South Carolina S 701: Addition of US Space Force

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 701 Text of Previous Version (Dec. 10, 2025) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 701

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 AMENDING 
SECTION 7-15-310, RELATING TO ABSENTEE VOTING DEFINITIONS, SO AS TO INCLUDE 
MEMBERS OF THE UNITED STATES SPACE FORCE AS MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES; BY 
AMENDING SECTION 7-15-610, RELATING TO DEFINITIONS PERTAINING TO THE SOUTH 
CAROLINA UNIFORM MILITARY AND OVERSEAS VOTERS ACT, SO AS TO MAKE CONFORMING 
CHANGES; BY AMENDING SECTION 8-7-10, RELATING TO DEFINITIONS PERTAINING TO 
ABSENCES IN MILITARY SERVICE, SO AS TO MAKE CONFORMING CHANGES; AND BY AMENDING 
SECTION 63-5-910, RELATING TO DEFINITIONS PERTIANING TO THE MILITARY PARENT 
EQUAL PROTECTION ACT, SO AS TO MAKE CONFORMING CHANGES.

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

SECTION 1. Section 7-15-310(1) of the S.C. Code is amended to 
read:

 (1) "Members of the Armed Forces of the 
United States" means members of the United States Army, the United States Navy, 
the United States Marine Corps, the United States Air Force, the United States Space Force, the United States Coast 
Guard, or any of their respective components.

SECTION 2. Section 7-15-610 (1), (11), and (12) of the S.C. Code 
is amended to read:

 (1) "Members of the Armed Forces of the 
United States" means members of the United States Army, the United States Navy, 
the United States Marine Corps, the United States Air Force, the United States Space Force, the United States Coast 
Guard, or any of their respective components.

 (11) 
"Uniformed service" means:

 (a) 
active and reserve components of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard of the United 
States;

 (b) 
the Merchant Marine, the commissioned corps of the Public Health Service, or 
the commissioned corps of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 
of the United States; or

 (c) 
the National Guard or organized militia.

 (12) 
"Uniformed-service voter" means an individual who is qualified to vote and is:

 (a) 
a member of the active or reserve components of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard of the United 
States who is on active duty;

 (b) 
a member of the Merchant Marine, the commissioned corps of the Public Health 
Service, or the commissioned corps of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration of the United States;

 (c) 
a member on activated status of the National Guard or organized militia; or

 (d) 
a spouse or dependent of a member referred to in this item.

SECTION 3. Section 8-7-10(2) of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

 (2) "Military service" means service in 
the Army, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, or Marine 
Corps of the United States or any compulsory service in any capacity to the 
Federal Government for the purpose of national defense; and

SECTION 4. Section 63-5-910(A)(1) of the S.C. Code is amended to 
read:

 (A)(1) In the case of a parent who is a 
member of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, Marine 
Corps, Coast Guard, or a Reserve component of these services, "military service 
or service" means a deployment for combat operations, a contingency operation, 
or a natural disaster based on orders that do not permit a family member to 
accompany the member on the deployment.

SECTION 5. This act takes effect upon approval 
by the Governor.

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This web page was last updated on December 10, 2025 at 02:21 PM