SC H 3556

enacted

Political parties and primaries

South Carolina · 2026 Regular Session · lower

Description

AN ACT TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 7-17-560, RELATING TO THE AUTHORITY OF THE STATE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF A POLITICAL PARTY TO HEAR CERTAIN PRIMARY PROTESTS AND CONTESTS, SO AS TO REQUIRE THE STATE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE TO ALSO HEAR PROTESTS AND CONTESTS IN THE CASE OF COUNTY OFFICERS, LESS THAN COUNTY OFFICERS, AND MUNICIPAL OFFICERS, AND TO AUTHORIZE THE STATE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE TO ADOPT A RESOLUTION TO REQUIRE THE FILING OF ANY PROTEST OR CONTEST TO BE ACCOMPANIED BY A REFUNDABLE DEPOSIT; BY AMENDING SECTION 7-17-570, RELATING TO HEARINGS OF PRIMARY PROTESTS AND CONTESTS, SO AS TO EXTEND THE TIME IN WHICH THE STATE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MUST CONDUCT SUCH HEARINGS, AND TO PROVIDE FOR APPEALS FROM DECISIONS BY THE STATE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE; BY AMENDING SECTION 5-15-80, RELATING TO MUNICIPAL PRIMARY PROTESTS AND CONTESTS, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT SUCH PROTESTS AND CONTESTS ARE TO BE FILED, HEARD, AND DECIDED IN THE MANNER PROVIDED IN SECTIONS 7-17-560 AND 7-17-570; BY REPEALING SECTIONS 7-17-520, 7-17-530, 7-17-540, 7-17-550, 7-17-580, AND 7-17-590 ALL RELATING TO PRIMARY PROTESTS AND CONTESTS FOR CERTAIN OFFICES; BY AMENDING SECTION 5-15-120, RELATING TO THE COUNTING OF VOTES IN MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS, SO AS TO ALLOW A MUNICIPAL GOVERNING BODY TO DETERMINE BY ORDINANCE WHEN THE TERMS OF ITS NEWLY ELECTED OFFICERS BEGIN; BY AMENDING SECTION 7-3-25, RELATING TO THE DUTY OF THE STATE ELECTION COMMISSION TO DETERMINE AND CERTIFY RESULTS WHEN A COUNTY BOARD OF VOTER REGISTRATION AND ELECTIONS FAILS TO DO SO, SO AS TO REQUIRE THE SAME WHEN A MUNICIPAL ELECTION COMMISSION FAILS TO DETERMINE AND CERTIFY RESULTS; BY ADDING SECTION 5-15-45 SO AS TO PROVIDE WHEN THE TERMS OF MUNICIPAL COUNCILMEMBERS IN OFFICE AS OF JANUARY 1, 2027 EXPIRE; BY AMENDING SECTION 5-15-50, RELATING TO THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE TIME FOR GENERAL AND SPECIAL ELECTIONS WITHIN A MUNICIPALITY, SO AS TO REQUIRE MUNICIPAL GOVERNING BODIES TO CHOOSE ONE OF TWO DATES FOR SUCH ELECTIONS IN ODD-NUMBERED YEARS; BY AMENDING SECTION 5-15-60, RELATING TO MUNICIPALITIES ADOPTING METHODS OF NOMINATING CANDIDATES AND DETERMINING RESULTS OF ELECTIONS, SO AS TO ONLY PERMIT PARTISAN ELECTIONS IN MUNICIPALITIES WITH POPULATIONS UNDER A CERTAIN AMOUNT; BY AMENDING SECTION 5-15-100, RELATING TO THE FUNCTIONS, POWERS, AND DUTIES OF MUNICIPAL ELECTION COMMISSIONS, SO AS TO REMOVE CERTAIN FUNCTIONS, POWERS, AND DUTIES; BY AMENDING SECTION 5-15-130, RELATING TO PROCEDURES FOR CONTESTING RESULTS OF MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS, SO AS TO EXTEND THE DEADLINES FOR FILING A NOTICE OF CONTEST AND FOR CONDUCTING A HEARING ON THE CONTEST; BY AMENDING SECTION 5-15-140, RELATING TO APPEALS FROM DECISIONS ON MUNICIPAL ELECTION CONTESTS, SO AS TO DELETE LANGUAGE PROVIDING THE NOTICE OF APPEAL ACTS AS A STAY OF FURTHER PROCEEDINGS; AND BY ADDING SECTION 5-15-175 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT MUNICIPAL ELECTION COMMISSIONS ONLY MAY BE ESTABLISHED FOR MUNICIPALITIES WITH POPULATIONS OVER A CERTAIN AMOUNT. - RATIFIED TITLE

Introduced: 2025-01-14
Status date: —
Latest action: 2026-06-05 — Effective date See Act for Effective Date
Bill type: bill
Last updated: —

Committees

Not provided by source.

Action timeline

2024-12-05
Prefiled
filing
2024-12-05
Referred to Committee on Judiciary
referral-committee
2025-01-14
Introduced and read first time
introduction,reading-1
2025-01-14
Referred to Committee on Judiciary
referral-committee
2025-03-20
Committee report: Favorable with amendment Judiciary
committee-passage-favorable
2025-03-26
Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Schuessler, Guest, Taylor, Hixon
2025-03-26
Amended
amendment-passage
2025-03-26
Requests for debate-Rep(s). Pace, Edgerton, Magnuson, Frank, White, Beach, Cromer, Huff, Gilreath, Terribile, Morgan, Jordan, B Newton, Lowe, Ligon, Caskey, Oremus
2025-03-26
Read second time
reading-2
2025-03-26
Roll call Yeas-91 Nays-15
2025-03-27
Read third time and sent to Senate
passage,reading-3
2025-03-27
Scrivener's error corrected
2025-04-01
Introduced and read first time
introduction,reading-1
2025-04-01
Referred to Committee on Judiciary
referral-committee
2026-02-18
Committee report: Favorable with amendment Judiciary
committee-passage-favorable
2026-03-03
Amended
amendment-passage
2026-04-01
Read second time
reading-2
2026-04-01
Roll call Ayes-41 Nays-4
2026-04-15
Read third time and returned to House with amendments
passage,reading-3
2026-04-21
Debate adjourned
2026-04-22
Debate interrupted by adjournment
2026-04-23
Senate amendment amended
amendment-amendment
2026-04-23
Returned to Senate with amendments
2026-05-05
Concurred in House amendment and enrolled
2026-05-06
Scrivener's error corrected
2026-05-14
Ratified R 177
2026-05-19
Signed By Governor
executive-signature
2026-06-05
Effective date See Act for Effective Date
2026-06-02
Act No. 213

Versions

FiledCompare
05/06/2026Compare
04/23/2026Compare
03/03/2026Compare
02/18/2026Compare
03/27/2025Compare
03/26/2025Compare
03/20/2025Compare
12/05/2024Compare

Documents

application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document
text/html(no extracted text yet)
text/html(no extracted text yet)
text/html(no extracted text yet)
text/html(no extracted text yet)
text/html(no extracted text yet)
text/html(no extracted text yet)
text/html(no extracted text yet)
text/html(no extracted text yet)
text/html(no extracted text yet)

Votes

Passage of Bill
2025-03-26 · pass · 91-15
Member-level votes (121)
- Alexander, Terry: yes
- Anderson, Carl L.: yes
- Atkinson, Lucas: yes
- Bailey, William H.: yes
- Ballentine, Nathan: yes
- Bamberg, Justin T.: yes
- Bauer, Heather: yes
- Bowers, Phillip: yes
- Bradley, Jeff: yes
- Brewer, Gary S., Jr.: yes
- Brittain, T. Case, Jr.: yes
- Burns, James Mikell: yes
- Bustos, Joseph M.: yes
- Calhoon, Paula Rawl: yes
- Caskey, Micajah P., IV: yes
- Chapman, Donald G.: yes
- Chumley, William M.: yes
- Clyburn, William: yes
- Collins, Neal A.: yes
- Cox, Bobby J.: yes
- Cox, Brandon L.: yes
- Crawford, Heather Ammons: yes
- Davis, Sylleste H.: yes
- Dillard, Chandra E.: yes
- Erickson, Shannon S.: yes
- Forrest, Cally R., Jr.: yes
- Gagnon, Craig A.: yes
- Garvin, Kambrell H.: yes
- Gatch, Gil: yes
- Gibson, Daniel: yes
- Gilliam, Leon D.: yes
- Gilliard, Wendell G.: yes
- Guest, Thomas Duval, Jr.: yes
- Guffey, Brandon: yes
- Hager, William: yes
- Hardee, Kevin: yes
- Hartnett, Thomas F., Jr.: yes
- Hartz, Charles V.: yes
- Hayes, Jackie E.: yes
- Henderson-Myers,, Rosalyn D., Ph.D. Herbkersman, William G.: yes
- Hixon, William M.: yes
- Holman, Harriet A.: yes
- Hosey, Lonnie: yes
- Howard, Leon: yes
- Johnson, Jeffrey E.: yes
- Jones, Wendell K.: yes
- Jordan, Wallace H., Jr.: yes
- Kirby, Roger K.: yes
- Landing, Kathy: yes
- Lawson, M. Brian: yes
- Ligon, Thomas R.: yes
- Long, Steven Wayne: yes
- Lowe, Phillip D.: yes
- Luck, Jason: yes
- Martin, David: yes
- McCabe, Donald Ryan, Jr.: yes
- McCravy, John R., III: yes
- McGinnis, Timothy A.: yes
- Mitchell, Cody T.: yes
- Montgomery, W. Scott, IV: yes
- Moore, JA: yes
- Moore, Travis A.: yes
- Moss, Dennis C.: yes
- Newton, Brandon: yes
- Newton, Wm. Weston J.: yes
- Oremus, Melissa Lackey: yes
- Pedalino, Fawn M.: yes
- Pope, Thomas E.: yes
- Rankin, Luke S.: yes
- Reese, Robert T.: yes
- Rivers, Michael F., Sr.: yes
- Robbins, Robby: yes
- Rose, Seth: yes
- Sanders, Richard Blake: yes
- Schuessler, Carla: yes
- Sessions, Heath: yes
- Smith, G. Murrell, Jr.: yes
- Smith, Marvin: yes
- Spann-Wilder, Tiffany: yes
- Stavrinakis, Leonidas E.: yes
- Taylor, Bill: yes
- Teeple, James E.: yes
- Vaughan, David: yes
- Weeks, J. David: yes
- Wetmore, Elizabeth: yes
- Wickensimer, Paul B.: yes
- Williams, Robert Q.: yes
- Willis, Mark N.: yes
- Wooten, Chris: yes
- Yow, Richard L.: yes
- Beach, Thomas: no
- Cromer, April: no
- Duncan, Adam L.: no
- Edgerton, Sarita L.: no
- Frank, Stephen D.: no
- Gilreath, Thomas Lee: no
- Huff, William C.: no
- Kilmartin, John Gregory: no
- Magnuson, Josiah: no
- May, Robert J., III: no
- Morgan, T. Alan, Jr.: no
- Pace, Jordan S.: no
- Terribile, Jackie R.: no
- White, Joseph S.: no
- Whitmire, William R.: no
- Haddon, Patrick B.: excused
- Harris, Robert J.: excused
- Hiott, David R.: excused
- Murphy, Chris: excused
- Bannister, Bruce W.: excused
- Bernstein, Beth E.: excused
- Cobb-Hunter, Gilda: excused
- Govan, Jerry N., Jr.: excused
- Grant, Hamilton R.: excused
- Hart, Christopher R.: excused
- Hewitt, Lee: excused
- Johnson, Jermaine L., Sr.: excused
- King, John Richard C.: excused
- McDaniel, Annie E.: excused
- Neese, Mike M.: excused
- Rutherford, J. Todd: excused
2nd Reading
2026-04-01 · pass · 41-4
Member-level votes (46)
- Adams, Brian: yes
- Alexander, Thomas C.: yes
- Allen, Karl B.: yes
- Bennett, Sean M.: yes
- Blackmon, Allen: yes
- Campsen, George E., III: yes
- Cash, Richard J.: yes
- Chaplin, JD: yes
- Climer, Wes: yes
- Corbin, Thomas D.: yes
- Cromer, Ronnie W.: yes
- Davis, Tom: yes
- Devine, Tameika Isaac: yes
- Elliott, Jason: yes
- Gambrell, Michael W.: yes
- Garrett, Billy: yes
- Goldfinch, Stephen L.: yes
- Graham, Jeffrey R.: yes
- Grooms, Lawrence K.: yes
- Hembree, Greg: yes
- Hutto, Brad: yes
- Jackson, Darrell: yes
- Johnson, Michael: yes
- Kennedy, Carlisle: yes
- Massey, A. Shane: yes
- Matthews, Margie Bright: yes
- Ott, Russell L.: yes
- Peeler, Harvey S., Jr.: yes
- Rankin, Luke A.: yes
- Reichenbach, Mike: yes
- Rice, Rex F.: yes
- Sabb, Ronnie A.: yes
- Stubbs, Everett: yes
- Sutton, Ed: yes
- Tedder, Deon T.: yes
- Turner, Ross: yes
- Verdin, Daniel B., III: yes
- Walker, Overture: yes
- Williams, Kent M.: yes
- Young, Tom, Jr.: yes
- Zell, Jeff: yes
- Bright, Lee: no
- Fernandez, Tom: no
- Leber, Matthew W.: no
- Martin, Shane R.: no
- Kimbrell, Josh: excused
Table Amendment 1A
2026-04-23 · pass · 73-37
Member-level votes (123)
- Alexander, Terry: yes
- Anderson, Carl L.: yes
- Bailey, William H.: yes
- Bannister, Bruce W.: yes
- Bauer, Heather: yes
- Bernstein, Beth E.: yes
- Bradley, Jeff: yes
- Brewer, Gary S., Jr.: yes
- Calhoon, Paula Rawl: yes
- Caskey, Micajah P., IV: yes
- Clyburn, William: yes
- Cobb-Hunter, Gilda: yes
- Collins, Neal A.: yes
- Cox, Brandon L.: yes
- Crawford, Heather Ammons: yes
- Davis, Sylleste H.: yes
- Dillard, Chandra E.: yes
- Erickson, Shannon S.: yes
- Gilliard, Wendell G.: yes
- Govan, Jerry N., Jr.: yes
- Grant, Hamilton R.: yes
- Guest, Thomas Duval, Jr.: yes
- Guffey, Brandon: yes
- Haddon, Patrick B.: yes
- Hager, William: yes
- Hardee, Kevin: yes
- Hart, Christopher R.: yes
- Hartnett, Thomas F., Jr.: yes
- Hartz, Charles V.: yes
- Hayes, Jackie E.: yes
- Henderson-Myers,, Rosalyn D., Ph.D. Herbkersman, William G.: yes
- Hewitt, Lee: yes
- Hiott, David R.: yes
- Hixon, William M.: yes
- Holman, Harriet A.: yes
- Hosey, Lonnie: yes
- Johnson, Jeffrey E.: yes
- Johnson, Jermaine L., Sr.: yes
- Jones, Wendell K.: yes
- Jordan, Wallace H., Jr.: yes
- King, John Richard C.: yes
- Kirby, Roger K.: yes
- Ligon, Thomas R.: yes
- Lowe, Phillip D.: yes
- Luck, Jason: yes
- Martin, David: yes
- McDaniel, Annie E.: yes
- Moore, JA: yes
- Moss, Dennis C.: yes
- Neese, Mike M.: yes
- Newton, Brandon: yes
- Newton, Wm. Weston J.: yes
- Pope, Thomas E.: yes
- Reese, Robert T.: yes
- Rivers, Michael F., Sr.: yes
- Robbins, Robby: yes
- Rose, Seth: yes
- Rutherford, J. Todd: yes
- Schuessler, Carla: yes
- Scott, Keishan M.: yes
- Sessions, Heath: yes
- Smith, G. Murrell, Jr.: yes
- Smith, Marvin: yes
- Stavrinakis, Leonidas E.: yes
- Taylor, Bill: yes
- Teeple, James E.: yes
- Waters, Courtney S.: yes
- Weeks, J. David: yes
- Wetmore, Elizabeth: yes
- Wickensimer, Paul B.: yes
- Williams, Robert Q.: yes
- Wooten, Chris: yes
- Atkinson, Lucas: no
- Beach, Thomas: no
- Bowers, Phillip: no
- Burns, James Mikell: no
- Chapman, Donald G.: no
- Chumley, William M.: no
- Cromer, April: no
- Duncan, Adam L.: no
- Edgerton, Sarita L.: no
- Ford, Greg: no
- Forrest, Cally R., Jr.: no
- Frank, Stephen D.: no
- Gibson, Daniel: no
- Gilliam, Leon D.: no
- Gilreath, Thomas Lee: no
- Harris, Robert J.: no
- Howard, Leon: no
- Huff, William C.: no
- Kilmartin, John Gregory: no
- Lastinger, John T., Jr.: no
- Long, Steven Wayne: no
- Magnuson, Josiah: no
- McCabe, Donald Ryan, Jr.: no
- McCravy, John R., III: no
- Mitchell, Cody T.: no
- Mitchell, Dianne: no
- Moore, Travis A.: no
- Morgan, T. Alan, Jr.: no
- Oremus, Melissa Lackey: no
- Rankin, Luke S.: no
- Sanders, Richard Blake: no
- Terribile, Jackie R.: no
- Vaughan, David: no
- White, Joseph S.: no
- Whitmire, William R.: no
- Willis, Mark N.: no
- Yow, Richard L.: no
- Bamberg, Justin T.: excused
- Gagnon, Craig A.: excused
- Gatch, Gil: excused
- McGinnis, Timothy A.: excused
- Montgomery, W. Scott, IV: excused
- Pace, Jordan S.: excused
- Pedalino, Fawn M.: excused
- Spann-Wilder, Tiffany: excused
- Ballentine, Nathan: excused
- Brittain, T. Case, Jr.: excused
- Bustos, Joseph M.: excused
- Garvin, Kambrell H.: excused
- Landing, Kathy: excused
- Lawson, M. Brian: excused

Related bills

No related bills recorded for this bill.

Official source

https://www.scstatehouse.gov/billsearch.php?billnumbers=3556&session=126&summary=B

Attribution

Data from openstates_bulk_csv, retrieved 2026-07-24T05:32:06.227230Z

Use this data

Every field on this page is available from the free public API — no key or licence required. Fetch this bill as JSON: GET /api/v1/bills?jurisdiction=SC&identifier=H 3556. See the API docs or the MCP server for AI assistants.

Known limitations

Sponsor party and chamber affiliation are not yet captured by this API.
Committee referrals are not yet captured.
Some documents have no extracted text yet, so version comparison may be limited.

See the methodology page for data sources and limitations.