republic-os/legislation/us/states/sc/2025-2026/h-3556.md

type, title, description, jurisdiction, legislature, session, identifier, citation, classification, subjects, status, primary_sponsors, version_count, action_count, vote_count, first_action, last_action, source, source_identifier, source_url, source_hash, vintage, source_snapshot, retrieved_at, confidence, tags

type	title	description	jurisdiction	legislature	session	identifier	citation	classification	subjects	status	primary_sponsors	version_count	action_count	vote_count	first_action	last_action	source	source_identifier	source_url	source_hash	vintage	source_snapshot	retrieved_at	confidence	tags
Bill	Political parties and primaries	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	us/states/sc	South Carolina General Assembly	2025-2026	H 3556	South Carolina H 3556 (2025-2026)	bill		enacted	B. Newton Guest Hixon Schuessler Taylor	9	29	3	2024-12-05	2026-06-05	openstates	ocd-bill/67e2b2d1-da2e-486d-a380-0bcb3bcbf670	https://www.scstatehouse.gov/billsearch.php?billnumbers=3556&session=126&summary=B	0f553fe8581c69d10f68d7350ef263ef7458e87199ba83ca95bb6b840e29289d	2026-07-01	https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump	2026-07-06	reported	legislation bill us-sc

South Carolina H 3556 (2025-2026) — Political parties and primaries

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

Version chain

The bill's text revisions, in order — the diff chain from filing to enrollment.

1. Filed (filed) — source
2. 02/18/2026 (committee substitute) — source
3. 03/03/2026 (committee substitute) — source
4. 03/20/2025 (committee substitute) — source
5. 03/26/2025 (committee substitute) — source
6. 03/27/2025 (committee substitute) — source
7. 04/23/2026 (committee substitute) — source
8. 05/06/2026 (committee substitute) — source
9. 12/05/2024 (committee substitute) — source

Votes

• Passage of Bill — 91–15 (pass) · lower
• 2nd Reading — 41–4 (pass) · upper
• Table Amendment 1A — 73–37 (pass) · lower

Sponsors

• B. Newton — primary (person)
• Guest — primary (person)
• Hixon — primary (person)
• Schuessler — primary (person)
• Taylor — primary (person)

Timeline

The legislative action history — every referral, reading, and vote.

• 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

Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot 2026-07-01; origin ocd-bill/67e2b2d1-da2e-486d-a380-0bcb3bcbf670. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official South Carolina legislature records).