South Carolina H 5483: Absentee ballot

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 5483 Text of Previous Version (Apr. 28, 2026) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 5483

Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

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

Amended - Not Printed 
Bill for the House

Amt. No. 1 (LC-5483.WAB0001H.docx)

April 28, 2026

H. 5483

Introduced by Reps. Erickson, Bradley, McGinnis, 
Hartnett, Teeple, Vaughan, Duncan, D. Mitchell and Lastinger 

S. Printed 4/28/26--H.

Read the first time April 1, 2026

________

A bill

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ENACTING THE 
"EDUCATOR SAFETY AND CLASSROOM AUTHORITY ACT OF 2026" BY ADDING ARTICLE 6 TO 
CHAPTER 63, TITLE 59, SO AS TO PROVIDE FOR EDUCATOR SAFETY AND CLASSROOM 
AUTHORITY, TO DEFINE NECESSARY TERMS, TO ESTABLISH THE AUTHORITY OF EDUCATORS 
IN CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT AND STUDENT DISCIPLINE, TO PROVIDE PROCEDURES FOR 
STUDENT REFERRAL, REMOVAL, AND ADMINISTRATIVE RESPONSE, TO PROVIDE PROTECTIONS 
FOR EDUCATORS, ADMINISTRATORS, AND STAFF, TO REQUIRE CERTAIN ACTIONS BY THE 
STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION, AND TO PROVIDE FOR IMPLEMENTATION BY SCHOOL 
DISTRICTS.

 Amend Title To Conform

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

SECTION 1. This act may be cited as the "Educator Safety and Classroom Authority 
Act of 2026."

SECTION 2. Chapter 63, Title 59 of the S.C. Code is amended by 
adding:

Article 6

Educator Safety and Classroom Authority

 Section 
59-63-610. As used in this article:

 (1) 
"Educator" means any member of the instructional staff in an elementary or 
secondary public school to whom students are assigned for instruction 
including, but not limited to, classroom teachers, special education teachers, 
instructional aides, and others designated by the principal.

 (2) 
"Administrator" means the school principal or the principal's designated 
representative.

 (3) 
"Staff" means all administrators, educators, or other employees of the school 
or district.

 (4) 
"Department" means the State Department of Education.

 (5) 
"School property" means a classroom, school premises, a school bus or other 
district or school-owned vehicle, an official school bus stop, a 
school-sponsored activity or event regardless of location, or any other 
function where the school is responsible for the supervision and care of 
students.

 (6) 
"Student code of conduct" means the written conduct policy adopted by the local 
school district board of trustees.

 (7) 
"Removal" means the act of requiring a student to leave the classroom because 
of disruptive, abusive, or otherwise inappropriate behavior, pending further 
administrative or disciplinary action.

 (8) 
"Harassment or intimidation" means a gesture, electronic communication, or a 
written, verbal, or physical act that is reasonably perceived to have the 
effect of:

 (a) 
harming staff or damaging staff's real or personal property while at school; or

 (b) 
placing staff in reasonable fear of harm or property damage while at school.

 (9) 
"Abusive language" includes, but is not limited to:

 (a) 
behavior intended to provoke someone in an insulting or contemptuous manner 
that is verbal, written, or digital; or

 (b) 
threatening words or conduct intended to induce fear or bodily harm or 
threatening conflict intended to inflict harm within a classroom setting.

 (10) 
"Violence" means an intentional act that causes physical harm.

 (11) 
"Disruptive conduct" means activities engaged in by a student which are 
directed against persons or property, the consequences of which may endanger 
the health or safety of oneself or others in the school or interfere with 
classroom or school activities.

 (12) 
"Criminal conduct" means activities defined in law and engaged in by a student 
which result in violence to oneself or another person or property or which pose 
a direct and serious threat to the safety of oneself or others in the school.

 (13) 
"Reasonable physical force" means the minimum amount of force necessary for an 
educator to protect himself, others, or personal or school property from harm 
in response to violent student behavior. This definition does not include or 
allow for the application of physical force as a form or means of discipline.

 Section 
59-63-620. (A) Educators shall 
establish classroom rules and expectations for their students that are 
consistent with state law and district policy, communicate those rules and 
expectations to parents or guardians, and implement consistent in-class 
routines to support effective classroom management, engaging instruction, and 
clear expectations for student behavior.

 (B) 
Subject to state law and district policy, educators have the authority to:

 (1) 
establish classroom rules of conduct, movement, and decorum;

 (2) 
establish and implement consequences for violations of classroom rules that are 
designed to correct behavior;