republic-os/legislation/us/states/sc/2021-2022/h-3795.md

---
type: "Bill"
title: "Sign Language Interpreters Act"
description: "AN ACT TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, TO ENACT THE \"SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETERS ACT\" BY ADDING CHAPTER 84 TO TITLE 40 SO AS TO REQUIRE MINIMUM COMPETENCY REQUIREMENTS FOR SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETERS USED BY CERTAIN GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES AND HOSPITALS AND HEALTH CARE FACILITIES, TO PROVIDE EXCEPTIONS, TO PROVIDE NECESSARY DEFINITIONS, AND TO PROVIDE MORE RIGOROUS STANDARDS APPLY WHEN THEY CONFLICT WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THIS ACT; BY ADDING SECTION 59-33-120 SO AS TO PROVIDE FOR THE PROMULGATION OF REGULATIONS FOR THE APPROPRIATE CREDENTIALING OF SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETERS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND SPECIAL SCHOOLS, AND TO REQUIRE INTERPRETERS FOR THE DEAF WORKING IN SCHOOLS AND SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN THIS STATE TO SUBMIT TO THE SAME BACKGROUND CHECKS AS EDUCATORS; AND TO MAKE THE PROVISIONS OF THIS ACT EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 2024. - ratified title"
jurisdiction: "us/states/sc"
legislature: "South Carolina General Assembly"
session: "2021-2022"
identifier: "H 3795"
citation: "South Carolina H 3795 (2021-2022)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: []
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: ["Allison"]
version_count: 8
action_count: 23
vote_count: 3
first_action: "2021-02-02"
last_action: "2022-05-31"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/f1662764-7d62-4d55-8ff8-11e018630040"
source_url: "https://www.scstatehouse.gov/billsearch.php?billnumbers=3795&session=124&summary=B"
source_hash: "cd4949c9a1e1d521e607f8e136021b3af7797eae6267176cfd18eb2af57751e9"
vintage: "2026-07-01"
source_snapshot: "https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-06"
confidence: "reported"
tags: ["legislation", "bill", "us-sc"]
---

# South Carolina H 3795 (2021-2022) — Sign Language Interpreters Act

AN ACT TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, TO ENACT THE "SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETERS ACT" BY ADDING CHAPTER 84 TO TITLE 40 SO AS TO REQUIRE MINIMUM COMPETENCY REQUIREMENTS FOR SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETERS USED BY CERTAIN GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES AND HOSPITALS AND HEALTH CARE FACILITIES, TO PROVIDE EXCEPTIONS, TO PROVIDE NECESSARY DEFINITIONS, AND TO PROVIDE MORE RIGOROUS STANDARDS APPLY WHEN THEY CONFLICT WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THIS ACT; BY ADDING SECTION 59-33-120 SO AS TO PROVIDE FOR THE PROMULGATION OF REGULATIONS FOR THE APPROPRIATE CREDENTIALING OF SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETERS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND SPECIAL SCHOOLS, AND TO REQUIRE INTERPRETERS FOR THE DEAF WORKING IN SCHOOLS AND SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN THIS STATE TO SUBMIT TO THE SAME BACKGROUND CHECKS AS EDUCATORS; AND TO MAKE THE PROVISIONS OF THIS ACT EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 2024. - ratified title

## Version chain

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

1. **Filed** (filed) — [source](https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess124_2021-2022/bills/3795.htm)
2. **2/2/2021** (committee substitute) — [source](https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess124_2021-2022/prever/3795_20210202.htm)
3. **3/18/2021** (committee substitute) — [source](https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess124_2021-2022/prever/3795_20210318.htm)
4. **4/28/2022** (committee substitute) — [source](https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess124_2021-2022/prever/3795_20220428.htm)
5. **4/29/2022** (committee substitute) — [source](https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess124_2021-2022/prever/3795_20220429.htm)
6. **4/6/2021** (committee substitute) — [source](https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess124_2021-2022/prever/3795_20210406.htm)
7. **5/3/2022** (committee substitute) — [source](https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess124_2021-2022/prever/3795_20220503.htm)
8. **5/4/2022** (committee substitute) — [source](https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess124_2021-2022/prever/3795_20220504.htm)

## Votes

- Passage of Bill — **78–35** (pass) · lower
- Concur in Senate Amendments — **104–2** (pass) · lower
- 2nd Reading — **39–1** (pass) · upper

## Sponsors

- Allison — primary (person)

## Timeline

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

- **2021-02-02** Introduced and read first time `introduction, reading-1`
- **2021-02-02** Referred to Committee on Education and Public Works `referral-committee`
- **2021-03-18** Committee report: Favorable with amendment Education and Public Works `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2021-04-06** Amended `amendment-passage`
- **2021-04-06** Read second time `reading-2`
- **2021-04-06** Roll call Yeas-78 Nays-35
- **2021-04-07** Read third time and sent to Senate `passage, reading-3`
- **2021-04-07** Introduced and read first time `introduction, reading-1`
- **2021-04-07** Referred to Committee on Labor, Commerce and Industry `referral-committee`
- **2022-04-28** Polled out of committee Labor, Commerce and Industry
- **2022-04-28** Committee report: Favorable Labor, Commerce and Industry `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2022-04-29** Scrivener's error corrected
- **2022-05-03** Amended `amendment-passage`
- **2022-05-03** Read second time `reading-2`
- **2022-05-03** Roll call Ayes-39 Nays-1
- **2022-05-04** Scrivener's error corrected
- **2022-05-10** Read third time and returned to House with amendments `passage, reading-3`
- **2022-05-11** Concurred in Senate amendment and enrolled
- **2022-05-11** Roll call Yeas-104 Nays-2
- **2022-05-12** Ratified R 206
- **2022-05-16** Signed By Governor `executive-signature`
- **2022-05-31** Effective date 01/01/2024
- **2022-05-31** Act No. 188

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/f1662764-7d62-4d55-8ff8-11e018630040`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official South Carolina legislature records).