South Carolina 126th General Assembly Status: Enacted

H 5208 — AN ACT TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 12-36-2120, RELATING TO EXEMPTIONS FROM SALES TAX, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT CERTAIN UNPREPARED FOODS, THAT MAY BE PURCHASED WITH FOOD COUPONS WHICH ARE EXEMPT FROM TAXES, ARE NOT LIMITED TO CERTAIN FEDERAL REGULATIONS. - RATIFIED TITLE

Last action — Act No. 217

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

This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced February 18, 2026. Enacted.

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

Odds of enactment

High chance

Based on the sponsor, cosponsors, and committee posture, this bill has a high chance of becoming law.

Upgrade to see the exact probability and what's driving it.

A statistical estimate from our own model of past outcomes — an insight, not a guarantee. Policymaking is volatile.

Prognosis

Likely to advance 72% · moderate confidence

  • Enacted

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 2 sponsors

    1 primary, 1 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Cleared a recorded vote

    Passed 1 recorded vote so far.

Based on stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes, and cross-state momentum — a description of the observable signals, not a prediction.

In plain language

The bill expands sales tax exemptions for certain unprepared foods purchased with food coupons.

This legislation amends sales tax laws regarding unprepared foods to include more items that can be bought with food coupons. It aims to align state exemptions with broader federal regulations.

What this means for you
  • Consumers: Consumers can benefit from a wider range of unprepared foods that are exempt from sales tax when using food coupons.

Summary

Sales Tax Exemption

Bill Text

Action History

  1. Act No. 217

  2. Effective date 05/19/26

  3. Signed By Governor

  4. Ratified R 216

  5. Read third time and enrolled (Senate Journal-page 26)

  6. Roll call Ayes-46 Nays-0 (Senate Journal-page 62)

  7. Read second time (Senate Journal-page 62)

  8. Committee report: Favorable Finance (Senate Journal-page 14)

  9. Referred to Committee on Finance (Senate Journal-page 11)

  10. Introduced and read first time (Senate Journal-page 11)

  11. Read third time and sent to Senate (House Journal-page 2)

  12. Unanimous consent for third reading on next legislative day (House Journal-page 23)

  13. Roll call Yeas-109 Nays-0 (House Journal-page 22)

  14. Read second time (House Journal-page 22)

  15. Requests for debate-Rep(s). Cromer

  16. Committee report: Favorable Ways and Means (House Journal-page 6)

  17. Referred to Committee on Ways and Means (House Journal-page 50)

  18. Introduced and read first time (House Journal-page 50)

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

Export CSV (upgrade) →

1 sponsors · 1 co-sponsors · 168 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (1)

Not signed on (168)

168 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 168 →

"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 109 Yea · 0 Nay · 15 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 1050014
Republican 3000
Democrat 1001
Total 1090015
% of votes cast 88%0%0%12%
How each member voted (124)
Member Party Vote
Henderson-Myers,, Rosalyn D., Ph.D — 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 — Yea
Representative Brandon Guffey — Yea
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 — Yea
Representative Cody T. Mitchell — Yea
Representative Courtney S. Waters — Yea
Representative Craig A. Gagnon — Yea
Representative Daniel Gibson — Not Voting
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. — Yea
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 — Not Voting
Representative Heather Ammons Crawford — Yea
Representative Heather Bauer — Yea
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. — Yea
Representative John Gregory "Jay" Kilmartin — Yea
Representative John R. McCravy III — Yea
Representative John Richard C. King — Yea
Representative John T. Lastinger, Jr. — Yea
Representative Jordan S. Pace — Not Voting
Representative Joseph M. "Joe" Bustos — Yea
Representative Joseph S. "Joe" White — Yea
Representative Josiah Magnuson — Yea
Representative Justin T. Bamberg — Not Voting
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 — Yea
Representative Richard Blake Sanders — Yea
Representative Richard L. "Richie" Yow — Yea
Representative Robby Robbins — Yea
Representative Robert J. "Rob" Harris — Not Voting
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 — Not Voting
Representative Travis A. Moore — Yea
Representative W. Scott Montgomery IV — Not Voting
Representative Wallace H. "Jay" Jordan, Jr. — Yea
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 G. "Bill" Herbkersman — 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

taxation
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

What does H 5208 do?
Sales Tax Exemption
Who sponsors H 5208?
H 5208 is sponsored by Representative Dennis C. Moss and Representative Brandon Newton.
What is the current status of H 5208?
This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced February 18, 2026. Enacted.
Where can I track H 5208?
Track H 5208 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.

Make your voice heard on H 5208

Find the representatives who decide this bill and tell them where you stand — for yourself, or mobilize your whole list in one click with One Click Politics advocacy software.

Find my representatives → Run a campaign

Stay ahead of H 5208

Last checked for changes 3 months ago · updated continuously

One Click Politics tracks every bill in Congress and all 50 states.

Track this bill →