South Carolina S 863: Culinary Arts Management Degree

Bill Text

South Carolina General Assembly

126th Session, 2025-2026



A179, R158, S863



STATUS INFORMATION



General Bill

Sponsors: Senators Grooms, Cromer, Martin, Bennett, Rankin, Tedder, Sutton and Matthews

Companion/Similar bill(s): 5177

Document Path: SR-0511KM26.docx



Introduced in the Senate on January 28, 2026

Introduced in the House on April 2, 2026

Currently residing in the House

Governor's Action: May 18, 2026, Signed



Summary: Culinary Arts Management Degree





HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS



	Date	Body	Action Description with journal page number	

	1/28/2026	Senate	Introduced and read first time (Senate Journal‑page 9)

	1/28/2026	Senate	Referred to Committee on Education (Senate Journal‑page 9)

	1/28/2026		Scrivener's error corrected
 

	3/25/2026	Senate	Committee report: Favorable Education (Senate Journal‑page 9)

	4/1/2026	Senate	Read second time (Senate Journal‑page 45)

	4/1/2026	Senate	Roll call Ayes-42  Nays-2 (Senate Journal‑page 45)

	4/1/2026	Senate	Unanimous consent for third reading on next legislative day (Senate Journal‑page 45)

	4/2/2026	Senate	Read third time and sent to House (Senate Journal‑page 9)

	4/2/2026	House	Introduced and read first time (House Journal‑page 33)

	4/2/2026	House	Referred to Committee on Ways and Means (House Journal‑page 33)

	4/28/2026	House	Committee report: Favorable Ways and Means (House Journal‑page 6)

	4/29/2026		Scrivener's error corrected
 

	4/29/2026	House	Debate adjourned (House Journal‑page 27)

	4/30/2026	House	Debate adjourned until Tues., 5-5-26 (House Journal‑page 87)

	5/6/2026	House	Debate adjourned until Wed., 5-6-26 (House Journal‑page 27)

	5/6/2026	House	Read second time (House Journal‑page 38)

	5/6/2026	House	Roll call Yeas-119  Nays-0 (House Journal‑page 38)

	5/7/2026	House	Read third time and enrolled (House Journal‑page 18)

	5/14/2026		Ratified R 158
 

	5/18/2026		Signed By Governor
 

	6/5/2026		Effective date 05/18/26
 

	6/2/2026		Act No. 179
 



View the latest  legislative information  at the website





VERSIONS OF THIS BILL



01/28/2026

01/28/2026-A

03/25/2026

04/28/2026

04/29/2026

















(A179, R158, S863)



AN ACT TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 59‑103‑15, RELATING TO THE STATE’S MISSION AND GOALS FOR HIGHER EDUCATION, SO AS TO PROVIDE FOR AN APPLIED BACCALAUREATE IN CULINARY ARTS MANAGEMENT DEGREE FROM INSTITUTIONS THAT ARE PART OF THE STATE TECHNICAL AND COMPREHENSIVE EDUCATION SYSTEM; AND BY AMENDING SECTION 59‑103‑15, RELATING TO FUNDING FOR CERTAIN DEGREES, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT APPLIED BACCALAUREATE IN CULINARY ARTS MANAGEMENT DEGREE PROGRAMS ARE ONLY ALLOWED IF STATE FUNDS ARE NOT APPROPRIATED TO FUND THE PROGRAMS.



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



Applied Baccalaureate in Culinary Arts Management degree authorized



SECTION 1.	Section 59‑103‑15(B)(5)(e) and (f) of the S.C. Code are amended to read:



	(e) continue to remain technical, vocational, or occupational colleges with a mission as stated in item (4) and primarily focused on technical education and the economic development of the State;

	(f) subject to subsection (C), an Applied Baccalaureate in Advanced Manufacturing Technology degree approved first by the Board for Technical and Comprehensive Education and then the Commission on Higher Education; and

	(g) subject to subsection (C), an Applied Baccalaureate in Culinary Arts Management degree approved first by the Board for Technical and Comprehensive Education and then the Commission on Higher Education.



Prohibition on use of new state funds



SECTION 2.	Section 59‑103‑15(C) of the S.C. Code is amended to read:



	(C) Notwithstanding subsection (B), the degrees set forth in subsection (B)(3)(e), (f), (g), and (h), and subsection (B)(5)(f) and (g) are only allowed so long as new state general funds are not appropriated for the operations of the degree program.



Time effective



SECTION 3.	This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.



Ratified the 14th day of May, 2026.



Approved the 18th day of May, 2026. 



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