South Carolina H 3510: County Veterans' Affairs officers

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 3510 Text of Previous Version (May. 13, 2026) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 3510

Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

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

Indicates Matter Stricken

Indicates New Matter

Amended

May 12, 2026

H. 3510

Introduced by Reps. Gilliam, Davis, M. M. Smith, 
Vaughan, Chapman, Kirby, Landing, Bustos, Yow, C. Mitchell, Hart, Williams, 
Luck, Gagnon and Weeks 

S. Printed 5/12/26--S. [SEC 
5/13/2026 10:38 AM]

Read the first time February 19, 2025

________

A bill

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING 
SECTION 25-11-40, RELATING TO COUNTY VETERANS' AFFAIRS OFFICERS, SO AS TO 
PROVIDE THAT THE SECRETARY OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS' 
AFFAIRS SHALL APPOINT ONE COUNTY VETERANS' AFFAIRS OFFICER FOR EACH COUNTY IN 
THE STATE AND TO PROVIDE THAT THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY SHALL APPROPRIATE THE NECESSARY 
FUNDS FOR TWO FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES IN EACH COUNTY VETERANS' AFFAIRS OFFICE.

 Amend Title To Conform

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

SECTION 1. Section 25-11-40(B) of the S.C. Code is amended to 
read:

 (B) Subject to the recommendation of a 
majority of the Senators representing the county and a majority of the House 
members representing the county, the secretary shall appoint a one county veterans' 
affairs officer for each county in the State, whose term of office shall begin 
July first of each odd-numbered year and shall continue for a term of two years 
and until a successor shall be appointed. Qualifications shall be determined by 
the county legislative delegation upon a majority vote of the Senators representing 
the county and a majority of the House members representing the county. A 
county veterans' affairs officer is an at-will employee of 
the department, subject to removal for cause at any time by the secretary, a majority of the Senators representing 
the county, and a majority of the House members 
representing the county.

SECTION 2. Section 25-11-45 of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

 Section 
25-11-45. (A) Notwithstanding Section 1-30-110(4), a county 
veterans' affairs office must be funded with monies appropriated by the General 
Assembly for that purpose and payable directly to the County Treasurer's Office 
by the State Treasurer.

 (B) Each county veterans' 
affairs office shall employ a minimum of two full-time equivalents, one of 
which may be the county veterans' affairs officer, to operate the office.

 (C) Any county with a total 
veteran population of less than two thousand five hundred, as determined by the 
South Carolina Department of Veterans' Affairs, may apply to the secretary for 
financial assistance to assist the county with a portion of the costs of 
complying with Section 25-11-45(B). Upon receipt of a county's written request 
for financial assistance and a showing of financial need by the county, the secretary 
may grant funds to the county for the purpose of defraying the costs of 
complying with Section 25-11-45(B). The secretary shall fund such grants at his 
discretion with approval from the South Carolina Senate Finance Committee 
Chairman, the South Carolina House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee 
Chairman, and the department's operational funds.

SECTION 3. This act takes effect upon approval 
by the Governor and shall be repealed three years after taking effect.

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This web page was last updated on May 13, 2026 at 10:39 AM