South Carolina H 5309: Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact

Summary

Bill H. 5309 – Plain English Summary The Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact This bill would join South Carolina to a multi-state agreement that makes it faster and easier for licensed teachers to get a new teaching license when they move to a different member state, without having to start the entire certification process from scratch. It primarily affects teachers relocating across state lines, with special provisions making the process even easier for military spouses who frequently move due to military assignments. The bill also helps school districts by expanding their pool of qualified job candidates by removing bureaucratic barriers that previously discouraged out-of-state teachers from applying. Importantly, the bill preserves South Carolina's authority to set its own teaching standards — each state still decides which out-of-state licenses it considers equivalent to its own. The compact becomes active once at least 10 states have joined, and it creates a governing commission where each member state gets one vote to set shared rules. --- Who it affects most: - Teachers moving to South Carolina from other member states - Military families relocating due to service requirements - South Carolina school districts hiring teachers Bottom line: This bill reduces red tape for teachers moving between states, helping fill classroom vacancies while keeping South Carolina in control of its own licensing standards.

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 5309 Text of Previous Version (Apr. 13, 2026) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 5309

Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

Committee Report

April 2, 2026

H. 5309

Introduced 
by Rep. Erickson 

S. Printed 4/2/26--H. [SEC 
4/13/2026 4:25 PM]

Read the first time March 4, 2026

________

The committee on House Education and 
Public Works

To whom was referred a Bill (H. 5309) to amend 
the South Carolina Code of Laws by adding Chapter 64 to Title 59 so as to enact 
the "Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact," to provide the State of South, etc., 
respectfully

Report:

That they have duly and carefully considered 
the same, and recommend that the same do pass:

SHANNON ERICKSON for Committee.

_______

A 
bill

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ADDING CHAPTER 
64 TO TITLE 59 so as to ENACT THE "INTERSTATE TEACHER MOBILITY COMPACT," TO 
PROVIDE THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA HEREBY ENTERS THE COMPACT WITH ANY AND ALL 
STATES LEGALLY JOINING THEREIN ACCORDING TO THE TERMS OF THE COMPACT, AND TO 
ADOPT THE TERMS OF THE COMPACT IN ITS SUBSTANTIAL FORM.

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

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

CHAPTER 64

Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact

 Section 
59-64-100. The General Assembly of the State of 
South Carolina hereby enacts, and the State of South Carolina hereby enters 
into, the Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact with any and all states legally 
joining therein according to its terms, in the form substantially as follows:

Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact

Article I

Purpose

 The purpose of this 
compact is to facilitate the mobility of teachers across the member states, 
with the goal of supporting teachers through a new pathway to licensure. 
Through this compact, the member states seek to establish a collective 
regulatory framework that expedites and enhances the ability of teachers to 
move across state lines.

 This compact is 
intended to achieve the following objectives and should be interpreted 
accordingly. The member states hereby ratify the same intentions by subscribing 
hereto.

 (A) 
Create a streamlined pathway to licensure mobility for teachers;

 (B) 
Support the relocation of eligible military spouses;

 (C) 
Facilitate and enhance the exchange of licensure, investigative, and 
disciplinary information between the member states;

 (D) 
Enhance the power of state and district level education officials to hire 
qualified, competent teachers by removing barriers to the employment of 
out-of-state teachers;

 (E) 
Support the retention of teachers in the profession by removing barriers to 
relicensure in a new state; and

 (F) 
Maintain state sovereignty in the regulation of the teaching profession.

Article II

Definitions

 As used in this 
compact, and except as otherwise provided, the following definitions shall 
govern the terms herein:

 (A) 
"Active military member" means any person with full-time duty status in the 
armed forces of the United States, including members of the National Guard and 
Reserve.

 (B) 
"Adverse action" means any limitation or restriction imposed by a member 
state's licensing authority, such as revocation, suspension, reprimand, 
probation, or limitation on the licensee's ability to work as a teacher.

 (C) 
"Bylaws" means those bylaws established by the commission.

 (D) 
"Career and technical education license" means a current, valid authorization 
issued by a member state's licensing authority allowing an individual to serve 
as a teacher in P-12 public educational settings in a specific career and 
technical education area.

 (E) 
"Charter member states" means a member state that has enacted legislation to 
adopt this compact where such legislation predates the initial meeting of the 
commission after the effective date of the compact.

 (F) 
"Commission" means the interstate administrative body which membership consists 
of delegates of all states that have enacted this compact, and which is known 
as the Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact Commission.

 (G) 
"Commissioner" means the delegate of a member state.

 (H) 
"Eligible license" means a license to engage in the teaching profession which 
requires at least a bachelor's degree and the completion of a state approved 
program for teacher licensure.

 (I) 
"Eligible military spouse" means the spouse of any individual in full-time duty 
status in the active armed forces of the United States including members of the 
National Guard and Reserve moving as a result of a military mission or military 
career progression requirements or are on their terminal move as a result of 
separation or retirement (to include surviving spouses of deceased military 
members).

 (J) 
"Executive committee" means a group of commission