South Carolina 126th General Assembly Status: Introduced

H 5653 — AN ACT TO AMEND ACT 843 OF 1952, AS AMENDED, RELATING TO THE LEE COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION, SO AS TO CLARIFY THE METHOD BY WHICH PERSONS FILE TO BECOME A CANDIDATE FOR ELECTION TO THE BOARD, THE MANNER IN WHICH BOARD ELECTIONS ARE CONDUCTED, AND THE MANNER IN WHICH VACANCIES ON THE BOARD ARE FILLED; AND TO PROVIDE FOR THE ANNUAL COMPENSATION OF MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. - RATIFIED TITLE

Last action — Effective date 05/19/26

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  1. 1
    Introduced
  2. 2
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed House
  4. 4
    Passed Senate
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill has been introduced in the House. Introduced May 05, 2026. It must pass committee before a floor vote.

Signed by Governor Henry McMaster (Republican) on May 19, 2026.

Next likely step: a committee referral and hearing.

Prognosis

Stalled 26% · moderate confidence

Where this bill stands today.

Odds of enactment

Low

How often bills like it became law.

  • Introduced

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 1 sponsor

    1 primary, 0 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Cleared a recorded vote

    Passed 1 recorded vote so far.

Prognosis reads this bill's own signals — stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes and cross-state momentum. Odds come from a model trained on which bills have become law.

In plain language

The bill clarifies election processes for the Lee County Board of Education and sets member compensation.

This bill amends the procedures for filing candidacies, conducting elections, and filling vacancies for the Lee County Board of Education. It also establishes annual compensation for board members.

What this means for you
  • Families: Families in Lee County may see clearer election processes for school board positions, affecting local education governance.

Summary

Lee County School District Board of Trustees

Bill Text

How this bill changes current law

6 changes Share ↗

AI-generated reading aid from the bill's amendatory text — verify against the official bill.

This bill amends existing law to clarify the election process, vacancy filling, and compensation for the Lee County School District Board of Trustees.

  • Section 1 of Act 843 of 1952

    Section 1. (A) The central authority of Lee County's educational system shall be the county board of education consisting of seven members. One member shall be elected from and be a resident of each of the single-member election districts from which members of the county council are elected. → Section 1. (A) The central authority of Lee County's educational system shall be the county board of education consisting of seven members. One member shall be elected from and be a resident of each of the single-member election districts from which members of the county council are elected.

    This section remains largely unchanged but is clarified for consistency.

  • Section 1 of Act 843 of 1952

    Members shall be elected in nonpartisan elections held at the same time as the general election in November of each even-numbered year for terms of four years and assume office on January second of the year following election and shall serve until their successors are elected and qualify. Members from districts 1, 2, 3, and 7 must be elected in 2028 until their successors are elected and qualify. Members from districts 4, 5, and 6 must be elected in 2030 and until their successors are elected and qualify. → Members shall be elected in nonpartisan elections held at the same time as the general election in November of each even-numbered year for terms of four years and assume office on January second of the year following election and shall serve until their successors are elected and qualify. Members from districts 1, 2, 3, and 7 must be elected in 2028 until their successors are elected and qualify. Members from districts 4, 5, and 6 must be elected in 2030 and until their successors are elected and qualify.

    The election schedule for board members is maintained without significant modification.

  • Section 1 of Act 843 of 1952

    All persons desiring to qualify as a candidate and be elected to the board shall file a statement of intention of candidacy with the Lee County Board of Voter Registration and Elections as provided in Section 7-13-352. → All persons desiring to qualify as a candidate and be elected to the board shall file a statement of intention of candidacy with the Lee County Board of Voter Registration and Elections as provided in Section 7-13-352.

    This candidate filing process remains unchanged but is restated for clarity.

  • Section 1 of Act 843 of 1952

    A vacancy on the board must be filled by appointment upon a majority vote of the Lee County Legislative Delegation for the unexpired portion of the term. → A vacancy on the board must be filled by appointment upon a majority vote of the Lee County Legislative Delegation for the unexpired portion of the term.

    The process for filling board vacancies is reaffirmed without modification.

  • Section 1 of Act 843 of 1952

    Notwithstanding any other provision of law, each member of the board may receive compensation in an amount not to exceed six thousand dollars annually. The board may, by majority vote, increase the compensation of its members; provided, any increase in compensation may not take effect until the commencement of the next term of office for those members. → Notwithstanding any other provision of law, each member of the board may receive compensation in an amount not to exceed six thousand dollars annually. The board may, by majority vote, increase the compensation of its members; provided, any increase in compensation may not take effect until the commencement of the next term of office for those members.

    The stipulations regarding board member compensation are preserved while adding clarity.

  • Section 1 of Act 843 of 1952

    The board is hereby constituted the Board of Trustees for the School District of Lee County with all the powers and responsibilities as prescribed in Section 59-15-10 of the S.C. Code. → The board is hereby constituted the Board of Trustees for the School District of Lee County with all the powers and responsibilities as prescribed in Section 59-15-10 of the S.C. Code.

    The board’s designation as the Board of Trustees and its authority remains intact.

Action History

  1. Effective date 05/19/26

  2. Signed By Governor

  3. Ratified R 263

  4. Read third time and enrolled (Senate Journal-page 96)

  5. Read second time (Senate Journal-page 44)

  6. Introduced, read first time, placed on local & uncontested calendar (Senate Journal-page 7)

  7. Read third time and sent to Senate (House Journal-page 1)

  8. Unanimous consent for third reading on next legislative day (House Journal-page 18)

  9. Roll call Yeas-105 Nays-0 (House Journal-page 16)

  10. Read second time (House Journal-page 16)

  11. Committee report: Favorable Lee Delegation (House Journal-page 8)

  12. Referred to Lee Delegation (House Journal-page 14)

  13. Introduced and read first time (House Journal-page 14)

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 169 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (0)

None.

Not signed on (169)

169 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 169 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Votes

Passage of Bill

Passed 105 Yea · 0 Nay · 19 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 1000018
Republican 3000
Democrat 1001
Total 1040019
% of votes cast 85%0%0%15%
How each member voted (123)
Member Party Vote
Henderson-Myers,, Rosalyn D., Ph.D. Herbkersman, William G — Yea
Rankin, Luke S — Yea
Representative Adam L. Duncan — Yea
Representative Annie E. McDaniel — Not Voting
Representative April Cromer — Yea
Representative Beth E. Bernstein — Yea
Representative Bill Taylor — Not Voting
Representative Brandon Guffey — Not Voting
Representative Brandon L. Cox — Yea
Representative Brandon Newton — Yea
Representative Bruce W. Bannister — Yea
Representative Cally R. "Cal" Forrest, Jr. — Yea
Representative Carl L. Anderson — Yea
Representative Chandra E. Dillard — Yea
Representative Charles V. Hartz — Yea
Representative Chris Wooten — Yea
Representative Christopher R. "Chris" Hart — Not Voting
Representative Cody T. Mitchell — Yea
Representative Courtney S. Waters — Yea
Representative Craig A. Gagnon — Yea
Representative Daniel Gibson — Yea
Representative David Martin — Yea
Representative David R. Hiott — Yea
Representative David Vaughan — Yea
Representative Dennis C. Moss — Yea
Representative Dianne Mitchell — Yea
Representative Donald G. "Don" Chapman — Yea
Representative Donald Ryan McCabe, Jr. — Not Voting
Representative Elizabeth "Spencer" Wetmore — Yea
Representative Fawn M. Pedalino — Yea
Representative G. Murrell Smith, Jr. — Yea
Representative Gary S. Brewer, Jr. — Yea
Representative Gil Gatch — Not Voting
Representative Gilda Cobb-Hunter — Yea
Representative Greg Ford — Yea
Representative Hamilton R. Grant — Yea
Representative Harriet A. Holman — Yea
Representative Heath Sessions — Yea
Representative Heather Ammons Crawford — Not Voting
Representative Heather Bauer — Not Voting
Representative J. David Weeks — Yea
Representative J. Todd Rutherford — Yea
Representative JA Moore — Yea
Representative Jackie E. "Coach" Hayes — Yea
Representative Jackie R. Terribile — Yea
Representative James E. Teeple — Yea
Representative James Mikell "Mike" Burns — Yea
Representative Jeff Bradley — Yea
Representative Jeffrey E. "Jeff" Johnson — Yea
Representative Jermaine L. Johnson, Sr. — Not Voting
Representative Jerry N. Govan, Jr. — Not Voting
Representative John Gregory "Jay" Kilmartin — Yea
Representative John R. McCravy III — Yea
Representative John Richard C. King — Not Voting
Representative John T. Lastinger, Jr. — Yea
Representative Jordan S. Pace — Yea
Representative Joseph M. "Joe" Bustos — Yea
Representative Joseph S. "Joe" White — Yea
Representative Josiah Magnuson — Yea
Representative Justin T. Bamberg — Yea
Representative Kambrell H. Garvin — Yea
Representative Kathy Landing — Yea
Representative Keishan M. Scott — Yea
Representative Kevin Hardee — Not Voting
Representative Lee Hewitt — Yea
Representative Leon D. "Doug" Gilliam — Yea
Representative Leon Howard — Not Voting
Representative Leonidas E. "Leon" Stavrinakis — Yea
Representative Lonnie Hosey — Yea
Representative Lucas Atkinson — Yea
Representative M. Brian Lawson — Yea
Representative Mark N. Willis — Yea
Representative Marvin "Mark" Smith — Yea
Representative Melissa Lackey Oremus — Yea
Representative Micajah P. "Micah" Caskey IV — Yea
Representative Michael F. Rivers, Sr. — Yea
Representative Mike M. Neese — Yea
Representative Nathan Ballentine — Not Voting
Representative Neal A. Collins — Yea
Representative Patrick B. Haddon — Yea
Representative Paul B. Wickensimer — Yea
Representative Paula Rawl Calhoon — Yea
Representative Phillip Bowers — Yea
Representative Phillip D. Lowe — Not Voting
Representative Richard Blake Sanders — Yea
Representative Richard L. "Richie" Yow — Yea
Representative Robby Robbins — Yea
Representative Robert J. "Rob" Harris — Yea
Representative Robert Q. Williams — Yea
Representative Robert T. Reese — Yea
Representative Roger K. Kirby — Yea
Representative Sarita L. Edgerton — Yea
Representative Seth Rose — Yea
Representative Shannon S. Erickson — Yea
Representative Steven Wayne Long — Yea
Representative Sylleste H. Davis — Yea
Representative T. Alan Morgan, Jr. — Yea
Representative Terry Alexander — Yea
Representative Thomas Beach — Yea
Representative Thomas Duval "Val" Guest, Jr. — Yea
Representative Thomas E. "Tommy" Pope — Yea
Representative Thomas F. "Tom" Hartnett, Jr. — Yea
Representative Thomas Lee Gilreath — Yea
Representative Thomas R. "Randy" Ligon — Yea
Representative Timothy A. "Tim" McGinnis — Yea
Representative Travis A. Moore — Yea
Representative W. Scott Montgomery IV — Not Voting
Representative Wallace H. "Jay" Jordan, Jr. — Not Voting
Representative Wendell G. Gilliard — Yea
Representative Wendell K. Jones — Yea
Representative William "Bill" Clyburn — Yea
Representative William "Bill" Hager — Yea
Representative William C. "Chris" Huff — Yea
Representative William H. Bailey — Yea
Representative William M. "Bill" Chumley — Yea
Representative William M. "Bill" Hixon — Yea
Representative William R. "Bill" Whitmire — Yea
Representative Wm. Weston J. Newton — Not Voting
Jason Luck Democrat Yea
Tiffany R. Spann-Wilder Democrat Not Voting
Carla M. Schuessler Republican Yea
Stephen D. Frank Republican Yea
T. Case Brittain, Jr. Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Subjects

elections education
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Frequently asked questions

What does H 5653 do?
Lee County School District Board of Trustees
Who sponsors H 5653?
H 5653 is sponsored by Representative Keishan M. Scott.
What is the current status of H 5653?
This bill has been introduced in the House. Introduced May 05, 2026. It must pass committee before a floor vote.
Where can I track H 5653?
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