South Carolina H 5177: Arthur Siegal

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 5177 Text of Previous Version (Feb. 12, 2026) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 5177

Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

A bill

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING 
SECTION 59-103-15, RELATING TO THE MISSIONS AND FOCUSES OF INSTITUTIONS OF 
HIGHER LEARNING, SO AS TO AUTHORIZE an Applied Baccalaureate in Culinary Arts 
Management degree at Trident Technical College approved FIRST by the Board for 
Technical and Comprehensive Education and then the Commission on Higher 
Education, AND TO PROVIDE the degree program is allowed so long as new state 
general funds are not appropriated for the operations of the degree program.

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

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

 (B) 
The General Assembly has determined that the primary mission or focus for each 
type of institution of higher learning or other post-secondary school in this 
State is as follows:

 (1) 
Research institutions

 (a) 
college-level baccalaureate education, master's, professional, and doctor of 
philosophy degrees which lead to continued education or employment;

 (b) 
research through the use of government, corporate, nonprofit-organization 
grants, or state resources, or both; and

 (c) 
public service to the State and the local community;

 (2) 
Doctoral/professional universities

 (a) 
college-level baccalaureate education, master's, professional, and no more than 
a combined five professional doctorate or doctor of philosophy degrees, that 
lead to continued education or employment;

 (b) 
limited and specialized research; and

 (c) 
public service to the State and the local community;

 (3) 
Four-year colleges and universities

 (a) 
college-level baccalaureate education and selected master's degrees which lead 
to employment or continued education, or both, except for doctoral degrees 
currently being offered;

 (b) 
bachelor of science degree in Mechanical Engineering approved by the Commission 
on Higher Education at South Carolina State University;

 (c) 
bachelor of science degree in Electrical Engineering approved by the Commission 
on Higher Education at South Carolina State University;

 (d) 
doctoral degree in Marine Science approved by the Commission on Higher 
Education;

 (e) 
subject to subsection (C), doctoral degree in Nursing Practice approved by the 
Commission on Higher Education at Francis Marion University;

 (f) 
subject to subsection (C), doctoral degree in Nursing Practice approved by the 
Commission on Higher Education at the University of South Carolina Aiken;

 (g) 
subject to subsection (C), doctor of philosophy degree in Education 
Administration approved by the Commission on Higher Education at Coastal 
Carolina University;

 (h) 
subject to subsection (C), doctor of philosophy degree in Computer and 
Information Science approved by the Commission on Higher Education at the 
College of Charleston;

 (i) 
limited and specialized research; and

 (j) 
public service to the State and the local community;

 (4) 
Two-year institutions-branches of the University of South Carolina

 (a) 
college-level pre-baccalaureate education necessary to confer associates 
degrees which lead to continued education at a four-year or research 
institution; and

 (b) 
public service to the State and the local community;

 (5) 
State technical and comprehensive education system

 (a) 
all post-secondary vocational, technical, and occupational diploma and 
associate degree programs leading directly to employment or maintenance of 
employment and associate degree programs which enable students to gain access 
to other post-secondary education;

 (b) 
up-to-date and appropriate occupational and technical training for adults;

 (c) 
special school programs that provide training for prospective employees for 
prospective and existing industry in order to enhance the economic development 
of South Carolina;

 (d) 
public service to the State and the local community;

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

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

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

 (C) 
Notwithstanding subsection (B), the degrees set forth in subsection (B)(3)(e), 
(f), (g), and (h),