South Carolina H 4734: Bonita Clemons-2023 Woman Farmer of the Year

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 4734 Text of Previous Version (Dec. 17, 2025) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 4734

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 
59-101-435 SO AS TO REQUIRE PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING TO FORMALLY 
ADOPT AND COMPLY WITH THE COMPACT FOR ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE IN HIGHER EDUCATION 
PROPOSED BY the united states secretary of education, AND TO ESTABLISH 
REPORTING REQUIREMENTS AND ENFORCEMENT PROCEDURES.

Whereas, the State of 
South Carolina recognizes that the strength, competitiveness, and long-term 
prosperity of the State are directly tied to the quality and performance of its 
public institutions of higher learning; and

Whereas, the United 
States Secretary of Education has proposed the Compact for Academic Excellence 
in Higher Education to promote improved academic outcomes, enhanced 
institutional transparency, accountability in financial aid administration, and 
stronger support for student success; and

Whereas, this compact offers 
colleges and universities preferential treatment, incentives, and enhanced 
opportunities in areas such as federal research support, financial aid 
management, regulatory flexibility, and programmatic eligibility; and

Whereas, the General 
Assembly finds that aligning South Carolina's public institutions of higher 
learning with this federal compact would strengthen institutional performance, 
expand access to beneficial federal programs, and better serve South Carolina's 
students and families; and

Whereas, the General 
Assembly further finds that a uniform state-level requirement for adoption and 
compliance will ensure consistency, transparency, and accountability across all 
public institutions of higher learning in South Carolina. Now, therefore,

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

SECTION 1. Article 1, Chapter 101, Title 59 of the S.C. Code is 
amended by adding:

 Section 
59-101-435. (A) For purposes of 
this section:

 (1) 
"Institution" means any public institution of higher learning as defined in 
Section 59-103-5.

 (2) 
"Governing board" means the board of trustees or equivalent governing authority 
of an institution.

 (B) 
Each institution shall, within ninety days after issuance, renewal, or 
amendment of the Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education, adopt a 
formal resolution of adherence to the compact and, if possible, to sign the 
compact indicating full participation of the institution in the compact. The 
resolution must:

 (1) 
acknowledge the institution's eligibility for benefits, incentives, or 
preferential treatment under the compact;

 (2) 
commit the institution to full compliance with the obligations, standards, and 
reforms prescribed by the compact, regardless of whether the institution was 
formally invited to join the compact;

 (3) 
direct the institution's president or his designee to implement all necessary 
policies, procedures, and operational measures required to satisfy the compact.

 (C)(1) Each institution shall:

 (a) 
integrate compact requirements into its policies, compliance plans, and 
financial aid operations;

 (b) 
maintain documentation sufficient to demonstrate ongoing compliance; and

 (c) 
submit an annual compliance report to the Commission on Higher Education.

 (2) 
The Commission on Higher Education shall compile these reports and submit a 
consolidated statewide report to the Governor, the Speaker of the House of 
Representatives, and the President of the Senate by December thirty-first of 
each year.

 (D)(1) If the Commission on Higher 
Education determines that an institution has failed to adopt or comply with the 
compact, the commission shall issue written notice of noncompliance and provide 
the institution thirty days to cure the deficiency.

 (2) 
If the institution fails to cure the deficiency within thirty days:

 (a) 
the commission may recommend that the General Assembly temporarily withhold up 
to five percent of the institution's annual state appropriations until 
compliance is achieved; and

 (b) 
the commission shall notify the Governor and relevant budget committees of the 
noncompliance and any recommended corrective actions.

 (3) 
Any withheld funds must be restored immediately upon certification of 
compliance.

 (E) 
Nothing in this section may be construed to require an institution to violate 
state or federal law, nor does compliance with this section limit any 
additional state or federal oversight responsibilities.

SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval 
by the Governor.

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