South Carolina S 66: Statutory school year

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 66 Text of Previous Version (Jan. 17, 2025) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 66

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 
59-63-105 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT ANY INTERSCHOLASTIC ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION, BODY, 
OR ENTITY THAT A PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT JOINS MUST PROVIDE IN THEIR constitution, 
RULES OR POLICIES A RANGE OF SANCTIONS FOR VIOLATIONS; TO GUARANTEE THAT 
INDEPENDENT OR CHARTER SCHOOLS ARE AFFORDED THE SAME RIGHTS AND PRIVILEGES 
ENJOYED BY ALL MEMBERS; TO GUARANTEE A HOME SCHOOL ATHLETIC TEAM MAY NOT BE 
DENIED ACCESS TO PRESEASON AND REGULAR SEASON INTERSCHOLASTIC ATHLETICS; TO prohibit 
THE USE OF NAME, IMAGE, LIKENESS, OR OTHER COMPENSATION FOR PLAY; TO ESTABLISH 
A PENALTY FREE TRANSFER WINDOW TWICE A YEAR AND PROVIDING PENALTIES FOR OTHER 
TRANSFERS; TO ESTABLISH A DIRECT AND IMMEDIATE APPEAL PROCESS TO A PANEL 
CONSISTING OF THIRTEEN MEMBERS; AND TO PROVIDE THAT A PUBLIC SCHOOL MAY NOT 
AFFILIATE OR BECOME A MEMBER OF AN ASSOCIATION, BODY, OR ENTITY THAT FAILS TO 
INCLUDE THESE ITEMS; AND BY AMENDING SECTION 59-39-160, RELATING TO 
INTERSCHOLASTIC ACTIVITIES, REQUIREMENTS FOR PARTICIPATION, MONITORING, 
PARTICIPATION BY HANDICAPPED, AND WAIVERS, SO AS TO PROVIDE THE STATE 
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION'S DETERMINATIONS OF 
ELIGIBiLITY UNDER THIS SECTION ARE BINDING ON A INTERSCHOLASTIC ATHLETIC 
ASSOCIATION.

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

SECTION 1. Chapter 63, Title 59 of the S.C. Code is amended by 
adding:

 Section 
59-63-105. (A) A public school 
district supported by State funds shall not use any funds or permit any school 
within the district to use any funds to join, affiliate with, pay dues or fees 
to, or in any way financially support any interscholastic athletic association, 
body, or entity unless the constitution, rules, or policies of the association, 
body, or entity contain the following:

 (1) 
a range of sanctions that may be applied to a student, coach, team, or program 
and that account for factors such as the seriousness, frequency, and other 
relevant factors when there is a violation of the constitution, bylaws, rules, 
or other governing provisions of the association, body, or entity;

 (2) 
a guarantee that independent or charter schools are afforded the same rights 
and privileges that are enjoyed by all other members of the association, body, 
or entity. The association, body, or entity must ensure that an independent or 
charter middle school member not be denied admission in the appropriate 
conference. An independent or charter school may not be expelled from or have 
its membership unreasonably withheld by the association, body, or entity or 
restricted in its ability to participate in interscholastic athletics 
including, but not limited to, state playoffs or championships, based solely on 
its status as an independent school or charter school. The association, body, 
or entity shall set reasonable standards for independent or charter school 
admission. An independent or charter school denied membership must be provided, 
in writing within five business days, the reason or reasons for rejection of 
its application for membership;

 (3) 
a guarantee that a South Carolina home school athletic team that is a member of 
a home school athletic association may not be denied access to preseason and 
regular season interscholastic athletics including, but not limited to, 
jamborees and invitational tournaments, based solely on its status as a home 
school athletic team; other rules or policies of the association, body, or 
entity would apply;

 (4) 
a prohibition of the use of name, image, or likeness compensation by athletic 
team members or any other type of compensation for participation by a student 
on an athletic team; which does not include receipt of an academic merit-based 
scholarship or other scholarship available to non-interscholastic athletes;

 (5) 
an establishment of a transfer window open twice a year from August first 
through fifth and January fifth through tenth. A student transferring during 
these times may play interscholastic sports without a transfer penalty. A 
student transferring at any other time, will be ineligible for interscholastic 
sports for a period of ninety days. During this ineligibility period, an 
athlete may not practice, train, play, or otherwise engage in an 
interscholastic sport. A student transferring for a bona fide residency change 
as provided and defined by the interscholastic athletic association, body, or 
entity will not be subjected to a transfer penalty. A student that transfers 
more than one time during a calendar year, except for a bona fide residency 
change, shall be ineligible to play intersc