburn, Cobb-Hunter, Collins, Cox, Crawford, Cromer, Davis, Dillard, Duncan, Edgerton, Erickson, Ford, Forrest, Frank, Gagnon, Garvin, Gatch, Gibson, Gilliam, Gilliard, Gilreath, Govan, Grant, Guest, Guffey, Haddon, Hager, Hardee, Harris, Hart, Hartnett, Hartz, Hayes, Herbkersman, Hewitt, Hiott, Hixon, Holman, Hosey, Howard, Huff, J. E. Johnson, J. L. Johnson, Jones, Jordan, Kilmartin, King, Kirby, Landing, Lastinger, Lawson, Ligon, Long, Lowe, Luck, Magnuson, Martin, McCabe, McCravy, McDaniel, McGinnis, C. Mitchell, D. Mitchell, Montgomery, J. Moore, T. Moore, Morgan, Moss, Neese, B. Newton, W. Newton, Oremus, Pace, Pedalino, Pope, Rankin, Reese, Rivers, Robbins, Rose, Rutherford, Sanders, Schuessler, Scott, Sessions, G. M. Smith, M. M. Smith, Spann-Wilder, Stavrinakis, Taylor, Teeple, Terribile, Vaughan, Waters, Weeks, Wetmore, White, Whitmire, Wickensimer, Williams, Willis, Wooten and Yow: A HOUSE RESOLUTION TO HONOR THE LIFE AND ACHIEVEMENTS OF PROMINENT EDUCATION STRATEGIST, BUSINESS EXECUTIVE, AND PHILANTHROPIST DR. SAKIR YAVUZ, FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT OF ATAFOM UNIVERSITY INTERNATIONAL IN BANGUI, CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC.
The Resolution was adopted.
The following was introduced:
H. 5255 (Word version) -- Reps. Henderson-Myers, Alexander, Anderson, Atkinson, Bailey, Ballentine, Bamberg, Bannister, Bauer, Beach, Bernstein, Bowers, Bradley, Brewer, Brittain, Burns, Bustos, Calhoon, Caskey, Chapman, Chumley, Clyburn, Cobb-Hunter, Collins, Cox, Crawford, Cromer, Davis, Dillard, Duncan, Edgerton, Erickson, Ford, Forrest, Frank, Gagnon, Garvin, Gatch, Gibson, Gilliam, Gilliard, Gilreath, Govan, Grant, Guest, Guffey, Haddon, Hager, Hardee, Harris, Hart, Hartnett, Hartz, Hayes, Herbkersman, Hewitt, Hiott, Hixon, Holman, Hosey, Howard, Huff, J. E. Johnson, J. L. Johnson, Jones, Jordan, Kilmartin, King, Kirby, Landing, Lastinger, Lawson, Ligon, Long, Lowe, Luck, Magnuson, Martin, McCabe, McCravy, McDaniel, McGinnis, C. Mitchell, D. Mitchell, Montgomery, J. Moore, T. Moore, Morgan, Moss, Neese, B. Newton, W. Newton, Oremus, Pace, Pedalino, Pope, Rankin, Reese, Rivers, Robbins, Rose, Rutherford, Sanders, Schuessler, Scott, Sessions, G. M. Smith, M. M. Smith, Spann-Wilder, Stavrinakis, Taylor, Teeple, Terribile, Vaughan, Waters, Weeks, Wetmore, White, Whitmire, Wickensimer, Williams, Willis, Wooten and Yow: A HOUSE RESOLUTION TO RECOGNIZE THE SOUTHERN AREA OF THE LINKS, INCORPORATED WHICH STANDS READY TO PARTNER WITH THE SOUTH CAROLINA GENERAL ASSEMBLY AND OTHER POLICYMAKERS, AGENCIES, AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS TO ADVANCE A VISION OF FOOD EQUITY, HEALTH, AND JUSTICE FOR ALL RESIDENTS OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
The Resolution was adopted.
The following was introduced:
H. 5256 (Word version) -- Reps. Pace, Alexander, Anderson, Atkinson, Bailey, Ballentine, Bamberg, Bannister, Bauer, Beach, Bernstein, Bowers, Bradley, Brewer, Brittain, Burns, Bustos, Calhoon, Caskey, Chapman, Chumley, Clyburn, Cobb-Hunter, Collins, Cox, Crawford, Cromer, Davis, Dillard, Duncan, Edgerton, Erickson, Ford, Forrest, Frank, Gagnon, Garvin, Gatch, Gibson, Gilliam, Gilliard, Gilreath, Govan, Grant, Guest, Guffey, Haddon, Hager, Hardee, Harris, Hart, Hartnett, Hartz, Hayes, Henderson-Myers, Herbkersman, Hewitt, Hiott, Hixon, Holman, Hosey, Howard, Huff, J. E. Johnson, J. L. Johnson, Jones, Jordan, Kilmartin, King, Kirby, Landing, Lastinger, Lawson, Ligon, Long, Lowe, Luck, Magnuson, Martin, McCabe, McCravy, McDaniel, McGinnis, C. Mitchell, D. Mitchell, Montgomery, J. Moore, T. Moore, Morgan, Moss, Neese, B. Newton, W. Newton, Oremus, Pedalino, Pope, Rankin, Reese, Rivers, Robbins, Rose, Rutherford, Sanders, Schuessler, Scott, Sessions, G. M. Smith, M. M. Smith, Spann-Wilder, Stavrinakis, Taylor, Teeple, Terribile, Vaughan, Waters, Weeks, Wetmore, White, Whitmire, Wickensimer, Williams, Willis, Wooten and Yow: A HOUSE RESOLUTION TO CONGRATULATE THE NORTHWOOD ACADEMY ARCHERY TEAM, COACHES, AND SCHOOL OFFICIALS ON AN OUTSTANDING SEASON AND TO HONOR THEM FOR WINNING THE 2026 SOUTH CAROLINA INDEPENDENT SCHOOL ASSOCIATION (SCISA) STATE CHAMPIONSHIP.
The Resolution was adopted.
The following was introduced:
H. 5257 (Word version) -- Reps. Herbkersman, Alexander, Anderson, Atkinson, Bailey, Ballentine, Bamberg, Bannister, Bauer, Beach, Bernstein, Bowers, Bradley, Brewer, Brittain, Burns, Bustos, Calhoon, Caskey, Chapman, Chumley, Clyburn, Cobb-Hunter, Collins, Cox, Crawford, Cromer, Davis, Dillard, Duncan, Edgerton, Erickson, Ford, Forrest, Frank, Gagnon, Garvin, Gatch, Gibson, Gilliam, Gilliard, Gilreath, Govan, Grant, Guest, Guffey, Haddon, Hager, Hardee, Harris, Hart, Hartnett, Hartz, Hayes, Henderson-Myers, Hewitt, Hiott, Hixon, Holman, Hosey, Howard, Huff, J. E. Johnson, J. L. Johnson, Jones, Jordan, Kilmartin, King, Kirby, Landing, Lastinger, Lawson, Ligon, Long, Lowe, Luck, Magnuson, Martin, McCabe, McCravy, McDaniel, McGinnis, C. Mitchell, D. Mitchell, Montgomery, J. Moore, T. Moore, Morgan, Moss, Neese, B. Newton, W. Newton, Oremus, Pace, Pedalino, Pope, Rankin, Reese, Rivers, Robbins, Rose, Rutherford, Sanders, Schuessler, Scott, Sessions, G. M. Smith, M. M. Smith, Spann-Wilder, Stavrinakis, Taylor, Teeple, Terribile, Vaughan, Waters, Weeks, Wetmore, White, Whitmire, Wickensimer, Williams, Willis, Wooten and Yow: A HOUSE RESOLUTION TO DECLARE THE MONTH OF APRIL 2026 AS "TEACHERS INSURANCE AND ANNUITY ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA (TIAA) MONTH" IN THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA AND TO RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF FINANCIAL LITERACY AND RETIREMENT READINESS FOR ALL SOUTH CAROLINIANS.
The Resolution was adopted.
The following was introduced:
H. 5258 (Word version) -- Reps. Grant, Alexander, Anderson, Atkinson, Bailey, Ballentine, Bamberg, Bannister, Bauer, Beach, Bernstein, Bowers, Bradley, Brewer, Brittain, Burns, Bustos, Calhoon, Caskey, Chapman, Chumley, Clyburn, Cobb-Hunter, Collins, Cox, Crawford, Cromer, Davis, Dillard, Duncan, Edgerton, Erickson, Ford, Forrest, Frank, Gagnon, Garvin, Gatch, Gibson, Gilliam, Gilliard, Gilreath, Govan, Guest, Guffey, Haddon, Hager, Hardee, Harris, Hart, Hartnett, Hartz, Hayes, Henderson-Myers, Herbkersman, Hewitt, Hiott, Hixon, Holman, Hosey, Howard, Huff, J. E. Johnson, J. L. Johnson, Jones, Jordan, Kilmartin, King, Kirby, Landing, Lastinger, Lawson, Ligon, Long, Lowe, Luck, Magnuson, Martin, McCabe, McCravy, McDaniel, McGinnis, C. Mitchell, D. Mitchell, Montgomery, J. Moore, T. Moore, Morgan, Moss, Neese, B. Newton, W. Newton, Oremus, Pace, Pedalino, Pope, Rankin, Reese, Rivers, Robbins, Rose, Rutherford, Sanders, Schuessler, Scott, Sessions, G. M. Smith, M. M. Smith, Spann-Wilder, Stavrinakis, Taylor, Teeple, Terribile, Vaughan, Waters, Weeks, Wetmore, White, Whitmire, Wickensimer, Williams, Willis, Wooten and Yow: A HOUSE RESOLUTION TO HONOR AND RECOGNIZE KHALI GALLMAN ON HER OUTSTANDING SERVICE TO THE MIDLANDS COMMUNITY AND THE CREATION OF 803 DAY, A WEEKEND-LONG CELEBRATION OF THE MIDLANDS, SYMBOLIZING UNITY, PRIDE, AND THE VIBRANT SPIRIT OF THE AREA.
The Resolution was adopted.
The following was introduced:
H. 5259 (Word version) -- Reps. G. M. Smith, Alexander, Anderson, Atkinson, Bailey, Ballentine, Bamberg, Bannister, Bauer, Beach, Bernstein, Bowers, Bradley, Brewer, Brittain, Burns, Bustos, Calhoon, Caskey, Chapman, Chumley, Clyburn, Cobb-Hunter, Collins, Cox, Crawford, Cromer, Davis, Dillard, Duncan, Edgerton, Erickson, Ford, Forrest, Frank, Gagnon, Garvin, Gatch, Gibson, Gilliam, Gilliard, Gilreath, Govan, Grant, Guest, Guffey, Haddon, Hager, Hardee, Harris, Hart, Hartnett, Hartz, Hayes, Henderson-Myers, Herbkersman, Hewitt, Hiott, Hixon, Holman, Hosey, Howard, Huff, J. E. Johnson, J. L. Johnson, Jones, Jordan, Kilmartin, King, Kirby, Landing, Lastinger, Lawson, Ligon, Long, Lowe, Luck, Magnuson, Martin, McCabe, McCravy, McDaniel, McGinnis, C. Mitchell, D. Mitchell, Montgomery, J. Moore, T. Moore, Morgan, Moss, Neese, B. Newton, W. Newton, Oremus, Pace, Pedalino, Pope, Rankin, Reese, Rivers, Robbins, Rose, Rutherford, Sanders, Schuessler, Scott, Sessions, M. M. Smith, Spann-Wilder, Stavrinakis, Taylor, Teeple, Terribile, Vaughan, Waters, Weeks, Wetmore, White, Whitmire, Wickensimer, Williams, Willis, Wooten and Yow: A HOUSE RESOLUTION TO HONOR THE FORTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF THE CENTER FOR EDUCATOR RECRUITMENT, RETENTION, AND ADVANCEMENT (CERRA) IN RECOGNITION OF ITS IMPACT ON PUBLIC EDUCATION IN SOUTH CAROLINA AND ITS COMMITMENT TO ADVANCE EDUCATION THROUGH RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION EFFORTS, AND TO PROCLAIM MARCH 24, 2026, AS "CERRA RECOGNITION AND CELEBRATION DAY" IN SOUTH CAROLINA.
The Resolution was adopted.
The following was introduced:
H. 5260 (Word version) -- Reps. Howard, Garvin, Alexander, Anderson, Atkinson, Bailey, Ballentine, Bamberg, Bannister, Bauer, Beach, Bernstein, Bowers, Bradley, Brewer, Brittain, Burns, Bustos, Calhoon, Caskey, Chapman, Chumley, Clyburn, Cobb-Hunter, Collins, Cox, Crawford, Cromer, Davis, Dillard, Duncan, Edgerton, Erickson, Ford, Forrest, Frank, Gagnon, Gatch, Gibson, Gilliam, Gilliard, Gilreath, Govan, Grant, Guest, Guffey, Haddon, Hager, Hardee, Harris, Hart, Hartnett, Hartz, Hayes, Henderson-Myers, Herbkersman, Hewitt, Hiott, Hixon, Holman, Hosey, Huff, J. E. Johnson, J. L. Johnson, Jones, Jordan, Kilmartin, King, Kirby, Landing, Lastinger, Lawson, Ligon, Long, Lowe, Luck, Magnuson, Martin, McCabe, McCravy, McDaniel, McGinnis, C. Mitchell, D. Mitchell, Montgomery, J. Moore, T. Moore, Morgan, Moss, Neese, B. Newton, W. Newton, Oremus, Pace, Pedalino, Pope, Rankin, Reese, Rivers, Robbins, Rose, Rutherford, Sanders, Schuessler, Scott, Sessions, G. M. Smith, M. M. Smith, Spann-Wilder, Stavrinakis, Taylor, Teeple, Terribile, Vaughan, Waters, Weeks, Wetmore, White, Whitmire, Wickensimer, Williams, Willis, Wooten and Yow: A HOUSE RESOLUTION TO DECLARE MARCH 9-13, 2026, AS BETA CLUB WEEK IN SOUTH CAROLINA AND TO ENCOURAGE ALL CITIZENS OF THE PALMETTO STATE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT, AND SUPPORT, THE NATIONAL BETA CLUB, WHOSE MEMBERS ARE PREPARING THEMSELVES TO BE BETTER, MORE RESPONSIBLE CITIZENS AS THEY PROVIDE MEANINGFUL SERVICE TO THEIR RESPECTIVE SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITIES.
The Resolution was adopted.
The following Bills were introduced, read the first time, and referred to appropriate committees:
S. 780 (Word version) -- Senator Gambrell: A BILL TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 37-23-20, RELATING TO HIGH-COST AND CONSUMER HOME LOANS DEFINITIONS, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT THE CONVENTIONAL MORTGAGE RATE MEANS THE AVERAGE PRIME OFFER RATE.
Referred to Committee on Labor, Commerce and Industry
S. 787 (Word version) -- Senator Gambrell: A BILL TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ADDING SECTION 37-3-110 SO AS TO DEFINE BRIDGE LOANS; AND BY AMENDING SECTION 37-3-402, RELATING TO BALLOON PAYMENTS, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT THIS SECTION DOES NOT APPLY TO BRIDGE LOANS.
Referred to Committee on Labor, Commerce and Industry
The roll call of the House of Representatives was taken resulting as follows:
Alexander Anderson Atkinson Bailey Ballentine Bamberg Bannister Bauer Beach Bernstein Bowers Bradley Brewer Brittain Burns Bustos Calhoon Caskey Chapman Chumley Clyburn Cobb-Hunter Collins Cox Crawford Cromer Davis Dillard Duncan Edgerton Erickson Ford Forrest Frank Gagnon Garvin Gatch Gibson Gilliam Gilliard Gilreath Govan Grant Guest Guffey Haddon Hager Hardee Harris Hart Hartnett Hartz Hayes Henderson-Myers Herbkersman Hewitt Hiott Hixon Holman Hosey Howard Huff J. E. Johnson J. L. Johnson Jones Jordan Kilmartin King Kirby Landing Lastinger Lawson Ligon Long Lowe Luck Magnuson Martin McCabe McCravy McDaniel McGinnis C. Mitchell D. Mitchell J. Moore T. Moore Morgan Moss Neese B. Newton W. Newton Oremus Pace Pedalino Pope Rankin Reese Rivers Robbins Rose Rutherford Sanders Schuessler Scott Sessions G. M. Smith M. M. Smith Stavrinakis Taylor Teeple Terribile Vaughan Weeks Wetmore White Whitmire Wickensimer Williams Willis Wooten Yow
Rep. LOWE signed a statement with the Clerk that he came in after the roll call of the House and was present for the Session on Tuesday, February 24.
The SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE granted Rep. SPANN-WILDER a leave of absence for the day due to medical reasons.
The SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE granted Rep. WATERS a leave of absence for the day due to business reasons.
The SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE granted Rep. MONTGOMERY a leave of absence for the day.
Rep. T. MOORE presented to the House the students from the South Carolina School for the Deaf and the Blind.
Rep. POPE presented to the House the York Technical College 2025 Skills USA National Leadership and Skills Conference Championship Team.
Announcement was made that Dr. Kristopher Gross of Anderson County was the Doctor of the Day for the General Assembly.
In accordance with House Rule 5.2 below:
"5.2 Every bill before presentation shall have its title endorsed; every report, its title at length; every petition, memorial, or other paper, its prayer or substance; and, in every instance, the name of the member presenting any paper shall be endorsed and the papers shall be presented by the member to the Speaker at the desk. A member may add his name to a bill or resolution or a co-sponsor of a bill or resolution may remove his name at any time prior to the bill or resolution receiving passage on second reading. The member or co-sponsor shall notify the Clerk of the House in writing of his desire to have his name added or removed from the bill or resolution. The Clerk of the House shall print the member's or co-sponsor's written notification in the House Journal. The removal or addition of a name does not apply to a bill or resolution sponsored by a committee."
Bill Number: H. 3530 (Word version)
Date: ADD:
02/25/26 WILLIAMS
Bill Number: H. 3583 (Word version)
Date: ADD:
02/25/26 MCDANIEL
Bill Number: H. 3630 (Word version)
Date: ADD:
02/25/26 BAUER
Bill Number: H. 3631 (Word version)
Date: ADD:
02/25/26 BAUER
Bill Number: H. 3934 (Word version)
Date: ADD:
02/25/26 RANKIN, FRANK, MORGAN, LASTINGER, CROMER, HOWARD and J. MOORE
Bill Number: H. 4103 (Word version)
Date: ADD:
02/25/26 GRANT
Bill Number: H. 4248 (Word version)
Date: ADD:
02/25/26 HEWITT, COBB-HUNTER, FORREST and M. M. SMITH
Bill Number: H. 4270 (Word version)
Date: ADD:
02/25/26 HADDON and WATERS
Bill Number: H. 4646 (Word version)
Date: ADD:
02/25/26 W. NEWTON
Bill Number: H. 4762 (Word version)
Date: ADD:
02/25/26 CROMER and GILREATH
Bill Number: H. 4763 (Word version)
Date: ADD:
02/25/26 WICKENSIMER, ATKINSON and CHAPMAN
Bill Number: H. 4764 (Word version)
Date: ADD:
02/25/26 BAILEY
Bill Number: H. 4767 (Word version)
Date: ADD:
02/25/26 ROBBINS and BREWER
Bill Number: H. 4806 (Word version)
Date: ADD:
02/25/26 GUEST, CRAWFORD, MCCABE, VAUGHAN and PEDALINO
Bill Number: H. 5075 (Word version)
Date: ADD:
02/25/26 WICKENSIMER and GUEST
Bill Number: H. 5096 (Word version)
Date: ADD:
02/25/26 HEWITT
Bill Number: H. 5097 (Word version)
Date: ADD:
02/25/26 M. M. SMITH
Bill Number: H. 5113 (Word version)
Date: ADD:
02/25/26 LIGON
Bill Number: H. 5122 (Word version)
Date: ADD:
02/25/26 GRANT, ANDERSON, SCHUESSLER and G. M. SMITH
Bill Number: H. 5249 (Word version)
Date: ADD:
02/25/26 SCHUESSLER
The following Bills were taken up, read the third time, and ordered sent to the Senate:
H. 3774 (Word version) -- Reps. J. E. Johnson, Stavrinakis, Jordan, McCravy, C. Mitchell, Hart, Rivers and Gilliard: A BILL TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 42-1-560, RELATING TO THE NOTICE REQUIREMENT FOR FILING A THIRD-PARTY ACTION IN A WORKERS' COMPENSATION CLAIM, SO AS TO MAKE THE FILING OF A NOTICE FORM PERMISSIVE.
H. 4709 (Word version) -- Reps. Yow, C. Mitchell, M. M. Smith, Williams, Willis, Schuessler, Erickson, Bradley, Kirby, Brewer and Anderson: A BILL TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ADDING SECTION 11-35-5350 SO AS TO REQUIRE A PUBLIC ENTITY ENTERING INTO A CONTRACT FOR A PUBLIC WORKS PROJECT OR FOR THE PURCHASE OF MATERIALS FOR A PUBLIC WORKS PROJECT MUST INCLUDE IN THE CONTRACT A REQUIREMENT THAT ANY IRON OR STEEL PRODUCT PERMANENTLY INCORPORATED IN THE PROJECT BE PRODUCED IN THE UNITED STATES, AND TO PROVIDE EXCEPTIONS.
H. 4730 (Word version) -- Reps. Herbkersman, Erickson, Wooten, Ligon, Williams and Anderson: A BILL TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 40-11-360, RELATING TO EXEMPTIONS OF SIGN AND BILLBOARD INSTALLATION, REPAIR, OR MAINTENANCE FROM CONTRACTOR LICENSURE, SO AS TO INCLUDE BILLBOARD STRUCTURES.
H. 4752 (Word version) -- Reps. Wooten, McCabe, Edgerton, White and Anderson: A BILL TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 40-7-230, RELATING TO REQUIREMENTS FOR LICENSURE AS A BARBER, SO AS TO REMOVE THE APPRENTICESHIP REQUIREMENT.
H. 5140 (Word version) -- Reps. Ligon, Herbkersman, Kirby and Anderson: A BILL TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 26-1-100, RELATING TO THE REGULATION OF NOTARIAL FEES, SO AS TO INCREASE THE MAXIMUM FEES TO TEN DOLLARS.
H. 5162 (Word version) -- Reps. Herbkersman, Bernstein, Rivers, Weeks, Hardee, W. Newton, Brittain, Gatch, Montgomery, Lawson, J. E. Johnson, B. Newton, McCabe, Rankin, Brewer, Chumley, Gagnon, McGinnis, M. M. Smith, Williams, Ligon, Kirby, Anderson, Henderson-Myers, Govan, Oremus, Hartz and Wickensimer: A BILL TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ADDING SECTION 34-3-900 SO AS TO DEFINE TERMS PERTAINING TO THE FINANCIAL EXPLOITATION OF ELIGIBLE ADULTS AND TO OUTLINE A PROCEDURE FOR ESTABLISHING EMERGENCY CONTACTS FOR ELIGIBLE ADULTS TO PROTECT ELIGIBLE ADULTS FROM FINANCIAL EXPLOITATION.
H. 5205 (Word version) -- Reps. McGinnis, Erickson, Grant, Spann-Wilder and Govan: A BILL TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ADDING ARTICLE 4 TO CHAPTER 101, TITLE 59 SO AS TO REQUIRE EACH PUBLIC COLLEGE, UNIVERSITY, AND TECHNICAL COLLEGE IN THIS STATE TO IMPLEMENT A SAFETY TRAINING PROGRAM FOR ALL NEW STUDENTS, TO PROVIDE EXCLUSIONS FROM THE PROGRAMS, TO PROVIDE REQUIREMENTS OF THE PROGRAMS, TO REQUIRE EACH INSTITUTION TO COMPILE AND ANNUALLY REPORT CERTAIN CAMPUS CRIME STATISTICS, AMONG OTHER THINGS, TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL REPORTING REQUIREMENTS, AND TO PROVIDE ENFORCEMENT MECHANISMS.
The following Bill was taken up:
H. 3530 (Word version) -- Reps. W. Newton, Pope, Spann-Wilder, Cobb-Hunter, Bernstein, Vaughan, C. Mitchell, Robbins, T. Moore, Henderson-Myers, Gilliard and Williams: A BILL TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ADDING SECTION 2-19-115 SO AS TO REQUIRE CANDIDATES FOR MAGISTRATE POSITIONS TO BE REVIEWED BY THE JUDICIAL MERIT SELECTION COMMISSION IN THE SAME MANNER AS OTHER JUDICIAL CANDIDATES UPON VACANCIES, AND TO DEFINE WHEN VACANCIES OCCUR; BY AMENDING SECTION 22-1-10, RELATING TO APPOINTMENT, TERM AND TERRITORIAL JURISDICTION, TRAINING, CERTIFICATION, OR RECERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS OF MAGISTRATES, SO AS TO PROVIDE PROCEDURES AND LIMITATIONS ON MAGISTRATES' HOLDOVER STATUS AND TO REQUIRE MAGISTRATES GOING FORWARD TO HOLD A JURIS DOCTOR DEGREE AND BE A MEMBER IN GOOD STANDING OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA BAR; BY AMENDING SECTION 22-1-15, RELATING TO MAGISTRATES PRESENTLY SERVING, SO AS TO GRANDFATHER MAGISTRATES SERVING IN OFFICE ON JUNE 30, 2025; BY AMENDING SECTION 22-3-10, RELATING TO CIVIL JURISDICTION IN MAGISTRATES COURT, SO AS TO INCREASE THE CIVIL JURISDICTION OF MAGISTRATES COURT; BY AMENDING SECTION 22-3-550, RELATING TO CRIMINAL JURISDICTION IN MAGISTRATES COURT, SO AS TO INCREASE THE CRIMINAL JURISDICTION OF MAGISTRATES COURT; AND BY REPEALING SECTIONS 22-2-10 AND 22-2-15 RELATING TO A SCREENING COMMITTEE TO ASSIST IN THE SELECTION OF MAGISTRATES AND THE SPECIAL ELECTION FOR NONPARTISAN SELECTION OF MAGISTRATES, RESPECTIVELY.
The Committee on Judiciary proposed the following Amendment
No. 1 to H. 3530 (Word version) (LC-3530.AHB0002H):
Amend the bill, as and if amended, SECTION 3, by striking Section 22-1-15(D) and inserting:
(D) The provisions of Section 22-1-10(B)(2)(c) do not apply to a magistrate serving on June 30, 20252026, during his tenure in office including subsequent reappointments.
Amend the bill further, SECTION 4, by striking Section 22-3-10 and inserting:
Section 22-3-10. (A) Magistrates have concurrent civil jurisdiction in the following cases:
(1) in actions arising on contracts for the recovery of money only, if the sum claimed does not exceed seventwenty-five thousand five hundred dollars;
(2) in actions for damages for injury to rights pertaining to the person or personal or real property, if the damages claimed do not exceed seventwenty-five thousand five hundred dollars;
(3) in actions for a penalty, fine, or forfeiture, when the amount claimed or forfeited does not exceed seventwenty-five thousand five hundred dollars;
(4) in actions commenced by attachment of property, as provided by statute, if the debt or damages claimed do not exceed seventwenty-five thousand five hundred dollars;
(5) in actions upon a bond conditioned for the payment of money, not exceeding seventwenty-five thousand five hundred dollars, though the penalty exceeds that sum, the judgment to be given for the sum actually due, and when the payments are to be made by installments an action may be brought for each installment as it becomes due;
(6) in any action upon a surety bond taken by them, when the penalty or amount claimed does not exceed seventwenty-five thousand five hundred dollars;
(7) in any action upon a judgment rendered in a court of a magistrate or an inferior court when it is not prohibited by the South Carolina Rules of Civil Procedure;
(8) to take and enter judgment on the confession of a defendant in the manner prescribed by law when the amount confessed does not exceed seventwenty-five thousand five hundred dollars;
(9) in any action for damages or for fraud in the sale, purchase, or exchange of personal property, if the damages claimed do not exceed seventwenty-five thousand five hundred dollars;
(10) in all matters between landlord and tenant and the possession of land as provided in Chapters 33 through 41, of Title 27;
(11) in any action to recover the possession of personal property claimed, the value of which, as stated in the affidavit of the plaintiff, his agent, or attorney, does not exceed the sum of seventwenty-five thousand five hundred dollars;
(12) in all actions provided for in this section when a filed counterclaim involves a sum not to exceed seventwenty-five thousand five hundred dollars, except that this limitation does not apply to counterclaims filed in matters between landlord and tenant and the possession of land;
(13) in interpleader actions arising from real estate contracts for the recovery of earnest money, only if the sum claimed does not exceed seventwenty-five thousand five hundred dollars; and
(14) in actions for damages arising from a person's failure to return leased or rented personal property within seventy-two hours after the expiration of the lease or rental agreement, such damages to be based on the loss of revenue or replacement value of the property, whichever is less, if the damages claimed do not exceed seventwenty-five thousand five hundred dollars; however, the lease or rental agreement must set forth the manner in which the amount of the loss of revenue or replacement value of the item leased or rented is calculated.
(B) Limited discovery is allowed in magistrates court in actions provided in this section. The discovery allowed is limited to potential witness disclosures, records intended to be produced at trial, and self-authenticating medical records and bills.
Amend the bill further, by adding appropriately numbered SECTIONS to read:
SECTION X. Section 22-3-20 of the S.C. Code is amended to read:
Section 22-3-20. No magistrate shall have cognizance of a civil action:
(1) Inin which the State is a party, except an action for a penalty and not exceeding one thousand five hundred dollars; or
(2) Whenwhen the title to real property shall come in question, except as provided in Article 11 of this chapter.
SECTION X. Article 1, Chapter 7, Title 18 of the S.C. Code is amended by adding:
Section 18-7-95. If a magistrate fails to comply with Sections 18-7-60, 18-7-70, or 18-7-80, or orders issued pursuant to these sections, an appellate court, in its discretion, may declare a magistrate unavailable as contemplated pursuant to Section 18-7-90.
Amend the bill further, SECTION 7, by striking Section and inserting:
SECTION 7. This act takes effect on July 1, 20252026; except that SECTION 4 takes effect on July 1, 2028, and SECTION 5 takes effect on July 1, 2030..
Renumber sections to conform.
Amend title to conform.
Rep. POPE explained the amendment.
Rep. POPE spoke in favor of the amendment.
Rep. HART spoke upon the amendment.
Acting SPEAKER HIOTT granted Rep. ANDERSON a temporary leave of absence.
Rep. HART continued speaking.
Further proceedings were interrupted by the expiration of time on the uncontested calendar, the pending question being consideration of Amendment No. 1.
Rep. FORREST moved that the House recur to the morning hour, which was agreed to.
Debate was resumed on the following Bill, the pending question being the consideration of Amendment No. 1:
H. 3530 (Word version) -- Reps. W. Newton, Pope, Spann-Wilder, Cobb-Hunter, Bernstein, Vaughan, C. Mitchell, Robbins, T. Moore, Henderson-Myers, Gilliard and Williams: A BILL TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ADDING SECTION 2-19-115 SO AS TO REQUIRE CANDIDATES FOR MAGISTRATE POSITIONS TO BE REVIEWED BY THE JUDICIAL MERIT SELECTION COMMISSION IN THE SAME MANNER AS OTHER JUDICIAL CANDIDATES UPON VACANCIES, AND TO DEFINE WHEN VACANCIES OCCUR; BY AMENDING SECTION 22-1-10, RELATING TO APPOINTMENT, TERM AND TERRITORIAL JURISDICTION, TRAINING, CERTIFICATION, OR RECERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS OF MAGISTRATES, SO AS TO PROVIDE PROCEDURES AND LIMITATIONS ON MAGISTRATES' HOLDOVER STATUS AND TO REQUIRE MAGISTRATES GOING FORWARD TO HOLD A JURIS DOCTOR DEGREE AND BE A MEMBER IN GOOD STANDING OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA BAR; BY AMENDING SECTION 22-1-15, RELATING TO MAGISTRATES PRESENTLY SERVING, SO AS TO GRANDFATHER MAGISTRATES SERVING IN OFFICE ON JUNE 30, 2025; BY AMENDING SECTION 22-3-10, RELATING TO CIVIL JURISDICTION IN MAGISTRATES COURT, SO AS TO INCREASE THE CIVIL JURISDICTION OF MAGISTRATES COURT; BY AMENDING SECTION 22-3-550, RELATING TO CRIMINAL JURISDICTION IN MAGISTRATES COURT, SO AS TO INCREASE THE CRIMINAL JURISDICTION OF MAGISTRATES COURT; AND BY REPEALING SECTIONS 22-2-10 AND 22-2-15 RELATING TO A SCREENING COMMITTEE TO ASSIST IN THE SELECTION OF MAGISTRATES AND THE SPECIAL ELECTION FOR NONPARTISAN SELECTION OF MAGISTRATES, RESPECTIVELY.
The Committee on Judiciary proposed the following Amendment
No. 1 to H. 3530 (Word version) (LC-3530.AHB0002H) :
Amend the bill, as and if amended, SECTION 3, by striking Section 22-1-15(D) and inserting:
(D) The provisions of Section 22-1-10(B)(2)(c) do not apply to a magistrate serving on June 30, 20252026, during his tenure in office including subsequent reappointments.
Amend the bill further, SECTION 4, by striking Section 22-3-10 and inserting:
Section 22-3-10. (A) Magistrates have concurrent civil jurisdiction in the following cases:
(1) in actions arising on contracts for the recovery of money only, if the sum claimed does not exceed seventwenty-five thousand five hundred dollars;
(2) in actions for damages for injury to rights pertaining to the person or personal or real property, if the damages claimed do not exceed seventwenty-five thousand five hundred dollars;
(3) in actions for a penalty, fine, or forfeiture, when the amount claimed or forfeited does not exceed seventwenty-five thousand five hundred dollars;
(4) in actions commenced by attachment of property, as provided by statute, if the debt or damages claimed do not exceed seventwenty-five thousand five hundred dollars;
(5) in actions upon a bond conditioned for the payment of money, not exceeding seventwenty-five thousand five hundred dollars, though the penalty exceeds that sum, the judgment to be given for the sum actually due, and when the payments are to be made by installments an action may be brought for each installment as it becomes due;
(6) in any action upon a surety bond taken by them, when the penalty or amount claimed does not exceed seventwenty-five thousand five hundred dollars;
(7) in any action upon a judgment rendered in a court of a magistrate or an inferior court when it is not prohibited by the South Carolina Rules of Civil Procedure;
(8) to take and enter judgment on the confession of a defendant in the manner prescribed by law when the amount confessed does not exceed seventwenty-five thousand five hundred dollars;
(9) in any action for damages or for fraud in the sale, purchase, or exchange of personal property, if the damages claimed do not exceed seventwenty-five thousand five hundred dollars;
(10) in all matters between landlord and tenant and the possession of land as provided in Chapters 33 through 41, of Title 27;
(11) in any action to recover the possession of personal property claimed, the value of which, as stated in the affidavit of the plaintiff, his agent, or attorney, does not exceed the sum of seventwenty-five thousand five hundred dollars;
(12) in all actions provided for in this section when a filed counterclaim involves a sum not to exceed seventwenty-five thousand five hundred dollars, except that this limitation does not apply to counterclaims filed in matters between landlord and tenant and the possession of land;
(13) in interpleader actions arising from real estate contracts for the recovery of earnest money, only if the sum claimed does not exceed seventwenty-five thousand five hundred dollars; and
(14) in actions for damages arising from a person's failure to return leased or rented personal property within seventy-two hours after the expiration of the lease or rental agreement, such damages to be based on the loss of revenue or replacement value of the property, whichever is less, if the damages claimed do not exceed seventwenty-five thousand five hundred dollars; however, the lease or rental agreement must set forth the manner in which the amount of the loss of revenue or replacement value of the item leased or rented is calculated.
(B) Limited discovery is allowed in magistrates court in actions provided in this section. The discovery allowed is limited to potential witness disclosures, records intended to be produced at trial, and self-authenticating medical records and bills.
Amend the bill further, by adding appropriately numbered SECTIONS to read:
SECTION X. Section 22-3-20 of the S.C. Code is amended to read:
Section 22-3-20. No magistrate shall have cognizance of a civil action:
(1) Inin which the State is a party, except an action for a penalty and not exceeding one thousand five hundred dollars; or
(2) Whenwhen the title to real property shall come in question, except as provided in Article 11 of this chapter.
SECTION X. Article 1, Chapter 7, Title 18 of the S.C. Code is amended by adding:
Section 18-7-95. If a magistrate fails to comply with Sections 18-7-60, 18-7-70, or 18-7-80, or orders issued pursuant to these sections, an appellate court, in its discretion, may declare a magistrate unavailable as contemplated pursuant to Section 18-7-90.
Amend the bill further, SECTION 7, by striking Section and inserting:
SECTION 7. This act takes effect on July 1, 20252026; except that SECTION 4 takes effect on July 1, 2028, and SECTION 5 takes effect on July 1, 2030..
Renumber sections to conform.
Amend title to conform.
Rep. HART spoke upon the amendment.
Rep. POPE moved to adjourn debate on the Bill, which was agreed to.
The House stood at ease subject to the call of the Chair.
At 11:57 a.m. the House resumed, the SPEAKER in the Chair.
At 12:30 p.m. the Senate appeared in the Hall of the House. The President of the Senate called the Joint Assembly to order and announced that it had convened under the terms of a Concurrent Resolution adopted by both Houses.
The Reading Clerk of the House read the following Concurrent Resolution:
S. 881 (Word version) -- Senators Alexander and Young: A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION TO WELCOME THE NATIONAL COMMANDER OF THE AMERICAN LEGION, THE HONORABLE DAN K. WILEY, AND TO INVITE HIM TO ADDRESS THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY IN JOINT SESSION IN THE CHAMBER OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AT 12:30 P.M. ON WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2026.
The Honorable Dan K. Wiley and distinguished party were escorted to the rostrum by Senators Cash, Blackmon, Graham, Kennedy, Walker and Zell and Massey and Representatives GILLIAM, HOLMAN, FORD, MCCABE, WILLIAMS and HOSEY. The President recognized our special guests and then the National American Legion Commander addressed the General Assembly as follows:
Ladies, Gentlemen, distinguished members of this great body...It is truly an honor to speak to you today in the historic capitol of what has become America's fastest growing state.
Before I begin, please allow me a moment to introduce members of The American Legion Family who are with me today.
We have with us the Commander of the South Carolina American Legion, Jim Rabon of Camden.
National Executive Committeeman for the Department of South Carolina, Jim Hawk of Irmo.
Cecil Phillips, Alternate NEC from Rock Hill.
The American Legion Auxiliary Department of South Carolina President Beth Bryant of Greer S.C.
And the Sons of the American Legion South Carolina Detachment Commander Tom Cruise of Little River South Carolina.
Ladies and gentlemen, South Carolina has a reputation as one of the most veteran-friendly states in the country. Now, I have heard other states make that same claim, but I definitely believe that you have a compelling case.
There is a good reason more than 380,000 veterans choose to live across your 46 countries. It's a culture. One that you all have helped create.
You exempt military pensions; Guard & Reserve drill pay and combat income from your state taxes. You offer significant property tax relief to disabled veterans and award Veterans Preference in state employment. You never forget the sacrifice of our veterans, as you fund six state-of-the-art nursing homes, including your newest - Patriot Village - which I had the honor of touring yesterday.
South Carolina has always honored the service of veterans, regardless of whether they are a teenager training today at Fort Jackson, or a soldier who served long before any of us were born.
Just last month you held a ceremony at the Laurens County Council Chambers in honor of a 103-year-old life member of American Legion Post 25. Sergeant Paul O'Dell of the U.S. Army's 982nd Ordnance Depot Company supplied small arms and equipment while serving in England in preparation for the D-Day invasion 82 years ago. He would later serve in Paris after the Germans surrendered.
As he was being awarded his well-deserved French Legion of Honor in Laurens on January 27th, Sergeant O'Dell told the local Fox news station, quote- "Now, I'm serving my Lord. I'm serving Him. I've been serving; we are to serve others. That's what it's all about."-unquote.
Service to others is what our military is all about. And while Tip O'Neil famously said, "All politics is local," the most effective service is what we find on the community level.
This legislature is to be commended for enabling the South Carolina Department of Veterans Affairs to formally partner with your county VA offices in evaluating best practices and office operations.
While I am proud of The American Legion's record and our influence on national legislation, I am also well aware that it is through our 12,000 local posts and 55 departments that we have our greatest impact.
As veterans mature - that's what people my age like to say, we don't get old, "we mature,"....but as veterans mature and we see the impact of decades of deployments related to the Global War on Terrorism and other engagements... as we see the harm caused by burn pits and other toxins... as we see veterans taking their own lives at a rate that is 50-percent higher than nonveterans... we understand that it requires sufficient resources to stop these tragic outcomes.
I know the South Carolina Senate is trying to address staffing issues in your county VA offices, and that at least twenty of these offices have two or less employees. To keep up with the demand, many county VA officers must travel great distances to other counties and areas outside their normal region. This can be costly and less effective. H.3510, passed by this House during the last session, helps address this challenge.
The American Legion welcomes any additional support that this body can provide for these hardworking servants of the community.
This General Assembly has allowed for greater accountability of State Veterans Homes when you passed S. 218 (Word version), which transferred these vital services to the South Carolina Department of Veterans Affairs, an agency that was created by veterans for veterans.
Another point of pride for the Palmetto State is your Military Enhancement Fund Grant Program. This program has provided millions of dollars in grants benefiting servicemembers and veterans in Beaufort, Richland, Aiken, Berkeley, Charleston and Sumter Counties.
You heard me mention veteran suicide. VA estimates that the rate is 17 a day. I have seen studies saying it could be as high as 44. You know as legislators how important it is to have accurate data when finding solutions. Sometimes an intentional death, especially if it is from an overdose or traffic-related, is hard to determine. Other times, a person's veteran background is unknown. We welcome measures that you are considering to improve coordination with your county coroners in collaboration with the veterans community to help identify and mitigate these tragedies.
I understand that this assembly is also working to protect South Carolina's veterans from falling victim to unaccredited claims representatives. For many years, The American Legion has been working with Congress to ban the predatory practices of unqualified firms that charge outrageous fees to provide services that most VSOs provide for free. During Fiscal Year 2025, American Legion-accredited service officers were able to obtain more than $23 Billion in benefits for veterans submitting claims or appeals. We did this without charging a penny to the veteran or their families, regardless of whether they were members of the Legion or not. We take no issue with veterans choosing to pay a private firm to manage an appeal if they wish, but VA-accreditation and criminal penalties to bad actors are the best way to keep out malevolent sharks that do not represent the best interest of the veteran.
In closing, as America celebrates its 250th birthday this year, it is important that we remember our nation's first veterans - those who fought in our war for independence. South Carolina was the scene of over 200 Revolutionary War battles and engagements. Recording history and the education of future generations are the most tangible methods to keep the legacies of our long-departed veterans alive. We salute this state's efforts to preserve key sites such as the battlefields of Cowpens, Camden, Kings Mountain, and Fort Moultrie, just to name a few. You simply cannot celebrate a great nation without remembering its greatest heroes. And South Carolina has produced them in abundance.
Now, if you would allow me a moment to call to this platform two members of this distinguished body who have proven that they are not only great lawmakers, but they are effective advocates for those who have served. They have been designated by The American Legion Department of South Carolina as the Outstanding Members of the Legislature for 2026. They are both veterans, champions for those in uniform, and faithful friends of The American Legion. And yes, I am proud to call them Legionnaires.
Senator Jeff Zell, and Representative Cody Mitchell would you please join me?
Congratulations Senator Zell and Representative Mitchell. We appreciate all that you do on behalf of veterans in this great state.
Thank you so much, South Carolina Legislature.
God Bless you and God Bless America.
The purposes of the Joint Assembly having been accomplished, the PRESIDENT announced that under the terms of the Concurrent Resolution the Joint Assembly would recede from business.
The Senate accordingly retired to its Chamber.
At 12:46 p.m. the House resumed, the SPEAKER in the Chair.
Rep. COBB-HUNTER moved that the House recede until 2:00 p.m., which was agreed to.
At 2:00 p.m. the House resumed, the SPEAKER in the Chair.
The question of a quorum was raised.
A quorum was later present.
The SPEAKER granted Rep. POPE a leave of absence for the remainder of the day.
The Senate Amendments to the following Bill were taken up for consideration:
H. 3798 (Word version) -- Reps. Murphy, G. M. Smith, Brewer, T. Moore, Guest, Hager, Yow, C. Mitchell, W. Newton, Lawson, Stavrinakis, Govan, Erickson, Bradley, Weeks, Hart, Williams, Rivers and Gilliard: A BILL TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ADDING SECTION 25-1-180 SO AS TO PROVIDE CERTAIN CRITERIA FOR MILITARY CHAPLAINS, AND TO PROVIDE THAT MILITARY CHAPLAINS HAVE THE PRIVILEGE TO REFUSE TO DISCLOSE CERTAIN CONFIDENTIAL COMMUNICATIONS.
Rep. B. NEWTON made the Point of Order that the Senate Amendments were improperly before the House for consideration since its number and title have not been printed in the House Calendar at least one statewide legislative day prior to such reading.
The SPEAKER sustained the Point of Order.
The following Bill was taken up:
H. 4758 (Word version) -- Reps. W. Newton, Bradley, Brewer, Chapman, Crawford, Davis, Duncan, Erickson, Forrest, Gilliam, Guest, Hartz, Hewitt, Hiott, Hixon, Holman, Lawson, Ligon, Lowe, Martin, McGinnis, T. Moore, B. Newton, Oremus, Pedalino, Pope, Rankin, Robbins, Schuessler, G. M. Smith, Taylor, Teeple, Vaughan, Whitmire, Willis, Wooten and McCravy: A BILL TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ADDING SECTION 46-55-5 SO AS TO PROVIDE THE PURPOSE OF THIS CHAPTER IS TO ENCOURAGE THE LAWFUL CULTIVATION, HARVESTING, AND MANUFACTURING OF HEMP; BY AMENDING SECTION 46-55-10, RELATING TO INDUSTRIAL HEMP CULTIVATION TERMS AND DEFINITIONS, SO AS TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL TERMS AND THEIR DEFINITIONS, AND TO REVISE THE DEFINITIONS OF EXISTING TERMS; AND BY ADDING SECTIONS 46-55-70, 46-55-80, AND 46-55-90 SO AS TO REGULATE THE DISTRIBUTION AND SALE OF CONSUMABLE HEMP, TO PROVIDE THE PROVISIONS OF THIS CHAPTER MAY NOT BE CONSTRUED TO LIMIT INTERSTATE COMMERCE, OR TO PROHIBIT THE LAWFUL POSSESSION, MANUFACTURE, SALE, OR DISTRIBUTION OF CERTAIN CBD PRODUCTS, AND TO PROVIDE PENALTIES.
Rep. B. NEWTON moved to adjourn debate on the Bill, which was agreed to.
The following Bill was taken up:
H. 4767 (Word version) -- Reps. Davis, Chumley, Sessions, Oremus, Bustos, Landing, White, Wooten, Gagnon, Lawson, Guffey, Beach, Long, Cox, Rutherford, McCravy, Bowers, Wickensimer, Willis, Haddon, Bauer, Rankin, Burns, Rose, Vaughan, Duncan, Robbins and Brewer: A BILL TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ADDING CHAPTER 9 TO TITLE 41 SO AS TO PROHIBIT NONCOMPETE CLAUSES IN PHYSICIAN CONTRACTS, TO PROTECT PATIENT FREEDOM OF CHOICE, TO DEFINE IMPERMISSIBLE RESTRICTIONS ON PHYSICIAN PRACTICE, TO ALLOW CERTAIN RECOUPMENT OF EXPENSES AND PROTECTION OF LEGITIMATE BUSINESS INTERESTS, AND TO PROVIDE FOR APPLICABILITY.
Rep. B. NEWTON moved to adjourn debate on the Bill until Thursday, February 26, which was agreed to.
The following Bill was taken up:
H. 4762 (Word version) -- Reps. Long, Bailey, Brewer, Caskey, Chapman, Crawford, Davis, Forrest, Gatch, Gilliam, Guest, Haddon, Hiott, Hixon, Holman, Lawson, Ligon, Lowe, McCravy, C. Mitchell, T. Moore, W. Newton, Oremus, Pedalino, Pope, Rankin, Robbins, Sanders, Schuessler, Sessions, G. M. Smith, M. M. Smith, Taylor, Vaughan, Whitmire, Willis, Wooten, Yow, B. Newton, Chumley, Edgerton, Magnuson, White, Lastinger, D. Mitchell, Cromer and Gilreath: A BILL TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ADDING SECTION 59-1-335 SO AS TO AUTHORIZE SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND CHARTER SCHOOLS TO IMPLEMENT CERTAIN VOLUNTEER SCHOOL CHAPLAIN POLICIES; AND BY ADDING SECTION 59-1-485 SO AS TO PROVIDE FOR THE DISPLAY OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS AND OTHER HISTORICAL DOCUMENTS IN PUBLIC SCHOOL AND POSTSECONDARY CLASSROOMS.
The Committee on Judiciary proposed the following Amendment
No. 1 to H. 4762 (Word version) (LC-4762.WAB0001H), which was adopted:
Amend the bill, as and if amended, SECTION 1, by striking Section 59-1-335(B) and (C) and inserting:
(B) Each volunteer school chaplain must meet the background check requirements required of school district employees and volunteers pursuant to Section 59-19-117. A person with prior arrests or convictions of a serious nature that could affect his fitness to serve as a volunteer school chaplain mayshall be denied the opportunity to serve in that capacity. A person who is required to register as a sex offender pursuant to Section 23-3-430 mayshall not serve as a volunteer school chaplain.
(C) Any school district or charter school that adopts a volunteer school chaplains policy must publish the list of volunteer school chaplains, including any religious affiliation, on the school district or charter school's website.
(D) "Volunteer school chaplain" means an individual affiliated with an established religious congregation in the local community who is approved by a school district or charter school, pursuant to a policy adopted under this section, to provide support, services, or programs pursuant to subsection (A). A volunteer school chaplain may not advance, endorse, or require participation in any particular religion, denomination, or belief system.
Amend the bill further, SECTION 2, Section 59-1-485(B), by adding:
(6) A public school may also display the Emancipation Proclamation, issued in 1863, the text which reads as follows:
That on the 1st day of January, A.D. 1863, all persons held as slaves within any State or designated part of a State the people whereof shall then be in rebellion against the United States shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free; and the executive government of the United States, including the military and naval authority thereof, will recognize and maintain the freedom of such persons and will do no act or acts to repress such persons, or any of them, in any efforts they may make for their actual freedom. That the executive will on the 1st day of January aforesaid, by proclamation, designate the States and parts of States, if any, in which the people thereof, respectively, shall then be in rebellion against the United States; and the fact that any State or the people thereof shall on that day be in good faith represented in the Congress of the United States by members chosen thereto at elections wherein a majority of the qualified voters of such States shall have participated shall, in the absence of strong countervailing testimony, be deemed conclusive evidence that such State and the people thereof are not then in rebellion against the United States. Now, therefore, I, Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States, by virtue of the power in me vested as Commander-In-Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States in time of actual armed rebellion against the authority and government of the United States, and as a fit and necessary war measure for supressing said rebellion, do, on this 1st day of January, A.D. 1863, and in accordance with my purpose so to do, publicly proclaimed for the full period of one hundred days from the first day above mentioned, order and designate as the States and parts of States wherein the people thereof, respectively, are this day in rebellion against the United States the following, to wit: Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana (except the parishes of St. Bernard, Palquemines, Jefferson, St. John, St. Charles, St. James, Ascension, Assumption, Terrebone, Lafourche, St. Mary, St. Martin, and Orleans, including the city of New Orleans), Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia (except the forty-eight counties designated as West Virginia, and also the counties of Berkeley, Accomac, Morthhampton, Elizabeth City, York, Princess Anne, and Norfolk, including the cities of Norfolk and Portsmouth), and which excepted parts are for the present left precisely as if this proclamation were not issued. And by virtue of the power and for the purpose aforesaid, I do order and declare that all persons held as slaves within said designated States and parts of States are, and henceforward shall be, free; and that the Executive Government of the United States, including the military and naval authorities thereof, will recognize and maintain the freedom of said persons. And I hereby enjoin upon the people so declared to be free to abstain from all violence, unless in necessary self-defence; and I recommend to them that, in all case when allowed, they labor faithfully for reasonable wages. And I further declare and make known that such persons of suitable condition will be received into the armed service of the United States to garrison forts, positions, stations, and other places, and to man vessels of all sorts in said service. And upon this act, sincerely believed to be an act of justice, warranted by the Constitution upon military necessity, I invoke the considerate judgment of mankind and the gracious favor of Almighty God.
Renumber sections to conform.
Amend title to conform.
Rep. JORDAN explained the amendment.
Rep. MAGNUSON moved to table the amendment.
Rep. HIOTT demanded the yeas and nays which were taken, resulting as follows:
Those who voted in the affirmative are:
Alexander Anderson Bamberg Beach Burns Chumley Cromer Duncan Edgerton Frank Gilliard Gilreath Grant Harris Henderson-Myers Huff J. L. Johnson Kilmartin King Kirby Lastinger Luck Magnuson McCabe McCravy McDaniel D. Mitchell Morgan Pace Reese Rivers Scott Terribile White Williams
Those who voted in the negative are:
Atkinson Bailey Ballentine Bannister Bauer Bernstein Bowers Bradley Brewer Brittain Bustos Calhoon Caskey Chapman Clyburn Collins Cox Crawford Davis Dillard Erickson Ford Forrest Gagnon Gatch Gibson Gilliam Guest Guffey Haddon Hager Hardee Hartnett Hartz Hayes Herbkersman Hewitt Hiott Hixon Holman Hosey J. E. Johnson Jones Jordan Landing Lawson Ligon Long Martin McGinnis C. Mitchell T. Moore Moss Neese B. Newton W. Newton Oremus Pedalino Rankin Robbins Rose Rutherford Sanders Schuessler Sessions G. M. Smith M. M. Smith Stavrinakis Taylor Teeple Vaughan Weeks Wetmore Whitmire Wickensimer Willis Wooten Yow
So, the House refused to table the amendment.
The question then recurred to the adoption of the amendment.
Rep. GRANT demanded the yeas and nays which were taken, resulting as follows:
Those who voted in the affirmative are:
Atkinson Bailey Ballentine Bannister Bauer Bowers Bradley Brewer Brittain Bustos Calhoon Caskey Chapman Clyburn Collins Cox Crawford Davis Duncan Erickson Ford Forrest Gagnon Gatch Gibson Gilliam Govan Guest Guffey Haddon Hager Hardee Hartnett Hartz Hayes Henderson-Myers Herbkersman Hewitt Hiott Hixon Holman Hosey J. E. Johnson Jones Jordan Landing Lawson Ligon Long Martin McGinnis C. Mitchell T. Moore Moss Neese B. Newton W. Newton Oremus Pedalino Rankin Robbins Rose Sanders Schuessler Sessions G. M. Smith M. M. Smith Stavrinakis Taylor Teeple Vaughan Whitmire Wickensimer Willis Wooten Yow
Those who voted in the negative are:
Anderson Bamberg Beach Bernstein Burns Chumley Cobb-Hunter Cromer Dillard Edgerton Frank Garvin Gilliard Gilreath Grant Harris Huff J. L. Johnson Kilmartin King Kirby Lastinger Luck Magnuson McCabe McCravy McDaniel D. Mitchell Morgan Pace Reese Rivers Rutherford Scott Terribile Weeks White Williams
The amendment was then adopted.
Rep. KING proposed the following Amendment No. 3 to H. 4762 (Word version) (LC-4762.WAB0002H), which was tabled:
Amend the bill, as and if amended, SECTION 2, Section 59-1-485(B), by adding an item to read:
(6) A public school may also display the historical text of "What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?" written by Frederick Douglass in 1852.
Renumber sections to conform.
Amend title to conform.
Rep. HARRIS raised the Point of Order under Article III, Section 17, of the South Carolina Constitution that Amendment No. 3 violated the one-subject rule.
The SPEAKER stated that he could not rule upon Points of Order raising substantive questions of law and that such an issue must be addressed by a court of law. He overruled the Point of Order.
Rep. KING explained the amendment.
Rep. JORDAN moved to table the amendment.
Rep. GRANT demanded the yeas and nays which were taken, resulting as follows:
Those who voted in the affirmative are:
Bailey Ballentine Bannister Beach Bowers Bradley Brewer Brittain Burns Bustos Calhoon Caskey Chapman Chumley Collins Cox Crawford Cromer Davis Duncan Edgerton Erickson Forrest Frank Gagnon Gatch Gibson Gilliam Gilreath Guest Guffey Hager Hardee Harris Hartnett Hartz Herbkersman Hewitt Hiott Hixon Holman Huff J. E. Johnson Jordan Landing Lastinger Lawson Ligon Long Lowe Magnuson Martin McCravy McGinnis C. Mitchell D. Mitchell T. Moore Morgan Moss Neese B. Newton W. Newton Pace Rankin Robbins Sanders Schuessler G. M. Smith M. M. Smith Taylor Teeple Terribile Vaughan White Whitmire Wickensimer Willis Wooten Yow
Those who voted in the negative are:
Alexander Anderson Bamberg Bauer Bernstein Clyburn Cobb-Hunter Dillard Ford Garvin Gilliard Govan Grant Hayes Henderson-Myers Hosey J. L. Johnson Jones Kilmartin King Kirby Luck McCabe McDaniel Oremus Pedalino Reese Rivers Rose Rutherford Scott Stavrinakis Weeks Wetmore Williams
So, the amendment was tabled.
Rep. KING proposed the following Amendment No. 5 to H. 4762 (Word version) (LC-4762.WAB0004H), which was tabled:
Amend the bill, as and if amended, SECTION 2, Section 59-1-485(B), by adding an item to read:
(6) A public school may also display the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which concerns the abolition of slavery, the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which concerns equal protection and due process rights, and the Fifteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which concerns voting rights.
Renumber sections to conform.
Amend title to conform.
Rep. KING explained the amendment.
Rep. JORDAN spoke against the amendment.
Rep. JORDAN moved to table the amendment, which was agreed to.
Rep. KING proposed the following Amendment No. 6 to H. 4762 (Word version) (LC-4762.WAB0005H), which was tabled:
Amend the bill, as and if amended, SECTION 2, Section 59-1-485(B), by adding a subsection to read:
(6) A public school may also display the Reconstruction Acts of 1865-1877 and highlights of the era including the first Black legislators in the United States, the expansion and violent rollback of democracy, and their direct relevance to voting rights in the Twenty-First Century.
Renumber sections to conform.
Amend title to conform.
Rep. KING explained the amendment.
Rep. KING spoke in favor of the amendment.
The SPEAKER granted Rep. TERRIBILE a temporary leave of absence.
Rep. KING continued speaking.
Rep. BAMBERG spoke in favor of the amendment.
Rep. JORDAN spoke against the amendment.
Rep. JORDAN moved to table the amendment.
Rep. MCDANIEL demanded the yeas and nays which were taken, resulting as follows:
Those who voted in the affirmative are:
Bailey Ballentine Bannister Beach Bowers Bradley Brewer Brittain Burns Bustos Calhoon Caskey Chapman Chumley Collins Cox Crawford Cromer Davis Duncan Edgerton Erickson Ford Forrest Gagnon Gatch Gilliam Gilreath Guest Haddon Hager Hardee Harris Hartnett Hartz Herbkersman Hewitt Hiott Hixon Holman J. E. Johnson Jordan Kilmartin Landing Lastinger Lawson Ligon Long Magnuson Martin McCabe McCravy McGinnis C. Mitchell D. Mitchell T. Moore Morgan Moss Neese B. Newton W. Newton Oremus Pace Pedalino Rankin Robbins Sanders Schuessler Sessions G. M. Smith M. M. Smith Taylor Teeple Vaughan Whitmire Wickensimer Willis Wooten Yow
Those who voted in the negative are:
Alexander Anderson Atkinson Bamberg Bauer Bernstein Clyburn Cobb-Hunter Dillard Garvin Gilliard Govan Grant Hayes Henderson-Myers Hosey Howard J. L. Johnson Jones King Kirby Luck McDaniel J. Moore Reese Rivers Rose Rutherford Scott Stavrinakis Weeks Wetmore Williams
So, the amendment was tabled.
The SPEAKER granted Rep. CASKEY a temporary leave of absence.
Rep. LONG moved cloture on the entire matter.
Rep. GRANT moved to table the motion.
Rep. LONG demanded the yeas and nays which were taken, resulting as follows:
Those who voted in the affirmative are:
Alexander Anderson Atkinson Bamberg Bauer Bernstein Cobb-Hunter Garvin Govan Grant Hager Hayes Henderson-Myers J. L. Johnson Jones King Kirby McCravy J. Moore Reese Scott Weeks Williams
Those who voted in the negative are:
Bailey Ballentine Bannister Beach Bowers Bradley Brewer Brittain Bustos Chapman Cox Crawford Cromer Davis Duncan Edgerton Erickson Ford Forrest Frank Gagnon Gatch Gibson Gilliam Gilreath Guest Haddon Hardee Harris Hartnett Hartz Herbkersman Hewitt Hiott Hixon Holman Huff J. E. Johnson Jordan Kilmartin Landing Lastinger Lawson Ligon Long Magnuson Martin McCabe McGinnis C. Mitchell D. Mitchell T. Moore Morgan Moss Neese B. Newton W. Newton Oremus Pace Pedalino Rankin Robbins Sanders Schuessler Sessions M. M. Smith Taylor Teeple Vaughan White Wickensimer Willis Yow
So, the House refused to table the motion to invoke cloture.
The question then recurred to the motion to invoke cloture, which was agreed to.
Rep. KING proposed the following Amendment No. 7 to H. 4762 (Word version) (LC-4762.WAB0006H), which was tabled:
Amend the bill, as and if amended, SECTION 2, Section 59-1-485(B), by adding an item to read:
(6) A public school may also display a document highlighting the contributions of Ida B. Wells, an American investigative journalist who documented lynching of African-Americans in the United States and reported on matters of racial segregation and inequality in national publications, drawing vital widespread attention to those issues.
Renumber sections to conform.
Amend title to conform.
Rep. KING spoke in favor of the amendment.
Rep. JORDAN spoke against the amendment.
Rep. W. NEWTON moved to table the amendment.
Rep. GRANT demanded the yeas and nays which were taken, resulting as follows:
Those who voted in the affirmative are:
Bailey Ballentine Beach Bowers Bradley Brewer Bustos Calhoon Chapman Cox Crawford Cromer Davis Duncan Edgerton Erickson Forrest Frank Gagnon Gatch Gibson Gilliam Gilreath Guest Guffey Hager Hardee Harris Hartnett Hartz Herbkersman Hewitt Hiott Hixon Holman Huff Jordan Kilmartin Lastinger Lawson Ligon Long Magnuson Martin McCabe McCravy McGinnis C. Mitchell D. Mitchell T. Moore Morgan Moss Neese B. Newton W. Newton Oremus Pace Rankin Robbins Sanders Schuessler G. M. Smith M. M. Smith Taylor Teeple Terribile Vaughan White Whitmire Wickensimer Willis Wooten Yow
Those who voted in the negative are:
Alexander Anderson Atkinson Bauer Bernstein Clyburn Cobb-Hunter Dillard Ford Garvin Gilliard Govan Grant Hayes Henderson-Myers Hosey Howard J. L. Johnson Jones King Kirby Landing Luck McDaniel J. Moore Pedalino Reese Rivers Scott Stavrinakis Weeks Wetmore Williams
So, the amendment was tabled.
Rep. KING proposed the following Amendment No. 8 to H. 4762 (Word version) (LC-4762.WAB0007H), which was tabled:
Amend the bill, as and if amended, SECTION 2, Section 59-1-485(B), by adding an item to read:
(6) A public school may also display Civil Rights Era documents including the "Letter from Birmingham Jail" written by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in 1963, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
Renumber sections to conform.
Amend title to conform.
Rep. J. MOORE spoke in favor of the amendment.
Rep. J. MOORE continued speaking.
Rep. JORDAN moved to table the amendment.
Rep. KING demanded the yeas and nays which were taken, resulting as follows:
Those who voted in the affirmative are:
Bailey Ballentine Beach Bowers Bradley Brewer Brittain Bustos Calhoon Chapman Chumley Cox Crawford Cromer Davis Duncan Edgerton Erickson Forrest Frank Gagnon Gatch Gibson Gilliam Gilreath Guest Hager Hardee Harris Hartnett Hartz Herbkersman Hewitt Hiott Hixon Holman Huff J. E. Johnson Jordan Kilmartin Landing Lastinger Lawson Ligon Long Lowe Magnuson Martin McCabe McCravy McGinnis C. Mitchell D. Mitchell Morgan Moss Neese B. Newton W. Newton Oremus Pace Pedalino Rankin Robbins Sanders Schuessler G. M. Smith M. M. Smith Taylor Teeple Vaughan White Whitmire Wickensimer Willis Wooten Yow
Those who voted in the negative are:
Alexander Anderson Bauer Bernstein Clyburn Cobb-Hunter Dillard Ford Garvin Gilliard Govan Grant Hayes Henderson-Myers Hosey J. L. Johnson Jones King Kirby Luck McDaniel J. Moore Reese Rivers Rose Rutherford Scott Stavrinakis Weeks Wetmore Williams
So, the amendment was tabled.
Rep. KING proposed the following Amendment No. 9 to H. 4762 (Word version) (LC-4762.WAB0008H), which was tabled:
Amend the bill, as and if amended, SECTION 2, Section 59-1-485(B), by adding an item to read:
(6) A public school may also display documents highlighting the contributions of Black women in America, such as the text of "Ain't I a Woman?", the speech given by Sojourner Truth in 1851, a summary of "Unbought and Unbossed", a memoir written by Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm in 1970, and a summary of the voting rights advocacy of Fannie Lou Hamer.
Renumber sections to conform.
Amend title to conform.
Rep. WILLIAMS spoke in favor of the amendment.
Rep. JORDAN moved to table the amendment.
Rep. KING demanded the yeas and nays which were taken, resulting as follows:
Those who voted in the affirmative are:
Bailey Bannister Beach Bowers Bradley Brewer Brittain Bustos Calhoon Chapman Collins Cox Crawford Cromer Davis Duncan Edgerton Erickson Ford Forrest Frank Gagnon Gatch Gibson Gilliam Gilreath Guest Haddon Hager Hardee Harris Hartnett Hartz Herbkersman Hewitt Hiott Hixon Holman Huff J. E. Johnson Jordan Kilmartin Landing Lastinger Lawson Ligon Long Lowe Magnuson Martin McCabe McCravy McGinnis C. Mitchell D. Mitchell T. Moore Morgan Moss Neese B. Newton Oremus Pace Pedalino Rankin Robbins Sanders Schuessler Sessions G. M. Smith M. M. Smith Taylor Teeple Terribile Vaughan White Whitmire Wickensimer Willis Wooten Yow
Those who voted in the negative are:
Alexander Anderson Atkinson Bauer Bernstein Clyburn Cobb-Hunter Dillard Garvin Gilliard Govan Grant Hayes Henderson-Myers Hosey J. L. Johnson Jones King Kirby Luck McDaniel J. Moore Reese Rivers Rose Rutherford Scott Stavrinakis Weeks Wetmore Williams
So, the amendment was tabled.
Rep. KING proposed the following Amendment No. 10 to H. 4762 (Word version) (LC-4762.WAB0009H), which was tabled:
Amend the bill, as and if amended, SECTION 2, Section 59-1-485(B), by adding an item to read:
(6) A public school may also display a document highlighting the contributions of Congressman Robert Smalls, a formerly enslaved Black man who became architect of public education in South Carolina and helped write the Constitution of the State of South Carolina.
Renumber sections to conform.
Amend title to conform.
Rep. RIVERS spoke in favor of the amendment.
Rep. JORDAN moved to table the amendment.
Rep. KING demanded the yeas and nays which were taken, resulting as follows:
Those who voted in the affirmative are:
Bailey Ballentine Bannister Beach Bowers Bradley Brewer Brittain Bustos Calhoon Chapman Collins Cox Crawford Cromer Davis Duncan Edgerton Erickson Forrest Frank Gagnon Gatch Gilliam Gilreath Guest Guffey Haddon Hager Hardee Harris Hartnett Hartz Herbkersman Hewitt Hiott Hixon Holman Huff J. E. Johnson Jordan Kilmartin Landing Lastinger Lawson Ligon Long Lowe Magnuson Martin McCabe McCravy McGinnis C. Mitchell D. Mitchell T. Moore Morgan Moss Neese B. Newton W. Newton Oremus Pace Rankin Robbins Sanders Schuessler Sessions G. M. Smith M. M. Smith Taylor Teeple Vaughan White Whitmire Wickensimer Willis Wooten Yow
Those who voted in the negative are:
Alexander Anderson Atkinson Bauer Bernstein Clyburn Cobb-Hunter Dillard Ford Garvin Gilliard Govan Grant Hayes Henderson-Myers Hosey J. L. Johnson King Kirby McDaniel J. Moore Pedalino Reese Rivers Rose Rutherford Scott Stavrinakis Weeks Wetmore Williams
So, the amendment was tabled.
Rep. KING proposed the following Amendment No. 11 to H. 4762 (Word version) (LC-4762.WAB0010H), which was tabled:
Amend the bill, as and if amended, SECTION 2, Section 59-1-485(B), by adding an item to read:
(6) A public school may also display documents highlighting the Gullah Geechee Culture and the significance of its cultural heritage contributions.
Renumber sections to conform.
Amend title to conform.
Rep. RIVERS spoke in favor of the amendment.
Rep. JORDAN moved to table the amendment.
Rep. GARVIN demanded the yeas and nays which were taken, resulting as follows:
Those who voted in the affirmative are:
Bailey Ballentine Bannister Beach Bowers Bradley Brewer Brittain Bustos Calhoon Chapman Collins Cox Crawford Cromer Davis Duncan Edgerton Erickson Ford Forrest Frank Gagnon Gatch Gibson Gilliam Gilreath Guest Guffey Haddon Hager Hardee Harris Hartnett Hartz Herbkersman Hewitt Hiott Hixon Holman Huff J. E. Johnson Jordan Kilmartin Landing Lastinger Lawson Ligon Long Lowe Magnuson Martin McCabe McCravy McGinnis C. Mitchell D. Mitchell T. Moore Morgan Moss Neese B. Newton W. Newton Oremus Pace Pedalino Rankin Robbins Sanders Schuessler Sessions G. M. Smith M. M. Smith Taylor Teeple Terribile Vaughan White Whitmire Wickensimer Willis Wooten Yow
Those who voted in the negative are:
Alexander Anderson Atkinson Bauer Bernstein Clyburn Cobb-Hunter Dillard Garvin Gilliard Grant Hayes Henderson-Myers Hosey Howard J. L. Johnson Jones King Kirby McDaniel J. Moore Reese Rivers Rose Rutherford Scott Stavrinakis Weeks Wetmore Williams
So, the amendment was tabled.
Rep. KING proposed the following Amendment No. 12 to H. 4762 (Word version) (LC-4762.WAB0011H), which was tabled:
Amend the bill, as and if amended, SECTION 2, Section 59-1-485(B), by adding an item to read:
(6) A public school may also display the Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1948.
Renumber sections to conform.
Amend title to conform.
Rep. RIVERS spoke in favor of the amendment.
Rep. JORDAN moved to table the amendment.
Rep. GARVIN demanded the yeas and nays which were taken, resulting as follows:
Those who voted in the affirmative are:
Bailey Ballentine Bannister Beach Bowers Bradley Brewer Brittain Bustos Calhoon Chapman Collins Cox Crawford Cromer Davis Duncan Edgerton Erickson Ford Forrest Frank Gagnon Gatch Gibson Gilliam Gilreath Guest Haddon Hager Hardee Harris Hartnett Hartz Herbkersman Hewitt Hiott Hixon Holman Huff J. E. Johnson Jordan Kilmartin Landing Lastinger Lawson Ligon Long Lowe Magnuson Martin McCravy McGinnis C. Mitchell D. Mitchell T. Moore Morgan Moss Neese B. Newton W. Newton Oremus Pace Pedalino Rankin Robbins Sanders Schuessler Sessions G. M. Smith M. M. Smith Taylor Teeple Terribile Vaughan White Whitmire Wickensimer Willis Wooten Yow
Those who voted in the negative are:
Anderson Atkinson Bauer Bernstein Clyburn Cobb-Hunter Dillard Garvin Gilliard Grant Hayes Henderson-Myers Hosey Howard J. L. Johnson Jones King Kirby Luck McDaniel J. Moore Reese Rivers Rose Rutherford Scott Stavrinakis Weeks Wetmore Williams
So, the amendment was tabled.
Reps. JORDAN and MCCABE proposed the following Amendment No. 13 to H. 4762 (Word version) (LC-4762.WAB0017H), which was adopted:
Amend the bill, as and if amended, SECTION 1, by striking Section 59-1-335(A)(3) and inserting:
(3) require written parental consent before a student participates in or receives support, services, and programs provided by a volunteer school chaplain. Parents must be permitted to select a volunteer school chaplain from the list provided by the school district, which must include the chaplain's religious affiliation, if any.
Amend the bill further, SECTION 1, by striking Section 59-1-335(C) and (D) and inserting:
(C) Any school district or charter school that adopts a volunteer school chaplains policy must publish the list of volunteer school chaplains, including any religious affiliation, on the school district or charter school's website.
(D) "Volunteer school chaplain" means an individual affiliated with an established religious congregation in the local community who is approvedauthorized by a school district or charter school, pursuant to a policy adopted under this section, to provide support, services, or programs pursuant to subsection (A). A volunteer school chaplain may not advance, endorse, or require participation in any particular religion, denomination, or belief system while acting under such an authorization during school hours on school grounds to provide the support, services, or programs contemplated by a policy adopted pursuant to subsection (A).
Amend the bill further, SECTION 2, by striking Section 59-1-485(A)(3) and inserting:
(3) Recognizing the historical role of the Ten Commandments accords with our nation's history and faithfully reflects the understanding of the founders of our nation with respect to the necessity of civic morality to a functional self-government. History records that James Madison, the fourth President of the United States of America, stated that "(w)e have staked the whole future of our new nation ... upon the capacity of each of ourselves to govern ourselves according to the moral principles of the Ten Commandments."
Amend the bill further, SECTION 2, by striking Section 59-1-485(A)(6) and inserting:
(6) The Mayflower Compact of 1620 was North America's first written constitution and made a Covenant with Almighty God to "form a civil body politic". This was the first purely American New World document of self-government and affirmed the link between civil society and God.
Amend the bill further, SECTION 2, by striking Section 59-1-485(B)(2) and inserting:
(2) The Ten Commandments shall be displayed with a context statement as follows:
The History of the Ten Commandments in American Public Education
The Ten Commandments were a prominent part of American public education for almost three centuries. Around the year 1688, The New England Primer became the first published American textbook and was the equivalent of a first grade reader. The New England Primer was used in public schools throughout the United States for more than onetwo hundred fifty years to teach Americans to read and contained more than forty questions about the Ten Commandments.
The Ten Commandments were also included in public school textbooks published by educator William McGuffey, a noted university president and professor. A version of his famous McGuffey Readers was written in the early 1800s and became one of the most popular textbooks in the history of American education, selling more than one hundred million copies. Copies of the McGuffey Readers are still available today.
The Ten Commandments also appeared in textbooks published by Noah Webster in which were widely usedavailable in American public schools along with America's first comprehensive dictionary that Webster also published. His textbook, The American Spelling Book,book, Letters to a Young Gentleman Commencing His Education: To Which is Subjoined A Brief History of the United States, contained the Ten Commandments and was among works that together sold more than one hundred million copies for use by public school children all across the nation and wasmany of which were still available for use in American public schools in the year 1975.
Renumber sections to conform.
Amend title to conform.
Rep. JORDAN spoke in favor of the amendment.
Rep. KING spoke against the amendment.
Rep. JORDAN spoke in favor of the amendment.
Rep. JONES moved to table the amendment.
Rep. KING demanded the yeas and nays which were taken, resulting as follows:
Those who voted in the affirmative are:
Anderson Ballentine Bamberg Bauer Bernstein Clyburn Cobb-Hunter Dillard Garvin Gilliard Grant Henderson-Myers Hosey Howard J. L. Johnson Jones King Kirby Luck McDaniel J. Moore Reese Rivers Rose Rutherford Scott Weeks Williams
Those who voted in the negative are:
Atkinson Bailey Bannister Beach Bowers Bradley Brewer Brittain Bustos Calhoon Chapman Collins Cox Crawford Cromer Davis Duncan Edgerton Erickson Ford Forrest Frank Gagnon Gatch Gibson Gilliam Gilreath Guest Haddon Hager Hardee Harris Hartnett Hartz Hayes Herbkersman Hewitt Hiott Hixon Holman Huff J. E. Johnson Jordan Kilmartin Lastinger Lawson Ligon Long Lowe Magnuson Martin McCabe McCravy McGinnis C. Mitchell D. Mitchell Morgan Moss Neese B. Newton W. Newton Oremus Pace Pedalino Rankin Robbins Sanders Schuessler Sessions G. M. Smith M. M. Smith Taylor Teeple Terribile Vaughan White Whitmire Wickensimer Willis Wooten Yow
So, the House refused to table the amendment.
The question then recurred to the adoption of the amendment.
Rep. GRANT demanded the yeas and nays which were taken, resulting as follows:
Those who voted in the affirmative are:
Atkinson Bailey Ballentine Bannister Beach Bowers Bradley Brewer Brittain Calhoon Chapman Collins Cox Crawford Cromer Davis Duncan Edgerton Erickson Ford Forrest Frank Gagnon Gatch Gibson Gilliam Gilreath Guest Haddon Hager Hardee Harris Hartnett Hartz Hayes Herbkersman Hewitt Hiott Hixon Holman Huff J. E. Johnson Jordan Kilmartin Lastinger Lawson Ligon Long Lowe Magnuson Martin McCabe McCravy McGinnis C. Mitchell D. Mitchell Morgan Moss Neese B. Newton W. Newton Oremus Pace Pedalino Rankin Robbins Sanders Schuessler Sessions G. M. Smith M. M. Smith Taylor Teeple Terribile Vaughan White Whitmire Wickensimer Willis Wooten Yow
Those who voted in the negative are:
Anderson Bauer Clyburn Dillard Garvin Gilliard Govan Grant Henderson-Myers Howard J. L. Johnson Jones King Kirby Luck McDaniel J. Moore Reese Rivers Rose Rutherford Scott Williams
So, the amendment was adopted.
Rep. BEACH proposed the following Amendment No. 14 to H. 4762 (Word version) (LC-4762.DG0005H), which was tabled:
Amend the bill, as and if amended, by striking all after the enacting words and inserting:
SECTION 1. Article 5, Chapter 1, Title 59 of the S.C. Code is amended by adding:
Section 59-1-315. (A) Each public elementary, middle, or secondary school in this State shall display in a conspicuous place in each classroom of the school a poster or framed copy of the Ten Commandments that meets the requirements of subsection (B).
(B) A poster or framed copy of the Ten Commandments required in subsection (A) must include the text of the Ten Commandments as provided by subsection (C) in a size and typeface that is legible to a person with average vision from anywhere in the classroom in which the poster or framed copy is displayed.
(C) The text of the poster or framed copy of the Ten Commandments required in subsection (A) must read as follows:
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
I. AM the LORD thy God. Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
II. Thou shalt not make to thyself any graven images.
III. Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain.
IV. Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
V. Honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.
VI. Thou shalt not murder.
VII. Thou shalt not commit adultery.
VIII. Thou shalt not steal.
VIX. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.
X. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his cattle, nor anything that is thy neighbor's.
(D) A public elementary or secondary school in which each classroom does not include a poster or framed copy of the Ten Commandments required in subsection (A) shall:
(1) accept any offer of a privately donated poster or framed copy of the Ten Commandments provided that the poster or copy:
(a) meets the requirements of subsection (B); and
(b) does not contain any additional content; and
(2) display the poster or framed copy as specified in subsection (A).
(E) If a public elementary or secondary school has a poster or framed copy of the Ten Commandments in each classroom that does not meet the requirements of subsection (B), the school shall replace the posters or copies with posters or copies that meet the requirements of subsection (B) using public funds or by accepting a private donation.
(F) A public elementary or secondary school shall offer a poster or framed copy of the Ten Commandments described by subsection (A) in the school's possession that is not needed for display in a classroom as a donation to another public elementary or secondary school.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.
Renumber sections to conform.
Amend title to conform.
Rep. BEACH spoke in favor of the amendment.
Rep. LONG spoke against the amendment.
Rep. BAMBERG spoke against the amendment.
Rep. LONG moved to table the amendment, which was agreed to.
Rep. GRANT proposed the following Amendment No. 15 to H. 4762 (Word version) (LC-4762.WAB0012H), which was tabled:
Amend the bill, as and if amended, SECTION 2, Section 59-1-485(B), by adding an item to read:
(3) (a) All public school teachers shall complete appropriate coursework or training sufficiently to provide accurate instruction regarding the historical, literary, and cultural context of the Ten Commandments. The required coursework or training must include, at a minimum:
(i) study of the historical origins and development of the Ten Commandments;
(ii) examination of their role in Western legal tradition and civic thought; and
(iii) instruction designed to enable teachers to respond accurately and objectively to student questions regarding context and meaning.
(b) Coursework or training may be satisfied through completion of seminarian-level courses, accredited university coursework in religious studies, history, theology, or a substantially similar field, or through professional development programs approved by the State Department of Education.
(c) The State Department of Education shall develop guidelines for school districts regarding acceptable coursework and professional development under this item.
(d) Nothing in this item may be construed to require any teacher to affirm or adopt any religious belief, nor to violate the constitutional rights of any employee or student.
(e) All public school teachers must be in compliance with the provisions of this item before the beginning of the 2028 School Year.
Renumber sections to conform.
Amend title to conform.
Rep. GRANT spoke in favor of the amendment.
Rep. JORDAN spoke against the amendment.
Rep. LONG moved to table the amendment.
Rep. KING demanded the yeas and nays which were taken, resulting as follows:
Those who voted in the affirmative are:
Atkinson Bailey Ballentine Bannister Beach Bowers Bradley Brewer Brittain Bustos Calhoon Chapman Collins Cox Crawford Cromer Davis Duncan Edgerton Erickson Ford Forrest Frank Gagnon Gatch Gibson Gilliam Gilreath Guest Guffey Haddon Hager Hardee Harris Hartnett Hartz Hayes Herbkersman Hewitt Hiott Hixon Holman Huff J. E. Johnson Jordan Kilmartin Landing Lastinger Lawson Ligon Long Lowe Magnuson Martin McCabe McCravy McGinnis C. Mitchell D. Mitchell T. Moore Morgan Moss Neese B. Newton W. Newton Oremus Pace Pedalino Rankin Robbins Sanders Schuessler Sessions G. M. Smith M. M. Smith Taylor Teeple Terribile Vaughan White Whitmire Wickensimer Willis Wooten Yow
Those who voted in the negative are:
Alexander Anderson Bamberg Bauer Bernstein Clyburn Cobb-Hunter Dillard Garvin Gilliard Govan Grant Henderson-Myers Hosey Howard J. L. Johnson Jones King Kirby Luck McDaniel J. Moore Reese Rivers Rose Rutherford Scott Stavrinakis Weeks Wetmore Williams
So, the amendment was tabled.
Rep. KIRBY proposed the following Amendment No. 16 to H. 4762 (Word version) (LC-4762.PH0005H), which was tabled:
Amend the bill, as and if amended, SECTION 2, by striking Section 59-1-485(B)(1) and (2) and inserting:
(B)(1) No later than January 1, 2027, each public school governing authoritythe General Assembly shall display the Ten Commandments in each classroom in each school under its jurisdictionthe Statehouse. The nature of the display shall be determined by each governing authoritythe General Assembly with a minimum requirement that the Ten Commandments shall be displayed prominently on a poster or framed document that is at least eleven inches by fourteen inches. The text of the Ten Commandments shall be the central focus of the poster or framed document and shall be printed in a large, easily readable font. The text shall read as follows:
The Ten Commandments
I AM the Lord thy God.
Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
Thou shalt not make to thyself any graven images.
Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain.
Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
Honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.
Thou shalt not kill.
Thou shalt not commit adultery.
Thou shalt not steal.
Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.
Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house.
Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his cattle, nor anything that is thy neighbor's.
(2) The Ten Commandments shall be displayed with a context statement as follows:
The History of the Ten Commandments in American Public Education
The Ten Commandments were a prominent part of American public education for almost three centuries. Around the year 1688, The New England Primer became the first published American textbook and was the equivalent of a first grade reader. The New England Primer was used in public schools throughout the United States for more than one hundred fifty years to teach Americans to read and contained more than forty questions about the Ten Commandments.
The Ten Commandments were also included in public school textbooks published by educator William McGuffey, a noted university president and professor. A version of his famous McGuffey Readers was written in the early 1800s and became one of the most popular textbooks in the history of American education, selling more than one hundred million copies. Copies of the McGuffey Readers are still available today.
The Ten Commandments also appeared in textbooks published by Noah Webster in which were widely used in American public schools along with America's first comprehensive dictionary that Webster also published. His textbook, The American Spelling Book, contained the Ten Commandments and sold more than one hundred million copies for use by public school children all across the nation and was still available for use in American public schools in the year 1975.
Renumber sections to conform.
Amend title to conform.
Rep. KIRBY spoke in favor of the amendment.
Rep. LONG spoke against the amendment.
Rep. LONG moved to table the amendment.
Rep. J. L. JOHNSON demanded the yeas and nays which were taken, resulting as follows:
Those who voted in the affirmative are:
Bailey Ballentine Bannister Beach Bowers Bradley Brewer Brittain Burns Bustos Calhoon Chapman Chumley Collins Cox Crawford Cromer Davis Duncan Edgerton Erickson Ford Forrest Frank Gagnon Gatch Gibson Gilliam Gilreath Guest Hager Hardee Harris Hartnett Hartz Herbkersman Hewitt Hiott Hixon Holman Huff J. E. Johnson Jordan Kilmartin Landing Lastinger Lawson Ligon Long Lowe Magnuson Martin McCabe McCravy McGinnis C. Mitchell D. Mitchell T. Moore Morgan Moss Neese B. Newton W. Newton Oremus Pace Pedalino Rankin Robbins Sanders Schuessler Sessions G. M. Smith M. M. Smith Taylor Teeple Terribile Vaughan White Whitmire Willis Wooten Yow
Those who voted in the negative are:
Anderson Bamberg Bauer Bernstein Clyburn Cobb-Hunter Dillard Garvin Gilliard Govan Grant Henderson-Myers Hosey J. L. Johnson Jones King Kirby Luck McDaniel J. Moore Rivers Rose Rutherford Scott Stavrinakis Weeks Wetmore Williams
So, the amendment was tabled.
Rep. KIRBY proposed the following Amendment No. 18 to H. 4762 (Word version) (LC-4762.PH0003H), which was tabled:
Amend the bill, as and if amended, SECTION 2, by striking Section 59-1-485(A) and inserting:
(A) The legislature finds and declares all of the following:
(1) In 2005, the Supreme Court of the United States recognized that it is permissible to display the Ten Commandments on government property in Van Orden v. Perry, 545 U.S. 677 (Word version), 688 (2005).
(2) In 2019, the Supreme Court of the United States further recognized that the Ten Commandments "have historical significance as one of the foundations of our legal system ..." in American Legion v. American Humanists Association, 588 U.S. 29 (Word version), 53 (2019), and the court also ruled that the displaying of the Ten Commandments on public property may have "multiple purposes" such as "historical significance" and represent a "common cultural heritage." Id. at 54.
(3) Recognizing the historical role of the Ten Commandments accords with our nation's history and faithfully reflects the understanding of the founders of our nation with respect to the necessity of civic morality to a functional self-government. History records that James Madison, the fourth President of the United States of America, stated that "(w)e have staked the whole future of our new nation ... upon the capacity of each of ourselves to govern ourselves according to the moral principles of the Ten Commandments."
(4) Including the Ten Commandments in the education of our children is part of our state and national history, culture, and tradition.
(5) The text of the Ten Commandments set forth in subsection (B) is identical to the text of the Ten Commandments monument that was upheld by the Supreme Court of the United States in Van Orden v. Perry, 545 U.S. 677 (Word version), 688 (2005).
(6) The Mayflower Compact of 1620 was America's first written constitution and made a Covenant with Almighty God to "form a civil body politic". This was the first purely American document of self-government and affirmed the link between civil society and God.
(7) The Northwest Ordinance of 1787 provided a method of admitting new states to the Union from the territory as the country expanded to the Pacific. The Ordinance "extended the fundamental principles of civil and religious liberty" to the territories and stated that "(r)eligion, morality, and knowledge, being necessary to good government and the happiness of mankind, schools and the means of education shall forever be encouraged."
(8) It is the legislature's intent to apply the decision set forth by the Supreme Court of the United States in Van Orden v. Perry, 545 U.S. 677 (Word version)(2005), to continue the rich tradition and ensure that the students in our public schools may understand and appreciate the foundational documents of our state and national government.
(9) The Supreme Court of the United States acknowledged that the Ten Commandments may be displayed on local government property when a private donation is made for the purchase of the historical monument. Pleasant Grove City, Utah v. Summum, 555 U.S. 460 (Word version) (2009).
(10) It is the intention of the legislature that this Section shall not create an unfunded mandate on any public school governing authority. The school boards are encouraged to use documents that are printed and made available to the schools free of charge.
(B)(1) No later than January 1, 2027, each public school governing authority shall display the Ten CommandmentsPsalm 82:3-4 in each classroom in each school under its jurisdiction. The nature of the display shall be determined by each governing authority with a minimum requirement that the Ten CommandmentsPsalm 82:3-4 shall be displayed on a poster or framed document that is at least eleven inches by fourteen inches. The text of the Ten CommandmentsPsalm 82:3-4 shall be the central focus of the poster or framed document and shall be printed in a large, easily readable font. The text shall read as follows:
The Ten Commandments
I AM the Lord thy God.
Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
Thou shalt not make to thyself any graven images.
Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain.
Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
Honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.
Thou shalt not kill.
Thou shalt not commit adultery.
Thou shalt not steal.
Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.
Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house.
Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his cattle, nor anything that is thy neighbor's.
Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.
(2) The Ten Commandments shall be displayed with a context statement as follows:
The History of the Ten Commandments in American Public Education
The Ten Commandments were a prominent part of American public education for almost three centuries. Around the year 1688, The New England Primer became the first published American textbook and was the equivalent of a first grade reader. The New England Primer was used in public schools throughout the United States for more than one hundred fifty years to teach Americans to read and contained more than forty questions about the Ten Commandments.
The Ten Commandments were also included in public school textbooks published by educator William McGuffey, a noted university president and professor. A version of his famous McGuffey Readers was written in the early 1800s and became one of the most popular textbooks in the history of American education, selling more than one hundred million copies. Copies of the McGuffey Readers are still available today.
The Ten Commandments also appeared in textbooks published by Noah Webster in which were widely used in American public schools along with America's first comprehensive dictionary that Webster also published. His textbook, The American Spelling Book, contained the Ten Commandments and sold more than one hundred million copies for use by public school children all across the nation and was still available for use in American public schools in the year 1975.
(3) A public school may also display the Mayflower Compact, written and adopted in 1620, the text which reads as follows:
Mayflower Compact (1620 A.D.)
Agreement Between the Settlers at New Plymouth: 1620
IN THE NAME OF GOD, AMEN. We, whose names are underwritten, the Loyal Subjects of our dread Sovereign Lord, King James, by the Grace of God, of Great Britain, France, and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith. Having undertaken for the Glory of God, and Advancement of the Christian Faith, and the Honour of our King and Country, a voyage to plant the first colony in the northern Parts of Virginia; do by these presents, solemnly and mutually, in the Presence of God and one another, covenant and combine ourselves together into a civil Body Politick, for our better Ordering and Preservation, and Furtherance of the Ends aforesaid: And by Virtue hereof do enact, constitute, and frame, such just and equal Laws, Ordinances, Acts, Constitutions and Offices, from time to time, as shall be thought most meet and convenient for the General good of the Colony; unto which we promise all due submission and obedience. In Witness whereof we have hereunto subscribed our names at Cape Cod the eleventh of November, in the Reign of our Sovereign Lord King James, of England, France, and Ireland, the eighteenth, and of Scotland the fifty-fourth, Anno Domini; 1620.
(4) A public school may also display The Declaration of Independence, adopted by Congress on July 4, 1776, the text of which reads as follows:
The Declaration of Independence.
IN CONGRESS, July 4, 1776
The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen United States of America.
When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness, -- That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, -- That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. -- Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.
He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.
He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.
He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.
He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.
He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.
He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the Legislative powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.
He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.
He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary powers.
He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.
He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people, and eat out their substance.
He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.
He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power.
He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:
For Quartering large bodies of armed troops among us.
For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States.
For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world.
For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent.
For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by jury.
For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences.
For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies.
For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Government.
For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.
He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.
He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.
He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty and perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.
He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.
He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.
In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms; Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.
Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our Brittish brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which, would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our separation, and hold them, as we would the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.
We, therefore, the Representatives of the United States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.
(5) A public school may also display articles I through VI of the Northwest Ordinance enacted by Congress on July 13, 1787, which prohibited slavery in the new territories and which stated that "religion, morality, and knowledge as being necessary for good government and the happiness of mankind" and which text reads as follows:
Article I
No person, demeaning himself in a peaceable and orderly manner shall ever be molested on account of his mode of worship or religious sentiments, in the said territory.
Article II
The inhabitants of the said territory shall always be entitled to the benefits of the writ of habeas corpus, and of the trial by jury; of a proportionate representation of the people in the legislature; and of judicial proceedings according to the course of the common law. All persons shall be bailable, unless for capital offenses, where the proof shall be evident or the presumption great. All fines shall be moderate; and no cruel or unusual punishments shall be inflicted. No man shall be deprived of his liberty or property, but by the judgment of his peers or the law of the land; and, should the public exigencies make it necessary, for the common preservation, to take any person's property, or to demand his particular services, full compensation shall be made for the same. And, in the just preservation of rights and property, it is understood and declared, that no law ought ever to be made, or have force in the said territory, that shall, in any manner whatever, interfere with or affect private contracts or engagements, bona fide, and without fraud, previously formed.
Article III
Religion, morality, and knowledge, being necessary to good government and the happiness of mankind, schools and the means of education shall forever be encouraged. The utmost good faith shall always be observed towards the Indians; their lands and property shall never be taken from them without their consent; and, in their property, rights, and liberty, they shall never be invaded or disturbed, unless in just and lawful wars authorized by Congress; but laws founded in justice and humanity, shall from time to time be made for preventing wrongs being done to them, and for preserving peace and friendship with them.
Article IV
The said territory, and the States which may be formed therein, shall forever remain a part of this Confederacy of the United States of America, subject to the Articles of Confederation, and to such alterations therein as shall be constitutionally made; and to all the acts and ordinances of the United States in Congress assembled, comformable thereto. The inhabitants and settlers in the said territory shall be subject to pay a part of the federal debts contracted or to be contracted, and a proportional part of the expenses of government, to be apportioned on them by Congress according to the same common rule and measure by which apportionments thereof shall be made on the other States; and the taxes for paying their proportion shall be laid and levied by the authority and direction of the legislatures of the district or districts, or new States, as in the original States, within the time agreed upon by the United States in Congress assembled. The legislatures of those districts or new States, shall never interfere with the primary disposal of the soil by the United States in Congress assembled, nor with any regulations Congress may find necessary for securing the title in such soil to the bona fide purchasers. No tax shall be imposed on lands the property of the United States; and, in no case, shall nonresident proprietors be taxed higher than residents. The navigable waters leading into the Mississippi and St. Lawrence, and the carrying places between the same, shall be common highways and forever free, as well to the inhabitants of the said territory as to the citizens of the United States, and those of any other States that may be admitted into the confederacy, without any tax, impost, or duty therefor.
Article V
There shall be formed in the said territory, not less than three nor more than five States; and the boundaries of the States, as soon as Virginia shall alter her act of cession, and consent to the same, shall become fixed and established as follows, to wit: The western State in the said territory, shall be bounded by the Mississippi, the Ohio, and Wabash Rivers; a direct line drawn from the Wabash and Post Vincents, due North, to the territorial line between the United States and Canada; and, by the said territorial line, to the Lake of the Woods and Mississippi. The middle State shall be bounded by the said direct line, the Wabash from Post Vincents to the Ohio, by the Ohio, by a direct line, drawn due north from the mouth of the Great Miami, to the said territorial line, and by the said territorial line. The eastern State shall be bounded by the last mentioned direct line, the Ohio, Pennsylvania, and the said territorial line: Provided, however, and it is further understood and declared, that the boundaries of these three States shall be subject so far to be altered, that, if Congress shall hereafter find it expedient, they shall have authority to form one or two States in that part of the said territory which lies north of an east and west line drawn through the southerly bend or extreme of Lake Michigan. And, whenever any of the said States shall have sixty thousand free inhabitants therein, such State shall be admitted, by its delegates, into the Congress of the United States, on an equal footing with the original States in all respects whatever, and shall be at liberty to form a permanent constitution and State government: Provided, the constitution and government so to be formed, shall be republican, and in conformity to the principles contained in these articles; and, so far as it can be consistent with the general interest of the confederacy, such admission shall be allowed at an earlier period, and when there may be a less number of free inhabitants in the State than sixty thousand.
Article VI
There shall be neither slavery nor involuntary servitude in the said territory, otherwise than in the punishment of crimes whereof the party shall have been duly convicted: Provided, always, That any person escaping into the same, from whom labor or service is lawfully claimed in any one of the original States, such fugitive may be lawfully reclaimed and conveyed to the person claiming his or her labor or service as aforesaid.
Renumber sections to conform.
Amend title to conform.
Rep. KIRBY spoke in favor of the amendment.
Rep. LONG spoke against the amendment.
Rep. LONG moved to table the amendment.
Rep. J. L. JOHNSON demanded the yeas and nays which were taken, resulting as follows:
Those who voted in the affirmative are:
Bailey Ballentine Bannister Beach Bowers Bradley Brewer Brittain Burns Bustos Calhoon Chapman Chumley Collins Cox Crawford Cromer Davis Duncan Edgerton Erickson Ford Forrest Frank Gagnon Gatch Gibson Gilliam Gilreath Guest Guffey Haddon Hager Hardee Harris Hartnett Hartz Herbkersman Hewitt Hiott Hixon Holman Huff J. E. Johnson Jordan Kilmartin Landing Lastinger Lawson Ligon Long Lowe Magnuson Martin McCabe McCravy McGinnis C. Mitchell D. Mitchell T. Moore Morgan Moss Neese B. Newton W. Newton Oremus Pace Pedalino Rankin Robbins Sanders Schuessler Sessions G. M. Smith M. M. Smith Taylor Teeple Terribile Vaughan White Whitmire Wickensimer Willis Wooten Yow
Those who voted in the negative are:
Alexander Anderson Bamberg Bauer Bernstein Clyburn Cobb-Hunter Dillard Garvin Gilliard Govan Grant Henderson-Myers Hosey Howard J. L. Johnson Jones King Kirby Luck McDaniel J. Moore Reese Rivers Rose Scott Stavrinakis Weeks Wetmore Williams
So, the amendment was tabled.
Rep. GRANT proposed the following Amendment No. 19 to H. 4762 (Word version) (LC-4762.CM0001H), which was tabled:
Amend the bill, as and if amended, SECTION 2, Section 59-1-485(C), by adding a subitem to read:
(4) All public school teachers shall complete appropriate annual continuing education coursework or training to maintain their teacher certification to provide accurate instruction regarding the historical, literary, and cultural context of the Ten Commandments.
Renumber sections to conform.
Amend title to conform.
Rep. GRANT spoke in favor of the amendment.
Rep. LONG moved to table the amendment.
Rep. J. L. JOHNSON demanded the yeas and nays which were taken, resulting as follows:
Those who voted in the affirmative are:
Atkinson Bailey Ballentine Bannister Beach Bradley Brewer Brittain Burns Bustos Calhoon Chapman Chumley Cox Crawford Cromer Davis Edgerton Erickson Ford Forrest Frank Gagnon Gatch Gibson Gilliam Gilreath Guest Guffey Haddon Hager Hardee Harris Hartnett Hartz Hayes Herbkersman Hewitt Hiott Hixon Holman Huff J. E. Johnson Jordan Kilmartin Landing Lastinger Lawson Ligon Long Lowe Magnuson Martin McCabe McCravy McGinnis C. Mitchell D. Mitchell T. Moore Morgan Moss Neese B. Newton W. Newton Oremus Pace Pedalino Rankin Robbins Sanders Schuessler Sessions G. M. Smith M. M. Smith Taylor Teeple Terribile Vaughan White Whitmire Wickensimer Willis Wooten Yow
Those who voted in the negative are:
Alexander Anderson Bauer Bernstein Clyburn Cobb-Hunter Garvin Gilliard Govan Grant Henderson-Myers Hosey Howard J. L. Johnson Jones King Kirby Luck McDaniel J. Moore Reese Rivers Rose Scott Weeks Wetmore Williams
So, the amendment was tabled.
I was out of the chamber on constitute business and missed the vote on amendment 19. Had I not been unavailable, I would have voted in the affirmative to table the amendment.
Rep. Phillip Bowers
Rep. KING proposed the following Amendment No. 20 to H. 4762 (Word version) (LC-4762.DG0002H), which was tabled:
Amend the bill, as and if amended, by adding an appropriately numbered SECTION to read:
SECTION X. Article 5, Chapter 1, Title 59 of the S.C. Code is amended by adding:
Section 59-1-487. In addition to the requirement contained in 59-1-485(B), no later than January 1, 2027, each public school governing authority shall display the Maimonides' Thirteen Principles and the Quranic Principles in each classroom in each school under its jurisdiction. The nature of the display must be displayed on a poster or framed document that is at least eleven inches by fourteen inches.
Renumber sections to conform.
Amend title to conform.
Rep. KING spoke in favor of the amendment.
Rep. LONG moved to table the amendment.
Rep. J. L. JOHNSON demanded the yeas and nays which were taken, resulting as follows:
Those who voted in the affirmative are:
Atkinson Bailey Ballentine Bannister Beach Bowers Bradley Brewer Brittain Burns Bustos Calhoon Chapman Chumley Collins Cox Crawford Cromer Davis Duncan Edgerton Erickson Ford Forrest Frank Gagnon Gatch Gibson Gilliam Gilreath Guest Guffey Haddon Hager Hardee Harris Hartnett Hartz Hayes Herbkersman Hewitt Hiott Hixon Holman Huff J. E. Johnson Jordan Kilmartin Landing Lastinger Lawson Ligon Long Lowe Magnuson Martin McCabe McCravy McGinnis C. Mitchell D. Mitchell T. Moore Morgan Moss Neese B. Newton W. Newton Oremus Pace Pedalino Rankin Robbins Sanders Schuessler Sessions G. M. Smith M. M. Smith Taylor Teeple Terribile Vaughan Whitmire Wickensimer Willis Wooten Yow
Those who voted in the negative are:
Anderson Bauer Bernstein Clyburn Cobb-Hunter Garvin Gilliard Govan Grant Henderson-Myers Hosey J. L. Johnson Jones King Luck McDaniel J. Moore Reese Rivers Rose Scott Weeks Wetmore Williams
So, the amendment was tabled.
Rep. COBB-HUNTER proposed the following Amendment No. 21 to H. 4762 (Word version) (LC-4762.WAB0014H), which was tabled:
Amend the bill, as and if amended, SECTION 2, Section 59-1-485(B), by adding an item to read:
(6) No later than January 1, 2027, each public school governing authority shall display a document bearing all of the amendments to the United States Constitution in each classroom in each school under its jurisdiction. The nature of the display shall be determined by each governing authority with a minimum requirement that all of the amendments shall be displayed on a poster or framed document that is at least eleven inches by fourteen inches. The text of the amendments shall be the central focus of the poster or framed document and shall be printed in a large, easily readable font.
Amend the bill further, SECTION 2, Section 59-1-485, by adding a subsection to read:
(D)(1) No later than January 1, 2027, each public institution of higher learning in this State shall display all amendments to the United States Constitution in each classroom on the institution's campus. At a minimum, these amendments together shall be displayed on one poster or framed document that is at least eleven inches by fourteen inches. The text of these amendments shall be the central focus of the poster or framed document and shall be printed in a large, easily readable font.
(2) The text shall read as provided in subsection (B)(1). Statements intended to provide context to any text authorized to be displayed pursuant to this section are prohibited.
(3) This section does not require a public institution of higher learning or its governing board to spend its funds to purchase displays required under this subsection. In order to fund the displays free of charge, the institution or its governing body may:
(a) accept donated funds to purchase the displays;
(b) accept donated displays.
Renumber sections to conform.
Amend title to conform.
Rep. COBB-HUNTER spoke in favor of the amendment.
Rep. COBB-HUNTER continued speaking.
Rep. LONG moved to table the amendment.
Rep. COBB-HUNTER demanded the yeas and nays which were taken, resulting as follows:
Those who voted in the affirmative are:
Bailey Ballentine Bannister Bowers Bradley Brewer Brittain Burns Bustos Calhoon Chapman Collins Cox Crawford Cromer Davis Duncan Edgerton Erickson Forrest Frank Gagnon Gibson Gilliam Gilreath Guest Guffey Haddon Hager Hardee Harris Hartnett Hartz Herbkersman Hewitt Hiott Hixon Holman Huff J. E. Johnson Jordan Kilmartin Landing Lastinger Lawson Ligon Long Lowe Magnuson Martin McCabe McCravy McGinnis C. Mitchell D. Mitchell T. Moore Morgan Moss Neese B. Newton W. Newton Oremus Pace Pedalino Rankin Robbins Sanders Schuessler Sessions G. M. Smith M. M. Smith Taylor Teeple Terribile Vaughan White Whitmire Wickensimer Willis Wooten Yow
Those who voted in the negative are:
Alexander Anderson Atkinson Bamberg Bauer Bernstein Clyburn Cobb-Hunter Dillard Ford Garvin Gatch Gilliard Govan Grant Hayes Henderson-Myers Hosey Howard J. L. Johnson Jones King Kirby McDaniel J. Moore Reese Rivers Rose Scott Stavrinakis Weeks Wetmore Williams
So, the amendment was tabled.
Rep. GARVIN proposed the following Amendment No. 22 to H. 4762 (Word version) (LC-4762.DG0004H), which was adopted:
Amend the bill, as and if amended, SECTION 2, Section 59-1-485, by adding a subsection to read:
(D) Any civil cause of action arising against a public school or a governing body thereof, filed as a result of the requirements of this Section, must be defended by the Attorney General. The State is responsible for all legal costs, including but not limited to, attorney's fees and any damages that may be awarded.
Renumber sections to conform.
Amend title to conform.
Rep. GARVIN spoke in favor of the amendment.
The amendment was then adopted.
Rep. WEEKS proposed the following Amendment No. 23 to H. 4762 (Word version) (LC-4762.PH0009H), which was tabled:
Amend the bill, as and if amended, SECTION 2, by striking Section 59-1-485(A) and inserting:
(A) The legislature finds and declares all of the following:
(1) In 2005, the Supreme Court of the United States recognized that it is permissible to display the Ten Commandments on government property in Van Orden v. Perry, 545 U.S. 677 (Word version), 688 (2005).
(2) In 2019, the Supreme Court of the United States further recognized that the Ten Commandments "have historical significance as one of the foundations of our legal system ..." in American Legion v. American Humanists Association, 588 U.S. 29 (Word version), 53 (2019), and the court also ruled that the displaying of the Ten Commandments on public property may have "multiple purposes" such as "historical significance" and represent a "common cultural heritage." Id. at 54.
(3) Recognizing the historical role of the Ten Commandments accords with our nation's history and faithfully reflects the understanding of the founders of our nation with respect to the necessity of civic morality to a functional self-government. History records that James Madison, the fourth President of the United States of America, stated that "(w)e have staked the whole future of our new nation ... upon the capacity of each of ourselves to govern ourselves according to the moral principles of the Ten Commandments."
(4) Including the Ten Commandments in the education of our children is part of our state and national history, culture, and tradition.
(5) The text of the Ten Commandments set forth in subsection (B) is identical to the text of the Ten Commandments monument that was upheld by the Supreme Court of the United States in Van Orden v. Perry, 545 U.S. 677 (Word version), 688 (2005).
(6) The Mayflower Compact of 1620 was America's first written constitution and made a Covenant with Almighty God to "form a civil body politic". This was the first purely American document of self-government and affirmed the link between civil society and God.
(7) The Northwest Ordinance of 1787 provided a method of admitting new states to the Union from the territory as the country expanded to the Pacific. The Ordinance "extended the fundamental principles of civil and religious liberty" to the territories and stated that "(r)eligion, morality, and knowledge, being necessary to good government and the happiness of mankind, schools and the means of education shall forever be encouraged."
(8) It is the legislature's intent to apply the decision set forth by the Supreme Court of the United States in Van Orden v. Perry, 545 U.S. 677 (Word version)(2005), to continue the rich tradition and ensure that the students in our public schools may understand and appreciate the foundational documents of our state and national government.
(9) The Supreme Court of the United States acknowledged that the Ten Commandments may be displayed on local government property when a private donation is made for the purchase of the historical monument. Pleasant Grove City, Utah v. Summum, 555 U.S. 460 (Word version) (2009).
(10) It is the intention of the legislature that this Section shall not create an unfunded mandate on any public school governing authority. The school boards are encouraged to use documents that are printed and made available to the schools free of charge.
(B)(1) No later than January 1, 2027, each public school governing authority shall display the Ten CommandmentsMatthew 22:37-40 in each classroom in each school under its jurisdiction. The nature of the display shall be determined by each governing authority with a minimum requirement that the Ten Commandments Matthew 22:37-40 shall be displayed on a poster or framed document that is at least eleven inches by fourteen inches. The text of the Ten Commandments Matthew 22:37-40 shall be the central focus of the poster or framed document and shall be printed in a large, easily readable font. The text shall read as follows:
The Ten Commandments
I AM the Lord thy God.
Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
Thou shalt not make to thyself any graven images.
Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain.
Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
Honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.
Thou shalt not kill.
Thou shalt not commit adultery.
Thou shalt not steal.
Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.
Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house.
Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his cattle, nor anything that is thy neighbor's.
"You must love your God with all your heart. This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is like unto it, love your neighbor as yourself."
(2) The Ten Commandments shall be displayed with a context statement as follows:
The History of the Ten Commandments in American Public Education
The Ten Commandments were a prominent part of American public education for almost three centuries. Around the year 1688, The New England Primer became the first published American textbook and was the equivalent of a first grade reader. The New England Primer was used in public schools throughout the United States for more than one hundred fifty years to teach Americans to read and contained more than forty questions about the Ten Commandments.
The Ten Commandments were also included in public school textbooks published by educator William McGuffey, a noted university president and professor. A version of his famous McGuffey Readers was written in the early 1800s and became one of the most popular textbooks in the history of American education, selling more than one hundred million copies. Copies of the McGuffey Readers are still available today.
The Ten Commandments also appeared in textbooks published by Noah Webster in which were widely used in American public schools along with America's first comprehensive dictionary that Webster also published. His textbook, The American Spelling Book, contained the Ten Commandments and sold more than one hundred million copies for use by public school children all across the nation and was still available for use in American public schools in the year 1975.
(3) A public school may also display the Mayflower Compact, written and adopted in 1620, the text which reads as follows:
Mayflower Compact (1620 A.D.)
Agreement Between the Settlers at New Plymouth: 1620
IN THE NAME OF GOD, AMEN. We, whose names are underwritten, the Loyal Subjects of our dread Sovereign Lord, King James, by the Grace of God, of Great Britain, France, and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith. Having undertaken for the Glory of God, and Advancement of the Christian Faith, and the Honour of our King and Country, a voyage to plant the first colony in the northern Parts of Virginia; do by these presents, solemnly and mutually, in the Presence of God and one another, covenant and combine ourselves together into a civil Body Politick, for our better Ordering and Preservation, and Furtherance of the Ends aforesaid: And by Virtue hereof do enact, constitute, and frame, such just and equal Laws, Ordinances, Acts, Constitutions and Offices, from time to time, as shall be thought most meet and convenient for the General good of the Colony; unto which we promise all due submission and obedience. In Witness whereof we have hereunto subscribed our names at Cape Cod the eleventh of November, in the Reign of our Sovereign Lord King James, of England, France, and Ireland, the eighteenth, and of Scotland the fifty-fourth, Anno Domini; 1620.
(4) A public school may also display The Declaration of Independence, adopted by Congress on July 4, 1776, the text of which reads as follows:
The Declaration of Independence.
IN CONGRESS, July 4, 1776
The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen United States of America.
When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness, -- That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, -- That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. -- Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.
He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.
He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.
He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.
He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.
He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.
He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the Legislative powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.
He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.
He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary powers.
He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.
He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people, and eat out their substance.
He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.
He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power.
He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:
For Quartering large bodies of armed troops among us.
For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States.
For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world.
For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent.
For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by jury.
For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences.
For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies.
For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Government.
For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.
He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.
He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.
He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty and perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.
He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.
He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.
In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms; Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.
Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our Brittish brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which, would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our separation, and hold them, as we would the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.
We, therefore, the Representatives of the United States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.
(5) A public school may also display articles I through VI of the Northwest Ordinance enacted by Congress on July 13, 1787, which prohibited slavery in the new territories and which stated that "religion, morality, and knowledge as being necessary for good government and the happiness of mankind" and which text reads as follows:
Article I
No person, demeaning himself in a peaceable and orderly manner shall ever be molested on account of his mode of worship or religious sentiments, in the said territory.
Article II
The inhabitants of the said territory shall always be entitled to the benefits of the writ of habeas corpus, and of the trial by jury; of a proportionate representation of the people in the legislature; and of judicial proceedings according to the course of the common law. All persons shall be bailable, unless for capital offenses, where the proof shall be evident or the presumption great. All fines shall be moderate; and no cruel or unusual punishments shall be inflicted. No man shall be deprived of his liberty or property, but by the judgment of his peers or the law of the land; and, should the public exigencies make it necessary, for the common preservation, to take any person's property, or to demand his particular services, full compensation shall be made for the same. And, in the just preservation of rights and property, it is understood and declared, that no law ought ever to be made, or have force in the said territory, that shall, in any manner whatever, interfere with or affect private contracts or engagements, bona fide, and without fraud, previously formed.
Article III
Religion, morality, and knowledge, being necessary to good government and the happiness of mankind, schools and the means of education shall forever be encouraged. The utmost good faith shall always be observed towards the Indians; their lands and property shall never be taken from them without their consent; and, in their property, rights, and liberty, they shall never be invaded or disturbed, unless in just and lawful wars authorized by Congress; but laws founded in justice and humanity, shall from time to time be made for preventing wrongs being done to them, and for preserving peace and friendship with them.
Article IV
The said territory, and the States which may be formed therein, shall forever remain a part of this Confederacy of the United States of America, subject to the Articles of Confederation, and to such alterations therein as shall be constitutionally made; and to all the acts and ordinances of the United States in Congress assembled, comformable thereto. The inhabitants and settlers in the said territory shall be subject to pay a part of the federal debts contracted or to be contracted, and a proportional part of the expenses of government, to be apportioned on them by Congress according to the same common rule and measure by which apportionments thereof shall be made on the other States; and the taxes for paying their proportion shall be laid and levied by the authority and direction of the legislatures of the district or districts, or new States, as in the original States, within the time agreed upon by the United States in Congress assembled. The legislatures of those districts or new States, shall never interfere with the primary disposal of the soil by the United States in Congress assembled, nor with any regulations Congress may find necessary for securing the title in such soil to the bona fide purchasers. No tax shall be imposed on lands the property of the United States; and, in no case, shall nonresident proprietors be taxed higher than residents. The navigable waters leading into the Mississippi and St. Lawrence, and the carrying places between the same, shall be common highways and forever free, as well to the inhabitants of the said territory as to the citizens of the United States, and those of any other States that may be admitted into the confederacy, without any tax, impost, or duty therefor.
Article V
There shall be formed in the said territory, not less than three nor more than five States; and the boundaries of the States, as soon as Virginia shall alter her act of cession, and consent to the same, shall become fixed and established as follows, to wit: The western State in the said territory, shall be bounded by the Mississippi, the Ohio, and Wabash Rivers; a direct line drawn from the Wabash and Post Vincents, due North, to the territorial line between the United States and Canada; and, by the said territorial line, to the Lake of the Woods and Mississippi. The middle State shall be bounded by the said direct line, the Wabash from Post Vincents to the Ohio, by the Ohio, by a direct line, drawn due north from the mouth of the Great Miami, to the said territorial line, and by the said territorial line. The eastern State shall be bounded by the last mentioned direct line, the Ohio, Pennsylvania, and the said territorial line: Provided, however, and it is further understood and declared, that the boundaries of these three States shall be subject so far to be altered, that, if Congress shall hereafter find it expedient, they shall have authority to form one or two States in that part of the said territory which lies north of an east and west line drawn through the southerly bend or extreme of Lake Michigan. And, whenever any of the said States shall have sixty thousand free inhabitants therein, such State shall be admitted, by its delegates, into the Congress of the United States, on an equal footing with the original States in all respects whatever, and shall be at liberty to form a permanent constitution and State government: Provided, the constitution and government so to be formed, shall be republican, and in conformity to the principles contained in these articles; and, so far as it can be consistent with the general interest of the confederacy, such admission shall be allowed at an earlier period, and when there may be a less number of free inhabitants in the State than sixty thousand.
Article VI
There shall be neither slavery nor involuntary servitude in the said territory, otherwise than in the punishment of crimes whereof the party shall have been duly convicted: Provided, always, That any person escaping into the same, from whom labor or service is lawfully claimed in any one of the original States, such fugitive may be lawfully reclaimed and conveyed to the person claiming his or her labor or service as aforesaid.
Renumber sections to conform.
Amend title to conform.
Rep. WEEKS spoke in favor of the amendment.
Rep. LONG spoke against the amendment.
Rep. LONG moved to table the amendment.
Rep. J. L. JOHNSON demanded the yeas and nays which were taken, resulting as follows:
Those who voted in the affirmative are:
Bailey Ballentine Bannister Beach Bowers Bradley Brittain Burns Bustos Calhoon Chapman Chumley Collins Cox Crawford Cromer Davis Duncan Edgerton Erickson Forrest Frank Gagnon Gibson Gilliam Gilreath Guest Guffey Hager Hardee Hartnett Hartz Herbkersman Hewitt Hiott Hixon Holman Huff J. E. Johnson Jordan Kilmartin Landing Lastinger Lawson Ligon Long Lowe Magnuson Martin McCabe McCravy McGinnis C. Mitchell D. Mitchell Morgan Moss Neese B. Newton W. Newton Oremus Pace Rankin Robbins Sanders Schuessler G. M. Smith M. M. Smith Taylor Teeple Terribile Vaughan White Whitmire Wickensimer Willis Wooten Yow
Those who voted in the negative are:
Alexander Anderson Atkinson Bamberg Bauer Bernstein Clyburn Cobb-Hunter Dillard Ford Garvin Gatch Gilliard Govan Grant Harris Hayes Henderson-Myers Hosey Howard J. L. Johnson Jones King Kirby Luck McDaniel J. Moore Pedalino Reese Rivers Rose Scott Stavrinakis Weeks Wetmore Williams
So, the amendment was tabled.
Rep. WEEKS proposed the following Amendment No. 24 to H. 4762 (Word version) (LC-4762.PH0010H), which was tabled:
Amend the bill, as and if amended, SECTION 2, Section 59-1-485, by adding an item to read:
(8) No later than January 1, 2027, each public school governing authority shall display Matthew 22:37-40 in each classroom in each school under its jurisdiction. The nature of the display shall be determined by each governing authority with a minimum requirement that Matthew 22:37-40 shall be displayed on a poster or framed document that is at least eleven inches by fourteen inches. The text of the Matthew 22:37-40 shall be the central focus of the poster or framed document and shall be printed in a large, easily readable font. The text shall read as follows:
"You must love your God with all your heart. This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is like unto it, love your neighbor as yourself."
Renumber sections to conform.
Amend title to conform.
Rep. WEEKS spoke in favor of the amendment.
Rep. LONG spoke against the amendment.
Rep. BAMBERG spoke against the amendment.
Rep. GILLIARD spoke against the amendment.
Rep. LONG moved to table the amendment.
Rep. J. L. JOHNSON demanded the yeas and nays which were taken, resulting as follows:
Those who voted in the affirmative are:
Bailey Ballentine Bamberg Bannister Beach Bowers Bradley Brewer Brittain Burns Bustos Calhoon Caskey Chapman Chumley Collins Cox Crawford Cromer Davis Duncan Edgerton Erickson Ford Forrest Frank Gagnon Gibson Gilliam Gilreath Guest Guffey Haddon Hager Hardee Harris Hartnett Hartz Herbkersman Hewitt Hiott Hixon Holman Huff J. E. Johnson Jordan Kilmartin Landing Lastinger Lawson Ligon Long Lowe Magnuson Martin McCabe McCravy McGinnis C. Mitchell D. Mitchell T. Moore Morgan Moss Neese B. Newton W. Newton Oremus Pace Pedalino Rankin Robbins Sanders Schuessler Sessions G. M. Smith M. M. Smith Taylor Teeple Terribile Vaughan White Whitmire Wickensimer Willis Wooten Yow
Those who voted in the negative are:
Alexander Anderson Atkinson Bauer Cobb-Hunter Dillard Garvin Gatch Gilliard Govan Grant Hayes Henderson-Myers Hosey Howard J. L. Johnson Jones King Kirby Luck McDaniel J. Moore Reese Rivers Rose Scott Stavrinakis Weeks Wetmore Williams
So, the amendment was tabled.
Rep. WEEKS proposed the following Amendment No. 25 to H. 4762 (Word version) (LC-4762.PH0011H), which was tabled:
Amend the bill, as and if amended, SECTION 2, by striking Section 59-1-485(A) and inserting:
(A) The legislature finds and declares all of the following:
(1) In 2005, the Supreme Court of the United States recognized that it is permissible to display the Ten Commandments on government property in Van Orden v. Perry, 545 U.S. 677 (Word version), 688 (2005).
(2) In 2019, the Supreme Court of the United States further recognized that the Ten Commandments "have historical significance as one of the foundations of our legal system ..." in American Legion v. American Humanists Association, 588 U.S. 29 (Word version), 53 (2019), and the court also ruled that the displaying of the Ten Commandments on public property may have "multiple purposes" such as "historical significance" and represent a "common cultural heritage." Id. at 54.
(3) Recognizing the historical role of the Ten Commandments accords with our nation's history and faithfully reflects the understanding of the founders of our nation with respect to the necessity of civic morality to a functional self-government. History records that James Madison, the fourth President of the United States of America, stated that "(w)e have staked the whole future of our new nation ... upon the capacity of each of ourselves to govern ourselves according to the moral principles of the Ten Commandments."
(4) Including the Ten Commandments in the education of our children is part of our state and national history, culture, and tradition.
(5) The text of the Ten Commandments set forth in subsection (B) is identical to the text of the Ten Commandments monument that was upheld by the Supreme Court of the United States in Van Orden v. Perry, 545 U.S. 677 (Word version), 688 (2005).
(6) The Mayflower Compact of 1620 was America's first written constitution and made a Covenant with Almighty God to "form a civil body politic". This was the first purely American document of self-government and affirmed the link between civil society and God.
(7) The Northwest Ordinance of 1787 provided a method of admitting new states to the Union from the territory as the country expanded to the Pacific. The Ordinance "extended the fundamental principles of civil and religious liberty" to the territories and stated that "(r)eligion, morality, and knowledge, being necessary to good government and the happiness of mankind, schools and the means of education shall forever be encouraged."
(8) It is the legislature's intent to apply the decision set forth by the Supreme Court of the United States in Van Orden v. Perry, 545 U.S. 677 (Word version)(2005), to continue the rich tradition and ensure that the students in our public schools may understand and appreciate the foundational documents of our state and national government.
(9) The Supreme Court of the United States acknowledged that the Ten Commandments may be displayed on local government property when a private donation is made for the purchase of the historical monument. Pleasant Grove City, Utah v. Summum, 555 U.S. 460 (Word version) (2009).
(10) It is the intention of the legislature that this Section shall not create an unfunded mandate on any public school governing authority. The school boards are encouraged to use documents that are printed and made available to the schools free of charge.
(B)(1) No later than January 1, 2027, each public school governing authority shall display the Ten CommandmentsMatthew 7:12 in each classroom in each school under its jurisdiction. The nature of the display shall be determined by each governing authority with a minimum requirement that the Ten Commandments Matthew 7:12 shall be displayed on a poster or framed document that is at least eleven inches by fourteen inches. The text of the Ten Commandments Matthew 7:12 shall be the central focus of the poster or framed document and shall be printed in a large, easily readable font. The text shall read as follows:
The Ten Commandments
I AM the Lord thy God.
Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
Thou shalt not make to thyself any graven images.
Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain.
Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
Honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.
Thou shalt not kill.
Thou shalt not commit adultery.
Thou shalt not steal.
Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.
Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house.
Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his cattle, nor anything that is thy neighbor's.
"So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also unto them."
(2) The Ten Commandments shall be displayed with a context statement as follows:
The History of the Ten Commandments in American Public Education
The Ten Commandments were a prominent part of American public education for almost three centuries. Around the year 1688, The New England Primer became the first published American textbook and was the equivalent of a first grade reader. The New England Primer was used in public schools throughout the United States for more than one hundred fifty years to teach Americans to read and contained more than forty questions about the Ten Commandments.
The Ten Commandments were also included in public school textbooks published by educator William McGuffey, a noted university president and professor. A version of his famous McGuffey Readers was written in the early 1800s and became one of the most popular textbooks in the history of American education, selling more than one hundred million copies. Copies of the McGuffey Readers are still available today.
The Ten Commandments also appeared in textbooks published by Noah Webster in which were widely used in American public schools along with America's first comprehensive dictionary that Webster also published. His textbook, The American Spelling Book, contained the Ten Commandments and sold more than one hundred million copies for use by public school children all across the nation and was still available for use in American public schools in the year 1975.
(3) A public school may also display the Mayflower Compact, written and adopted in 1620, the text which reads as follows:
Mayflower Compact (1620 A.D.)
Agreement Between the Settlers at New Plymouth: 1620
IN THE NAME OF GOD, AMEN. We, whose names are underwritten, the Loyal Subjects of our dread Sovereign Lord, King James, by the Grace of God, of Great Britain, France, and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith. Having undertaken for the Glory of God, and Advancement of the Christian Faith, and the Honour of our King and Country, a voyage to plant the first colony in the northern Parts of Virginia; do by these presents, solemnly and mutually, in the Presence of God and one another, covenant and combine ourselves together into a civil Body Politick, for our better Ordering and Preservation, and Furtherance of the Ends aforesaid: And by Virtue hereof do enact, constitute, and frame, such just and equal Laws, Ordinances, Acts, Constitutions and Offices, from time to time, as shall be thought most meet and convenient for the General good of the Colony; unto which we promise all due submission and obedience. In Witness whereof we have hereunto subscribed our names at Cape Cod the eleventh of November, in the Reign of our Sovereign Lord King James, of England, France, and Ireland, the eighteenth, and of Scotland the fifty-fourth, Anno Domini; 1620.
(4) A public school may also display The Declaration of Independence, adopted by Congress on July 4, 1776, the text of which reads as follows:
The Declaration of Independence.
IN CONGRESS, July 4, 1776
The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen United States of America.
When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness, -- That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, -- That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. -- Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.
He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.
He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.
He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.
He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.
He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.
He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the Legislative powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.
He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.
He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary powers.
He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.
He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people, and eat out their substance.
He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.
He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power.
He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:
For Quartering large bodies of armed troops among us.
For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States.
For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world.
For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent.
For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by jury.
For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences.
For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies.
For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Government.
For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.
He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.
He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.
He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty and perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.
He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.
He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.
In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms; Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.
Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our Brittish brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which, would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our separation, and hold them, as we would the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.
We, therefore, the Representatives of the United States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.
(5) A public school may also display articles I through VI of the Northwest Ordinance enacted by Congress on July 13, 1787, which prohibited slavery in the new territories and which stated that "religion, morality, and knowledge as being necessary for good government and the happiness of mankind" and which text reads as follows:
Article I
No person, demeaning himself in a peaceable and orderly manner shall ever be molested on account of his mode of worship or religious sentiments, in the said territory.
Article II
The inhabitants of the said territory shall always be entitled to the benefits of the writ of habeas corpus, and of the trial by jury; of a proportionate representation of the people in the legislature; and of judicial proceedings according to the course of the common law. All persons shall be bailable, unless for capital offenses, where the proof shall be evident or the presumption great. All fines shall be moderate; and no cruel or unusual punishments shall be inflicted. No man shall be deprived of his liberty or property, but by the judgment of his peers or the law of the land; and, should the public exigencies make it necessary, for the common preservation, to take any person's property, or to demand his particular services, full compensation shall be made for the same. And, in the just preservation of rights and property, it is understood and declared, that no law ought ever to be made, or have force in the said territory, that shall, in any manner whatever, interfere with or affect private contracts or engagements, bona fide, and without fraud, previously formed.
Article III
Religion, morality, and knowledge, being necessary to good government and the happiness of mankind, schools and the means of education shall forever be encouraged. The utmost good faith shall always be observed towards the Indians; their lands and property shall never be taken from them without their consent; and, in their property, rights, and liberty, they shall never be invaded or disturbed, unless in just and lawful wars authorized by Congress; but laws founded in justice and humanity, shall from time to time be made for preventing wrongs being done to them, and for preserving peace and friendship with them.
Article IV
The said territory, and the States which may be formed therein, shall forever remain a part of this Confederacy of the United States of America, subject to the Articles of Confederation, and to such alterations therein as shall be constitutionally made; and to all the acts and ordinances of the United States in Congress assembled, comformable thereto. The inhabitants and settlers in the said territory shall be subject to pay a part of the federal debts contracted or to be contracted, and a proportional part of the expenses of government, to be apportioned on them by Congress according to the same common rule and measure by which apportionments thereof shall be made on the other States; and the taxes for paying their proportion shall be laid and levied by the authority and direction of the legislatures of the district or districts, or new States, as in the original States, within the time agreed upon by the United States in Congress assembled. The legislatures of those districts or new States, shall never interfere with the primary disposal of the soil by the United States in Congress assembled, nor with any regulations Congress may find necessary for securing the title in such soil to the bona fide purchasers. No tax shall be imposed on lands the property of the United States; and, in no case, shall nonresident proprietors be taxed higher than residents. The navigable waters leading into the Mississippi and St. Lawrence, and the carrying places between the same, shall be common highways and forever free, as well to the inhabitants of the said territory as to the citizens of the United States, and those of any other States that may be admitted into the confederacy, without any tax, impost, or duty therefor.
Article V
There shall be formed in the said territory, not less than three nor more than five States; and the boundaries of the States, as soon as Virginia shall alter her act of cession, and consent to the same, shall become fixed and established as follows, to wit: The western State in the said territory, shall be bounded by the Mississippi, the Ohio, and Wabash Rivers; a direct line drawn from the Wabash and Post Vincents, due North, to the territorial line between the United States and Canada; and, by the said territorial line, to the Lake of the Woods and Mississippi. The middle State shall be bounded by the said direct line, the Wabash from Post Vincents to the Ohio, by the Ohio, by a direct line, drawn due north from the mouth of the Great Miami, to the said territorial line, and by the said territorial line. The eastern State shall be bounded by the last mentioned direct line, the Ohio, Pennsylvania, and the said territorial line: Provided, however, and it is further understood and declared, that the boundaries of these three States shall be subject so far to be altered, that, if Congress shall hereafter find it expedient, they shall have authority to form one or two States in that part of the said territory which lies north of an east and west line drawn through the southerly bend or extreme of Lake Michigan. And, whenever any of the said States shall have sixty thousand free inhabitants therein, such State shall be admitted, by its delegates, into the Congress of the United States, on an equal footing with the original States in all respects whatever, and shall be at liberty to form a permanent constitution and State government: Provided, the constitution and government so to be formed, shall be republican, and in conformity to the principles contained in these articles; and, so far as it can be consistent with the general interest of the confederacy, such admission shall be allowed at an earlier period, and when there may be a less number of free inhabitants in the State than sixty thousand.
Article VI
There shall be neither slavery nor involuntary servitude in the said territory, otherwise than in the punishment of crimes whereof the party shall have been duly convicted: Provided, always, That any person escaping into the same, from whom labor or service is lawfully claimed in any one of the original States, such fugitive may be lawfully reclaimed and conveyed to the person claiming his or her labor or service as aforesaid.
Renumber sections to conform.
Amend title to conform.
Rep. WEEKS spoke in favor of the amendment.
Rep. WOOTEN spoke against the amendment.
Rep. LONG moved to table the amendment.
Rep. J. L. JOHNSON demanded the yeas and nays which were taken, resulting as follows:
Those who voted in the affirmative are:
Bailey Ballentine Bannister Beach Bowers Bradley Brewer Brittain Burns Bustos Calhoon Chapman Chumley Collins Cox Crawford Cromer Davis Duncan Edgerton Erickson Ford Forrest Gagnon Gibson Gilliam Gilreath Guest Guffey Haddon Hager Hardee Harris Hartnett Hartz Herbkersman Hewitt Hiott Hixon Holman Huff J. E. Johnson Jordan Kilmartin Landing Lastinger Lawson Ligon Long Lowe Magnuson Martin McCabe McCravy McGinnis C. Mitchell D. Mitchell T. Moore Morgan Moss Neese B. Newton W. Newton Oremus Pace Pedalino Rankin Robbins Sanders Schuessler Sessions G. M. Smith M. M. Smith Taylor Teeple Terribile Vaughan White Whitmire Wickensimer Willis Wooten Yow
Those who voted in the negative are:
Alexander Anderson Atkinson Bamberg Bauer Clyburn Cobb-Hunter Dillard Garvin Gilliard Govan Grant Hayes Henderson-Myers Hosey Howard J. L. Johnson Jones King Kirby Luck McDaniel J. Moore Reese Rivers Rose Scott Stavrinakis Weeks Wetmore Williams
So, the amendment was tabled.
Rep. J. L. JOHNSON proposed the following Amendment No. 26 to H. 4762 (Word version) (LC-4762.WAB0019H), which was tabled:
Amend the bill, as and if amended, SECTION 2, by adding a subsection to read:
(C) Each public school in this State shall display the lyrics and musical notation for the Black National Anthem in each public school classroom no later than January 1, 2027.
Renumber sections to conform.
Amend title to conform.
Rep. J. L. JOHNSON spoke in favor of the amendment.
Rep. LONG spoke against the amendment.
Rep. LONG moved to table the amendment.
Rep. J. L. JOHNSON demanded the yeas and nays which were taken, resulting as follows:
Those who voted in the affirmative are:
Bailey Ballentine Bannister Beach Bowers Bradley Brewer Brittain Burns Bustos Calhoon Caskey Chapman Chumley Collins Cox Crawford Cromer Davis Duncan Edgerton Erickson Ford Forrest Frank Gagnon Gatch Gibson Gilliam Gilreath Guest Hager Hardee Harris Hartnett Hartz Herbkersman Hewitt Hiott Hixon Holman Huff J. E. Johnson Jordan Kilmartin Landing Lastinger Lawson Ligon Long Lowe Magnuson Martin McCabe McCravy McGinnis C. Mitchell D. Mitchell T. Moore Morgan Moss Neese B. Newton W. Newton Oremus Pace Pedalino Rankin Robbins Sanders Schuessler G. M. Smith M. M. Smith Taylor Teeple Terribile Vaughan White Whitmire Wickensimer Willis Wooten Yow
Those who voted in the negative are:
Alexander Anderson Atkinson Bamberg Bauer Bernstein Clyburn Cobb-Hunter Dillard Garvin Gilliard Govan Grant Hayes Henderson-Myers Hosey Howard J. L. Johnson Jones King Kirby Luck McDaniel J. Moore Reese Rivers Rose Rutherford Scott Weeks Wetmore Williams
So, the amendment was tabled.
Reps. LONG and PACE proposed the following Amendment No. 27 to H. 4762 (Word version) (LC-4762.WAB0021H), which was adopted:
Amend the bill, as and if amended, SECTION 1, by striking Section 59-1-335(D) and inserting:
(D) (1) "Volunteer school chaplain" means an individual who:
(a) is endorsed by an entity subject to criteria to be established by the State Department of Education;
(b) is affiliated with an established religious congregation in the local community; and
(c) who is authorized by a school district or charter school, pursuant to a policy adopted under this section, to provide support, services, or programs pursuant to subsection (A).
(2) A volunteer school chaplain may not advance, endorse, or require participation in any particular religion, denomination, or belief system while acting under such an authorization during school hours on school grounds to provide the support, services, or programs contemplated by a policy adopted pursuant to subsection (A).
Renumber sections to conform.
Amend title to conform.
Rep. LONG spoke in favor of the amendment.
Rep. GRANT spoke against the amendment.
Rep. KING moved to table the amendment.
Rep. J. L. JOHNSON demanded the yeas and nays which were taken, resulting as follows:
Those who voted in the affirmative are:
Alexander Anderson Bamberg Bauer Bernstein Clyburn Cobb-Hunter Dillard Garvin Gilliard Govan Grant Henderson-Myers Hosey Howard J. L. Johnson Jones King Kirby Luck McDaniel J. Moore Reese Rivers Rose Scott Weeks Williams
Those who voted in the negative are:
Atkinson Bailey Ballentine Beach Bowers Bradley Brewer Brittain Burns Bustos Calhoon Chapman Chumley Collins Cox Crawford Cromer Davis Duncan Edgerton Erickson Ford Forrest Frank Gagnon Gatch Gibson Gilliam Gilreath Guest Guffey Hager Hardee Harris Hartnett Hartz Hayes Herbkersman Hewitt Hiott Hixon Holman Huff J. E. Johnson Jordan Kilmartin Landing Lastinger Lawson Ligon Long Lowe Magnuson McCabe McCravy McGinnis C. Mitchell T. Moore Morgan Moss Neese B. Newton W. Newton Oremus Pace Pedalino Rankin Robbins Sanders Schuessler Sessions G. M. Smith M. M. Smith Taylor Teeple Terribile Vaughan White Whitmire Willis Wooten Yow
So, the House refused to table the amendment.
The question then recurred to the adoption of the amendment.
Rep. GRANT demanded the yeas and nays which were taken, resulting as follows:
Those who voted in the affirmative are:
Atkinson Bailey Ballentine Beach Bowers Bradley Brewer Brittain Burns Bustos Calhoon Chapman Chumley Collins Cox Crawford Cromer Davis Duncan Edgerton Erickson Ford Forrest Frank Gagnon Gatch Gibson Gilliam Gilreath Guest Guffey Hager Hardee Harris Hartnett Hartz Hayes Herbkersman Hewitt Hiott Hixon Holman Huff J. E. Johnson Jordan Kilmartin Landing Lastinger Lawson Ligon Long Lowe Magnuson McCabe McCravy McGinnis C. Mitchell D. Mitchell T. Moore Morgan Moss Neese B. Newton W. Newton Oremus Pace Pedalino Rankin Robbins Sanders Schuessler Sessions G. M. Smith M. M. Smith Taylor Teeple Terribile Vaughan White Whitmire Wickensimer Willis Wooten Yow
Those who voted in the negative are:
Alexander Anderson Bamberg Bauer Bernstein Clyburn Cobb-Hunter Dillard Garvin Gilliard Govan Grant Henderson-Myers Hosey Howard J. L. Johnson Jones King Kirby Luck McDaniel J. Moore Reese Rivers Rose Scott Weeks Williams
So, the amendment was adopted.
Rep. BAMBERG spoke against the Bill.
Rep. ROBBINS spoke in favor of the Bill.
Rep. J. L. JOHNSON spoke against the Bill.
Rep. LANDING spoke in favor of the Bill.
Rep. JONES spoke against the Bill.
On motion of Rep. BAUER, Rep. JONES's comments were ordered printed in the Journal.
Mr. Speaker, Members of the House--
I rise today as a legislator, as a South Carolinian, and yes -- as a pastor. And I want to begin by saying something plainly, because clarity matters in this moment. I love my faith. I love Jesus Christ. And I am not timid about that love.
Every Sunday, I stand in a pulpit and preach the Gospel freely and joyfully. And I get genuinely excited -- deep in my spirit -- when a hand goes up and someone says, "I want to give my life to Christ." That never gets old for me. Not once. I believe the Gospel is the hope of the world. And it is because I love my faith--not in spite of it--that I oppose the mandatory Ten Commandments classroom posting portion of this bill. Not because I'm ashamed of the Ten Commandments.
Not because I don't believe they matter. But because coercion is not the heart of Christ, and it is not the mission Christ gave His Church.
The Great Commission is voluntary -- not compulsory -- Matthew 28:19 tells us to "go and make disciples." That command is given to the Church not the government. It is carried out through love, witness, teaching, and invitation. It is not carried out through compulsion. The Gospel works because the Spirit draws hearts. The Gospel loses its power when belief is reduced to compliance. Faith that is forced is not faith -- it is pressure. And pressure has never saved a soul. Jesus never drafted Caesar to do evangelism for Him.
A s a pastor, I oppose state-mandated faith because it damages the witness of the Church. I want my faith to be known for love, truth, humility, and freedom -- not resentment. When the state mandates the display of a sacred religious text in every classroom, what message are we actually sending? To some students, it may inspire reflection. But to many others -- especially children who come from different faith traditions or none at all -- it signals that the government has chosen sides. That does not invite hearts. It hardens them. And I do not want the name of Christ associated with coercion. I want it associated with compassion and conviction.
This concern is not new -- it is rooted in the Founders' intent -- Now, I know some will say, "Representative Jones, our Founders valued religion and morality." They did. But they also learned something the hard way. They had lived under systems where government enforced religion -- where dissenters were punished, conscience was regulated, and faith became a political instrument. That is why the First Amendment does two things at once:
• It prohibits the establishment of religion, and
• It protects the free exercise of religion.
Those two clauses are meant to work together. In 1802, Thomas Jefferson, explaining the First Amendment, described it as building a "wall of separation between church and state." He wrote that not to weaken faith -- but to protect it. The Founders understood something deeply Christian in principle: Faith flourishes best when it is free.
Members, we don't have to speculate about how courts will see this. The United States Supreme Court has already addressed mandatory Ten Commandments postings in public school classrooms. In Stone v. Graham (1980), the Court struck down a Kentucky law that required the Ten Commandments to be posted in every public school classroom. The Court held that such a mandate violated the Establishment Clause because it lacked a secular legislative purpose and was plainly religious. That case involved classrooms. It involved compulsory attendance. It involved children as a captive audience. That is the closest precedent to what this bill requires -- and it cuts directly against mandatory classroom postings.
The repeated reference to the Louisiana case has been misleading today. The case is Louisiana has not been decided. It is not a Supreme Court ruling. The court ruled that it was willing to lift the injunction to buy time to see if the implementation of the bill will trigger a constitutional issue. We have not provided cover by referencing this legislation that is still to be decided.
This bill cites Van Orden v. Perry (2005), and it's important to be precise here. Van Orden did not involve classrooms. It did not involve children. It did not involve a mandate. It involved a passive monument on Texas Capitol grounds, placed among many other historical markers, outdoors, in a setting where no one was compelled to engage with it. The Supreme Court itself emphasized context. A capitol monument is not a classroom wall. And the Court has consistently treated public school classrooms differently -- because children are required to be there, and because the state's influence is at its strongest in that environment. So when we compare the cases honestly, Stone, not Van Orden, is the controlling precedent for mandatory classroom postings.
Dressing it up as "history" does not cure a religious mandate -- The Court made this clear again in McCreary County v. ACLU (2005). In that case, counties tried to justify Ten Commandments displays by adding other historical documents after legal challenges began. The Court rejected that effort and said you cannot retrofit a religious purpose with historical window-dressing. Purpose matters. And here, the purpose is not subtle: the bill requires the Ten Commandments to be the central focus of a mandatory classroom display. That is not neutral history instruction. That is state action.
I want to be fair to the full bill. The volunteer school chaplain provisions include parental notice, written consent, background checks, and a clear prohibition on advancing or requiring participation in any particular religion. That voluntary, consent-based framework is far closer to constitutional guardrails and far closer to a pastoral ethic of care. But the Ten Commandments mandate is different. And the bill then goes further by prohibiting contextual statements -- which increases, not decreases, constitutional risk and student confusion. We are mandating a sacred text while restricting explanation. That is not sound policy.
So the question before this body is not:
• "Do you love God?"
• "Do you value the Ten Commandments?"
• "Do you respect our history?"
The question is this: Should the state mandate a sacred religious text in every classroom as a condition of public education? And my answer -- grounded in faith, history, and law -- is no. Not because I am less Christian. But because I am Christian enough to know that the Kingdom of God is built by hearts changed, not walls mandated.
Mr. Speaker, Members -- I want to shine a positive light on my faith. I want to win souls. I want to see lives transformed. But I do not want the government to do what the Church is called to do -- because when the state takes the pulpit, it almost always damages both liberty and the witness of the Gospel. So I respectfully oppose the mandatory Ten Commandments classroom posting portion of this bill, and I urge my colleagues to protect religious liberty, protect our schools from foreseeable constitutional challenges, and protect the integrity of faith by keeping it voluntary -- where Christ Himself placed it.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Rep. LONG spoke in favor of the Bill.
Rep. RIVERS spoke against the Bill.
ACTING SPEAKER HIOTT granted Rep. HEWITT a leave of absence for the remainder of the day.
Rep. MAGNUSON spoke in favor of the Bill.
ACTING SPEAKER Hiott granted Rep. JORDAN a leave of absence for the remainder of the day.
Rep. GARVIN spoke against the Bill.
Rep. REESE spoke against the Bill.
Rep. GILLIARD spoke against the Bill.
ACTING SPEAKER Hiott granted Rep. BRITTAIN a leave of absence for the remainder of the day.
Rep. TEEPLE spoke in favor of the Bill.
The question recurred to the passage of the Bill.
The yeas and nays were taken resulting as follows:
Those who voted in the affirmative are:
Atkinson Bailey Ballentine Beach Bowers Bradley Brewer Burns Bustos Calhoon Caskey Chapman Chumley Collins Cox Crawford Cromer Davis Duncan Edgerton Erickson Ford Forrest Frank Gagnon Gatch Gibson Gilliam Gilreath Guest Guffey Haddon Hager Hardee Hartnett Hartz Hayes Herbkersman Hiott Hixon Holman Huff J. E. Johnson Kilmartin Landing Lastinger Lawson Ligon Long Lowe Luck Magnuson Martin McCabe McCravy McGinnis C. Mitchell D. Mitchell T. Moore Morgan Moss Neese B. Newton W. Newton Oremus Pace Pedalino Rankin Robbins Sanders Schuessler Sessions G. M. Smith M. M. Smith Taylor Teeple Terribile Vaughan White Whitmire Wickensimer Willis Wooten Yow
Those who voted in the negative are:
Alexander Anderson Bamberg Bauer Bernstein Clyburn Cobb-Hunter Dillard Garvin Gilliard Govan Grant Harris Henderson-Myers Hosey Howard J. L. Johnson Jones King Kirby McDaniel J. Moore Reese Rivers Rose Rutherford Scott Stavrinakis Weeks Wetmore Williams
So, the Bill, as amended, was read the second time and ordered to third reading.
ACTING SPEAKER HIOTT granted Rep. B. NEWTON a leave of absence for the remainder of the day.
The following Bill was taken up:
S. 583 (Word version) -- Senators Davis, Massey and Johnson: A BILL TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 40-19-250, RELATING TO CONTINUING EDUCATION HOURS REQUIRED FOR LICENSEES OF THE BOARD OF FUNERAL EXAMINERS, SO AS TO REVISE PHYSICAL ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS FOR CONTINUING EDUCATION INSTRUCTION, AND TO DEFINE "PHYSICAL ATTENDANCE."
The Committee on Labor, Commerce and Industry proposed the following Amendment No. 1 to S. 583 (Word version) (LC-583.PH0001H), which was adopted:
Amend the bill, as and if amended, by striking SECTION 2 and inserting:
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governoron July 1, 2026.
Renumber sections to conform.
Amend title to conform.
Rep. M. M. SMITH spoke in favor of the amendment.
The amendment was then adopted.
Rep. KING proposed the following Amendment No. 2 to S. 583 (Word version) (LC-583.PH0002H), which was adopted:
Amend the bill, as and if amended, SECTION 1, Section 40-19-250, by adding a subsection to read:
(D) The provisions of subsection (A) relating to physical attendance do not apply if there is a declaration of a pandemic or if a natural disaster has occurred. Virtual, remote, correspondence, or other instructional formats are permitted during a pandemic or natural disaster.
Renumber sections to conform.
Amend title to conform.
Rep. M. M. SMITH explained the amendment.
The amendment was then adopted.
The question recurred to the passage of the Bill.
The yeas and nays were taken resulting as follows:
Those who voted in the affirmative are:
Anderson Atkinson Bauer Beach Bernstein Bowers Bradley Brewer Burns Bustos Calhoon Caskey Chapman Chumley Clyburn Cobb-Hunter Cox Crawford Cromer Davis Dillard Duncan Edgerton Erickson Ford Forrest Frank Garvin Gatch Gibson Gilliam Gilliard Gilreath Govan Grant Guest Guffey Haddon Hager Hardee Harris Hartnett Hartz Hayes Henderson-Myers Herbkersman Hiott Hixon Holman Huff J. E. Johnson J. L. Johnson Jones Kilmartin King Kirby Landing Lastinger Lawson Ligon Long Lowe Luck Magnuson Martin McDaniel McGinnis C. Mitchell D. Mitchell J. Moore T. Moore Morgan Moss Neese W. Newton Oremus Pace Pedalino Rankin Reese Rivers Robbins Rose Rutherford Sanders Schuessler Scott Sessions G. M. Smith M. M. Smith Stavrinakis Taylor Teeple Terribile Vaughan Weeks Wetmore Whitmire Williams Willis Wooten Yow
Those who voted in the negative are:
So, the Bill, as amended, was read the second time and ordered to third reading.
I was temporarily out of the Chamber on constituent business during the vote on S. 583 (Word version) If I had been present, I would have voted in favor of the Bill.
Rep. Craig Gagnon
Rep. FORREST moved that the House recur to the morning hour, which was agreed to.
The following Joint Resolution was introduced, read the first time, and referred to appropriate committee:
H. 5261 (Word version) -- Rep. W. Newton: A JOINT RESOLUTION TO EXTEND THE DEADLINE FOR RECEIVING ALCOHOL SERVER TRAINING AS PROVIDED FOR IN CHAPTER 3, TITLE 61 TO MAY 1, 2026.
On motion of Rep. W. NEWTON, with unanimous consent, the Joint Resolution was ordered placed on the Calendar without reference.
Rep. FORREST moved that the House do now adjourn, which was agreed to.
Pursuant to an invitation the Honorable Speaker and House of Representatives appeared in the Senate Chamber on February 25, 2026, at 3.00 p.m. and the following Acts and Joint Resolutions were ratified:
(R. 101, S. 287 (Word version)) -- Senators Alexander, Hutto, Grooms, Verdin, Davis, Turner, Gambrell, Hembree, Cromer, Kimbrell, Elliott, Zell, Ott, Garrett, Graham and Walker: AN ACT TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ADDING SECTION 44-95-65 SO AS TO PROVIDE REGULATIONS FOR THE SALE OF ELECTRONIC NICOTINE DELIVERY SYSTEMS, TO PROVIDE PENALTIES FOR VIOLATIONS OF THE SECTION, AND TO PROVIDE CERTAIN TIMELINES AND EFFECTIVE DATES; AND BY AMENDING SECTION 16-17-501, RELATING TO TERMS DEFINED IN THE "YOUTH ACCESS TO TOBACCO PREVENTION ACT," SO AS TO CHANGE THE DEFINITION OF "ELECTRONIC SMOKING DEVICE".
(R. 102, S. 383 (Word version)) -- Senators Davis, Goldfinch, Graham, Zell and Rankin: AN ACT TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ENACTING THE "PROTHONOTARY WARBLER RECOGNITION ACT" BY ADDING SECTION 1-1-613 SO AS TO DESIGNATE THE PROTHONOTARY WARBLER (PROTONOTARIA CITREA) AS THE OFFICIAL STATE MIGRATORY BIRD OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
(R. 103, S. 415 (Word version)) -- Senators Young, Elliott, Sutton, Ott, Devine, Reichenbach and Zell: AN ACT TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 63-7-20, RELATING TO CHILDREN'S CODE DEFINITIONS, SO AS TO ADD THE TERM "LICENSED"; BY AMENDING SECTION 63-9-1110, RELATING TO ADOPTION BY A STEPPARENT OR RELATIVE, SO AS TO APPLY TO CHILDREN PLACED WITH RELATIVES OR FICTIVE KIN FOR THE PURPOSE OF ADOPTION; BY AMENDING SECTION 63-7-2320, RELATING TO THE KINSHIP FOSTER CARE PROGRAM, SO AS TO LOWER THE MINIMUM AGE OF A KINSHIP FOSTER PARENT FROM TWENTY-ONE TO EIGHTEEN AND TO ALLOW THE DEPARTMENT TO USE DIFFERENT STANDARDS WHEN LICENSING RELATIVES AND FICTIVE KIN; BY AMENDING SECTION 63-7-2350, RELATING TO RESTRICTIONS ON FOSTER CARE, ADOPTION, OR LEGAL GUARDIAN PLACEMENTS, SO AS TO MAKE CONFORMING CHANGES; AND BY AMENDING SECTION 63-7-2400, RELATING TO THE NUMBER OF FOSTER CHILDREN WHO MAY BE PLACED IN A FOSTER HOME, SO AS TO REMOVE THERAPEUTIC FOSTER CARE PLACEMENT LIMITATIONS FROM KINSHIP FOSTER CARE PLACEMENTS.
(R. 104, S. 586 (Word version)) -- Senator Graham: 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 TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE SHALL RECEIVE NINETY DOLLARS FOR EACH MEETING AT WHICH HE IS IN ATTENDANCE AND THAT THE CHAIRMAN SHALL RECEIVE ONE HUNDRED SEVENTY-FIVE DOLLARS, AND TO PROVIDE THAT SUCH PAYMENTS SHALL NOT OCCUR MORE THAN EIGHTEEN TIMES EACH FISCAL YEAR.
(R. 105, H. 4257 (Word version)) -- Reps. J.E. Johnson, Lowe, C. Mitchell, Yow, Brittain, Jordan, B. Newton, Caskey, Gilliam, Rankin, Schuessler, Hayes, Guest, Crawford, Gagnon, McCabe, Pedalino and Hiott: AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 59-1-462 OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS, RELATING TO EXCUSED SCHOOL ABSENCES FOR CAREER AND TECHNICAL STUDENT ORGANIZATION EXPERIENCES, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT STUDENTS PARTICIPATING IN ANY INTERSCHOLASTIC ACTIVITY AUTHORIZED BY THE SCHOOL DISTRICT ARE ELIGIBLE FOR EXCUSED ABSENCES, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THE ACTIVITY IS SANCTIONED BY THE SOUTH CAROLINA HIGH SCHOOL LEAGUE OR ANY OTHER GOVERNING ENTITY, AND TO REQUIRE THAT STUDENTS BE IN ACADEMIC GOOD STANDING TO QUALIFY FOR SUCH EXCUSED ABSENCES.
The Senate returned to the House with concurrence the following:
H. 5230 (Word version) -- Reps. Gagnon, McCravy, Alexander, Anderson, Atkinson, Bailey, Ballentine, Bamberg, Bannister, Bauer, Beach, Bernstein, Bowers, Bradley, Brewer, Brittain, Burns, Bustos, Calhoon, Caskey, Chapman, Chumley, Clyburn, Cobb-Hunter, Collins, Cox, Crawford, Cromer, Davis, Dillard, Duncan, Edgerton, Erickson, Ford, Forrest, Frank, Garvin, Gatch, Gibson, Gilliam, Gilliard, Gilreath, Govan, Grant, Guest, Guffey, Haddon, Hager, Hardee, Harris, Hart, Hartnett, Hartz, Hayes, Henderson-Myers, Herbkersman, Hewitt, Hiott, Hixon, Holman, Hosey, Howard, Huff, J. E. Johnson, J. L. Johnson, Jones, Jordan, Kilmartin, King, Kirby, Landing, Lastinger, Lawson, Ligon, Long, Lowe, Luck, Magnuson, Martin, McCabe, McDaniel, McGinnis, C. Mitchell, D. Mitchell, Montgomery, J. Moore, T. Moore, Morgan, Moss, Neese, B. Newton, W. Newton, Oremus, Pace, Pedalino, Pope, Rankin, Reese, Rivers, Robbins, Rose, Rutherford, Sanders, Schuessler, Scott, Sessions, G. M. Smith, M. M. Smith, Spann-Wilder, Stavrinakis, Taylor, Teeple, Terribile, Vaughan, Waters, Weeks, Wetmore, White, Whitmire, Wickensimer, Williams, Willis, Wooten and Yow: A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION TO CONGRATULATE WARE SHOALS HIGH SCHOOL OF GREENWOOD SCHOOL DISTRICT 51 UPON THE OCCASION OF ITS ONE HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY; TO COMMEND THE SCHOOL ON ITS MANY ACHIEVEMENTS OVER THE PAST CENTURY; AND TO WISH ITS STUDENTS, FACULTY, ADMINISTRATORS, AND ALUMNI WELL AS THEY CONTINUE TO HOLD HIGH THE FOUNDING STANDARDS OF WARE SHOALS HIGH SCHOOL.
H. 5231 (Word version) -- Reps. Taylor, Clyburn, Hixon, Oremus, Hartz, Cobb-Hunter, Hosey, Govan, Ballentine, Calhoon, Caskey, Forrest, Kilmartin, Gibson, Lastinger, McCabe, White, Wooten and Bamberg: A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION TO CONGRATULATE GARY L. STOOKSBURY, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF AIKEN ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE, UPON THE OCCASION OF HIS RETIREMENT, TO EXPRESS PROFOUND GRATITUDE FOR HIS THIRTY YEARS OF DISTINGUISHED SERVICE TO THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA, AND TO EXTEND BEST WISHES FOR A FULFILLING AND REWARDING RETIREMENT.
At 6:55 p.m. the House, in accordance with the motion of Rep. CHUMLEY, adjourned in memory of Raymond "Herb" Powers, to meet at 10:00 a.m. tomorrow.
This web page was last updated on Thursday, February 26, 2026 at 1:43 P.M.