South Carolina H 4517: Earmarks

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 4517 Text of Previous Version (May. 06, 2025) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 4517

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 
11-1-130 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT APPROPRIATIONS BILLS OR AMENDMENTS MAY not 
INCLUDE EARMARKED FUNDS DESIGNATED FOR SPECIFIC PROJECTS OR ENTITIES OUTSIDE 
THE CORE BUDGETARY PROCESS.

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

SECTION 1. Chapter 1, Title 11 of the S.C. Code is amended by 
adding:

 Section 
11-1-130. (A) Beginning with Fiscal 
Year 2026-2027, an appropriations bill or amendment may not include earmarked 
funds designated for specific projects or entities outside the core budgetary 
process.

 (B) 
Each fiscal year, after the Office of Revenue and Fiscal Affairs certifies a 
projected budget surplus, the Budget Committee shall divide the surplus equally 
among all members of the General Assembly.

 (C) 
The surplus shall be divided equally among one hundred seventy members: one 
hundred twenty-four representatives in the House and forty-six senators in the Senate.

 (D) 
Each member shall allocate his district's portion of surplus funds solely to 
one or more of the following essential governmental functions within his 
district:

 (1) 
infrastructure;

 (2) 
public safety; or

 (3) 
K-12 education.

 (E) 
The Ways and Means Committee shall establish guidelines specifying the 
permissible uses of these funds within the designated essential functions to 
ensure accountability and compliance with state law.

 (F) 
Each member of the General Assembly shall submit an annual report detailing the 
allocation of their district's funds, subject to public disclosure and review 
by the Legislative Audit Council.

SECTION 2. This act takes effect on July 1, 2026.

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This web page was last updated on May 06, 2025 at 10:40 PM