South Carolina H 4677: Retirement system

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 4677 Text of Previous Version (Dec. 17, 2025) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 4677

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 ENACTing THE 
"SCHOOL CROSSING GUARD PROTECTION AND CERTIFICATION ACT"; BY AMENDING SECTION 
56-5-740, RELATING TO OBEDIENCE TO AUTHORIZED PERSONS DIRECTING TRAFFIC, SO AS 
TO PROVIDE THIS SECTION ALSO APPLIES TO CERTIFIED UNIFORMED ADULT SCHOOL 
CROSSING GUARDS, TO ESTABLISH A CERTIFIED UNIFORMED ADULT SCHOOL CROSSING GUARD 
PROGRAM; BY ADDING Article 49 to Chapter 5, Title 56 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT IT 
IS UNLAWFUL TO ENDANGER OR INJURe A CERTIFIED UNIFORMED ADULT SCHOOL CROSSING 
GUARD, AND PROVIDE PENALTIES; AND BY AMENDING SECTION 56-1-720, RELATING TO THE 
SYSTEM ESTABLISHED TO ASSIGN POINTS AGAINST A PERSON'S DRIVING RECORD FOR 
VARIOUS MOTOR VEHICLE VIOLATIONS, so AS TO PROVIDE ENDANGERMENT OF A CROSSING 
GUARD IS A FOUR-POINT VIOLATION.

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

SECTION 1. This act may be cited as the "School Crossing Guard Protection and 
Certification Act."

SECTION 2. The General Assembly finds that:

 (1) school 
crossing guards perform critical public safety duties to protect children 
traveling to and from school; and

 (2) it is 
therefore necessary to:

 (a) authorize a 
certified adult school crossing guard program to ensure consistent, lawful 
traffic control near schools; and

 (b) establish 
enhanced criminal penalties for motorists who endanger or injure crossing 
guards while performing their official duties.

SECTION 3. Section 56-5-740 of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

 Section 
56-5-740. (A) No person shall wilfully fail or refuse to comply with 
any lawful order or direction of any police officer, fireman or uniformed adult 
school crossing guard invested by law with authority to direct, control or 
regulate traffic.

 (B) The term "authorized person" means 
any certified uniformed adult school crossing guard who has successfully 
completed the certification program administered by the South Carolina Law 
Enforcement Division (SLED) pursuant to subsection (C).

 (C) SLED, in coordination with the 
Department of Public Safety, shall establish and administer a Certified 
Uniformed Adult School Crossing Guard Program to provide standardized training, 
certification, and continuing education for school crossing guards. The program 
must include:

 (1) a training curriculum covering 
traffic control signals, hand communication, emergency procedures, and safety 
equipment use;

 (2) background screening requirements;

 (3) the issuance of a distinctive 
state-approved uniform and identification badge; and

 (4) renewal and continuing education 
standards.

 (D) A certified uniformed adult school 
crossing guard acting within a designated school zone during posted school 
hours shall have lawful authority to direct, control, or regulate traffic. Motorists 
must obey all lawful orders and signals given by a certified uniformed adult 
school crossing guard.

 (E) SLED shall maintain a public 
registry of certified uniformed adult school crossing guards and coordinate 
with school districts and law enforcement agencies to ensure compliance with 
this section.

SECTION 4. Chapter 5, Title 56 of the S.C. Code is amended by 
adding:

Article 49

Endangerment or Injury to a Certified Uniformed Adult School 
Crossing Guard

 Section 
56-5-7500. (A) A person who 
knowingly or negligently violates Section 56-5-740 or any other provision of 
this chapter in a posted school zone and thereby endangers, strikes, injures, 
or causes the death of a certified uniformed adult school crossing guard, while 
the guard is performing official duties, is guilty of:

 (1) 
endangerment of a crossing guard, a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of not 
less than five hundred dollars nor more than two thousand dollars, mandatory 
completion of a driver-education course approved by the Department of Public 
Safety, and four points assessed against his driver's license. A person commits 
"endangerment of a crossing guard" if the person is operating a motor vehicle 
within a posted school zone at anytime a certified uniformed adult school 
crossing guard is in the posted school zone and the person:

 (a) 
drives through or around the posted school zone in any lane not clearly 
designated for use by motor vehicles traveling through or around a posted 
school zone; or

 (b) 
fails to obey traffic control devices erected for the purpose of controlling 
the flow of motor vehicles through the posted school zone for any reason other 
than:

 (i) 
an emergency;

 (ii) 
the avoidance of an obstacle; or

 (iii) 
the protection of the health and safety of another person;

 (2) 
great bodily injury to a crossing guard, a