South Carolina H 3635: A HOUSE RESOLUTION TO CONGRATULATE DALTON CODY WALDORF OF MYRTLE BEACH FOR HIS REMARKABLE ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN THE BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA AND TO SALUTE HIM UPON ACHIEVING THE CELEBRATED RANK OF EAGLE SCOUT, THE HIGHEST AWARD IN SCOUTING.

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 3635 Text of Previous Version (Dec. 12, 2024) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 3635

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 ADDING SECTION 
59-26-42 SO AS TO PROVIDE THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION SHALL ANNUALLY 
DEVELOP AND APPROVE GUIDELINES FOR A PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM IN ALL TEACHING 
AREAS, TO PROVIDE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE PROGRAM, TO PROVIDE ALL DISTRICTS 
ANNUALLY SHALL PROVIDE THE PROGRAM AS IN-SERVICE TRAINING TO TEACHERS EMPLOYED 
BY THE DISTRICT AT NO COST TO THE TEACHERS, TO PROVIDE ALL TEACHERS ANNUALLY 
SHALL COMPLETE THE PROGRAM, TO PROVIDE ANNUAL COMPLETION OF THE PROGRAM DURING 
EACH YEAR OF A PROFESSIONAL EDUCATOR CERTIFICATE RENEWAL CYCLE WILL SATISFY ALL 
RENEWAL CREDIT REQUIREMENTS FOR EDUCATOR PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATE RENEWAL IN 
THAT CYCLE, AMONG OTHER THINGS, AND TO PROVIDE FOR THE APPLICATION OF THIS 
REQUIREMENT TO CERTIFICATE RENEWAL CYCLES THAT BEGIN AFTER JUNE 30, 2026 AND 
CERTIFICATE RENEWAL CYCLES THAT BEGAN BEFORE JUNE 30, 2026.

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

SECTION 1. Chapter 26, Title 59 of the S.C. Code is amended by 
adding:

 Section 
59-26-42. (A) The State Department 
of Education shall annually develop and approve guidelines for a uniform, 
intensive, and prolonged professional development program that includes 
coursework, certification, and endorsement requirements in all teaching areas, that:

 (1) 
integrates all existing statutory requirements for professional development in 
this State including, but not limited to, those found in Section 59-1-425(A);

 (2) 
all districts, working with the department, annually shall provide and require 
as in-service training to teachers employed in the district at no cost to the 
teacher; and

 (3) 
all certified teachers in the district annually shall complete. 

 (B) Successful 
completion of the professional development program in each year of a renewal 
cycle that begins after June 30, 2026, will satisfy 
all renewal credit requirements for the certificate, and no additional renewal 
credit requirements may apply. For renewal cycles in progress before June 30, 
2026, each year of completing the professional development program between that 
date and the final year of their renewal cycle will suffice to satisfy all 
renewal credit requirements for that cycle, and no additional renewal credit 
requirements may apply.

 (C)(1) The provisions of this section 
apply notwithstanding any:

 (a) 
regulation concerning the renewal of educator professional credentials; or

 (b) 
the Certificate Renewal Plan developed by the teacher certification office and 
approved by the State Board of Education, or any similarly purposed plan that 
regulates the renewal of professional educator certificates in this State.

 (2) 
To the extent a conflict exists between the provisions of this section and a regulation 
or renewal plan provided in item (1), the provisions of this section must 
prevail.

SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon on July 
1, 2026.

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This web page was last updated on December 12, 2024 at 04:48 PM