South Carolina H 4762: School volunteer chaplains and historical displays
Status: Referred to Committee on Education (as of 2026-03-04)
State: South Carolina · Session: 2025-2026 · Bill: H 4762
Sponsors: B. Newton, Bailey, Brewer, C. Mitchell, Caskey, Chapman, Chumley, Crawford, Cromer, D. Mitchell, Davis, Edgerton, Forrest, G.M. Smith, Gatch, Gilliam, Gilreath, Guest, Haddon, Hiott, Hixon, Holman, Lastinger, Lawson, Ligon
Bill Text
South Carolina General Assembly 126th Session, 2025-2026 H. 4762 STATUS INFORMATION General Bill Sponsors: 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 Companion/Similar bill(s): 3217 Document Path: LC-0561WAB26.docx Introduced in the House on January 13, 2026 Introduced in the Senate on March 4, 2026 Last Amended on February 25, 2026 Currently residing in the Senate Committee on Education Summary: School volunteer chaplains and historical displays HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS Date Body Action Description with journal page number 12/16/2025 House Prefiled 12/16/2025 House Referred to Committee on Judiciary 1/13/2026 House Introduced and read first time (House Journal‑page 107) 1/13/2026 House Referred to Committee on Judiciary (House Journal‑page 107) 1/20/2026 House Member(s) request name added as sponsor: White 2/12/2026 House Committee report: Favorable with amendment Judiciary (House Journal‑page 29) 2/17/2026 House Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Lastinger 2/17/2026 Scrivener's error corrected 2/17/2026 House Requests for debate-Rep(s). B Newton, Hewitt, Kirby, Wetmore, Weeks, Caskey, Anderson, Martin, Magnuson (House Journal‑page 14) 2/19/2026 House Member(s) request name added as sponsor: D. Mitchell 2/25/2026 House Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Cromer, Gilreath 2/25/2026 House Amended (House Journal‑page 30) 2/25/2026 House Read second time (House Journal‑page 30) 2/25/2026 House Roll call Yeas-84 Nays-31 (House Journal‑page 109) 2/26/2026 Scrivener's error corrected 2/26/2026 Scrivener's error corrected 3/3/2026 House Read third time and sent to Senate (House Journal‑page 45) 3/4/2026 Senate Introduced and read first time (Senate Journal‑page 27) 3/4/2026 Senate Referred to Committee on Education (Senate Journal‑page 27) View the latest legislative information at the website VERSIONS OF THIS BILL 12/17/2025 02/12/2026 02/17/2026 02/25/2026 02/26/2026 02/26/2026-A AMENDED February 25, 2026 H. 4762 Introduced by 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 S. Printed 2/25/26--H. [SEC 2/26/2026 12:49 PM] Read the first time January 13, 2026 ________ 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. Amend Title To Conform Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina: SECTION 1. Article 5, Chapter 1, Title 59 of the S.C. Code is amended by adding: Section 59‑1‑335. (A) Each school district or charter school may adopt a policy to authorize volunteer school chaplains to provide supports, services, and programs to students assigned by the district school board or charter school governing board. The school district or charter school policy must, at a minimum: (1) describe the supports, services, or programs that volunteer school chaplains may be assigned. (2) require that principals of schools with a volunteer school chaplain inform all parents of the availability of such supports, services, and programs. (3) require written parental consent before a student participates in or receives supports, 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. (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 shall 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 shall not serve as a volunteer school chaplain. (C) Any school district or charter school
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