South Carolina H 5149: Parliamentary Law Month

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 5149 Text of Previous Version (Feb. 11, 2026) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 5149

Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

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

A house RESOLUTION

to recognize and honor James B. Smith, A community 
leader in Oconee County, and to express deep appreciation to him for his 
dedicated support in reopening the Chauga River bridge after its destruction 
during Hurricane Helene, part of which spans over his property.

Whereas, when Hurricane 
Helene ravaged the Southeast in 2024, residents were left without a means to 
travel U.S. Highway 76 in Oconee County, a major thoroughfare, because of the 
destruction of the bridge that crosses the Chauga River. Part of the bridge 
crosses over property belonging to James Smith; and

Whereas, the bridge 
connected the City of Westminster to the mountains and served as a vital route 
in the Upstate, connecting South Carolina, North Carolina, and Georgia. For 
nearly nine months, its detour was twenty-four miles one way for the three 
thousand travelers who used that route every day. For trucks hauling supplies 
into the mountains, it was a detour of seventy-five miles; and

Whereas, Mr. Smith's 
wood yard is on one side of the washed out bridge, and his home is just a few 
miles on the other side. He has lived his entire life between Westminster and 
Long Creek, and he believes that the bridge outage may have been the biggest 
disruption the small town has ever seen; and

Whereas, born on 
February 28, 1940, Mr. Smith, a native and well-known community member, allowed 
the Department of Transportation (SCDOT) and the company reconstructing the 
bridge to do so from his property below, making the repair time so much 
shorter; and

Whereas, every morning, 
he would see to it that the crew working on the bridge had breakfast and 
anything else he could provide for them, rain or shine; and

Whereas, with unwavering 
commitment to his community for decades, Mr. Smith has held key leadership 
roles as a faithful member of Holly Springs Baptist Church, leadership that 
shaped local policies and improved the quality of many lives; and

Whereas, Mr. Smith is a 
symbol of local history and resilience in the community. Like the bridge which 
connects neighborhoods and the people in them, he connects people through his 
inclusive spirit and tireless work across all community groups. Everyone in a 
community may not know everyone else, but if people know James Smith, that is 
their bridge to connection and resolution; and

Whereas, because of his 
willingness and eagerness to make sure the bridge was completed, he allowed the 
plot of land he owned under the bridge to be used to repair it for community 
use. The rapid replacement process allowed the newly completed bridge to be 
fully opened just shy of nine months after Hurricane Helene; and

Whereas, the bridge now stands 
as an example of the perseverance of South Carolinians in the wake of Hurricane 
Helene, in that the project was completed in a fast and efficient manner in the 
face of natural disasters with the help of dedicated neighbors like James 
Smith; and 

Whereas, the South 
Carolina House of Representatives values the dedication and selfless service of 
citizens like James Smith, and the members applaud his help in restoring the 
bridge to the community. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:

That the members of the 
South Carolina House of Representatives, 
by this resolution, recognize and honor James B. Smith, community leader in 
Oconee County, and express deep appreciation to him for his dedicated support 
in reopening the Chauga River bridge after its destruction during Hurricane 
Helene, part of which spans over his property.

Be it further resolved 
that a copy of this resolution be presented to James B. Smith.

----XX----

This web page was last updated on February 11, 2026 at 01:29 PM