South Carolina 2025-2026 Regular Session Status: In Committee

H 3253 — Aid to private and religious organizations

Last action — Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Edgerton

Track this bill free

No card. One bill, free forever — alerts when it moves.

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

This bill is in committee in the House. Introduced December 05, 2024. It must pass committee before a floor vote.

Next likely step: a committee vote, then a floor vote in the House.

Prognosis

Stalled 24% · moderate confidence

Where this bill stands today.

Odds of enactment

Low

How often bills like it became law.

  • In Committee

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 7 sponsors

    7 primary, 0 co-sponsors signed on.

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.

Summary

A JOINT RESOLUTION PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO REPEAL SECTION 4, ARTICLE XI OF THE CONSTITUTION OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1895, RELATING TO THE PROHIBITION AGAINST THE STATE OR ITS POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS PROVIDING DIRECT AID TO RELIGIOUS OR OTHER PRIVATE EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

32 added · 19 removed

Plain-language change summary

The proposed amendment to Bill H 3253 seeks to repeal a section of the South Carolina Constitution that currently prohibits the state or its local governments from providing direct aid to religious or private educational institutions. By removing this restriction, the amendment allows for the possibility of state funding or support for these types of schools. This change could significantly impact how educational funding is allocated in South Carolina and raise discussions about the separation of church and state. Voters will have the opportunity to decide on this amendment in the next general election.

→
Previous
Latest
PK iLZ¢Û¶_é H customXml/item4.xmlÍWÛr£F}ÏWLéaýb,îGfƒ`l±+ƒ+[[)j€‘­KÂ{Ijÿ= a9Écª$QÓ}Ι¦§§g4}ÿm›¡/l·ßùͅpÅ_ –'EºÉn.BrËih_Ò<¥Y‘³›‹¼¸xoü4;ƒÊ/YISZR"ùþfôX–Ï×ãñ>yd[º¿*žYžu±Û҆»‡ñ3Mžè‹<¯Ž·Gúø Æ5ã‘1µ=+\b—DäÓ ³M–Mǧ¶é­³À®¹ÄÆ»¬ü¹ú®7Ë閽{€1|§ã2ulƒ É$ք„c©¦s²¨(\¬ §i¦'TYË*Ž8%ÑÌY,¢Y47ƒ€øÎGl.Æ-Íöl:>ïì8N`Zäø` >˜ÖGüöè;aÀËÛUˆgyn@ÇsÏñß@öÕ,o¹tÁØÇ+Ï?ÅqÊvoÁîZÿD@Nø¡.bÝˀutôÁ6^óÌû Ò7oßNkßÛg9.ñ=;´°ý:žž¯OYšþGl‡«3³´®<öï@âúàècW>® ÷L0­§÷q#¬ÖÊtÏ×Ã+HŸOð–Çô?!v¾†a“èûA%"ò¢Âñ'Ȅç¯ëÇ+ðÛJôÀ-?š{apˆÇ6 î©t´!¦#ÿï¥Iڑ$s‚aöH}@Cs+)ì»æâøn¸œaßZÞ[ˆN!ÀAýꂨöXµÃ½=Ã[ʟ°é× èak[ññ¯!Hó4øÉz­®%St%æ䉤sT“yNM)Ñe9M×]‡äV4ò|ç΁7®7’‘Ärªˆ ãhO8Yc.^Ç<7ÑD*ji,¯5±Ñ` Ê󛧡¬ž TáT§œ¼–ŽJºÊ%B¢)LOµXíêkHnDºó–DEú½eô<ð!Çz>Íþá-u•ï­q¬F¿9È»EdŽQ¿5W¶ÀÉY¦ï- O—HÐtå”&©¦ ՊsΝ™S“Ì;Ӎڨ_äùÈ!ZLWEÎlçÞ©Ê(¨¸÷Ž]‰ÙŽ¡!Ó±Ñ.`m`ÏU|Ô|€:÷• t2ˬ&-§‹7¸d鐐.IÖܬÓöX¼ôzJgïí!z°îänM|Wü›¼Œvl_d/%ÜZ¢¤È÷妬=‰ß)ø&9,fun»wÆ܅+M1ôwÌã:Æç¿FKª™ÂбG×£‰®¥z¬SNU¸U(JÊQ*—*4‘Xªª“$]6$®'@rÙW4ËhþÔHñ²Ùnt-´òý¹âäì+ ¬"eGû~týù÷Ëٔ#ì[ ؛=3fy¹+2À¬«¦v–±’¥íØgόfNɶG£ê¬(ž¶t÷tŒ4ÞGùË6"Æ=VdIý¸|•IàӘAgåeö,ã9-INŠEQ™é }•«·jè¾(áÂù:âÿ*b¤èI&’4úÑï)myô*&œ} «anRTèy·ùBK†à"v,ہ‹yÉêvõP|izð¡”5\[á`7áŽEóœî^öå;aNǧ Œ¿PK iLZÙî!å Y customXml/itemProps4.xml±NÃ0†wžÂÊâɵJÚTI*“©+‰Õ8—Ô"¶#Û$Ä»ã¨b ã'}ÿwW?õ„ÞÁyeM…Ó Ì´½2c…ŸŸ:²ÇÈaz1Y6뛲÷‡^áƒup  QĘ8óUra>Pêå´ð;ƒ‰ËÁ:-BŒn¤v”„ÖÊEƒ 4c,§r‰,ý¢§E¶ŠÈS[%_|Çx“uiº»‚ls^¾ç;’Í}ËÚmš²ï¤^}.…0ø¿qå-NýGlòMŒp1ÒÄz#>^osF~sBë’^õÑëÔ?PK iLZŠ}™½ ' customXml/_rels/item4.xml.relsÏÁŠÂ0àû>EÈ%'›*²ÈÒ´¼‰ta¯!¶Á&2£èÛö´Â<Îÿ÷3Mw‹¸A&Ñ¨uU+ÑáàãdÔwXí” ¶q°F0ꤺö£9Ãb¹dhö‰DA"93§/­ÉÍ,U˜ –ˈ9X.cžt²îb'ЛºþÔù¯!ÛS#óqØJÑ?¼cã8z{t× ‘ÿ©ÐîJŒá',§Œ¥Qô6OÀFz†ð»ÚVŔºmôËíPK ! 3“h›è [Content_Types].xml͗M‹Û0†ï…þ£ë+¥”gý8¶ÝB¯Š4NDõ…f²»ù÷•íÄ-%³M¼ÎÅkæ}E43¿}²&{€ˆÚ»‚Mò1ËÀI¯´[ìûýçÑ;–! §„ñ ¶d·‹×¯æ÷Û ˜¥l‡[…÷œ£\ƒ˜û .­”>ZAég\ñ äO±>ßr遣Ul1ÿ¥ØÊ>=¥× Iƒ,ûÐV^!-¥uþàÔ_.£Cž2ë\ë€7)€ñƒÕÊ¿ vy_Si¢VÝ‰H_„MQüÑGŕ—›2óã28}Yj m~¥¢—€˜jnMÞ®X¡Ý͹Aòö‡5\Ø»èNÎÆiE+=ˆ¤ŸÉ0½†Ù0¼yi†ú\º]BL'éò³•î„@ÚÀË4ºÝö@”ú Ø)w"<Âò[oˆw‚”Þ“óÔÇ×h¥;!À©žöʝk âäòð‰þÓÁü«ÕËþáý§ƒù7eš \ÿـõO~bi ‚t'ÄÊxD·/Ñ=í½N‡øÖúÍ1üõÕ²\Í=Ö]ÅA¦4ç@ó<ÿ/µ–9f™"ëŽ2ÍMñ?¶½ŒªìQ8©•l“ôÙûƒjæR žëÝ´¿ê¢˜óz„]üPK ! ™U~ù á _rels/.rels­’MK1†ï‚ÿ!̽;Û*"ÒÝ^DèMdýC2û›’©¶ÿÞX]¨k=fòΓg†¬7{;ªwŽið®‚eQ‚b§½\WÁk󴸕„œ¡Ñ;®àÀ 6õõÕú…G’Ü”ú!$•).UЋ„Ĥ{¶” Øå›ÖGK’±Ã@ú:ÆUYÞaǜzÂT[SAܚPÍ!ð9l߶ƒæG¯w–œxy/ì›Eˆ¹?ʐ§Q Ŏ¥ãõs.'¤ŠŒò¼ÏWbNhyÉM?6>ÌJÇòœÍí%mô.‰·ÿ¬ç˜ùVÂÉǬ?PK ! …Ábç> Ï word/_rels/document.xml.rels͗Ír›0Ç_…áÐ[ˆã4Ä3öC/i=d`ùh@b$ÛÏÖC©¯PaLŒh§í¡²{ñÌ®à¯ß®v×âû×o7›]ÛX/ÀEÍhb{Žk[@3–×´Lì^W±½¹½¹‡†Hõ„¨êNXê*»’²»FHd´D8¬ªV Æ["•ÉKԑ왔€°ëFˆÏ5l]ÓzØwð7Š¬(êÞ³¬oÊ_£-¤Ÿ@JÅ/lëðdbϜŽR´­»<±ù]Û2FR0&Ÿ FÛÓ <ß$AÙ0!ßOϜX¦”—t*£yÉz!YûyØoÂqœ“ÕZ_ã1š$ñSµLae’¡’ÏKe´±~(Øl±Rù@Òæõzté«K׆ž|þ֋Ӌ.ÅH1Ú,rßÀ¼U¶¶tþFY$ÀhhߦÀÕx8A¼º4ŒðüyX¦Q 9UÍ0«…É£C¸&!¤zw6±æè\”ÄúÒ=h<é¡µ8šW—F±>ÿè\ü¥ÍC¥”xSÓçY›(Y¡t·Û­#2!‰„Šõœ’½ ´n„g•ÓUÝf0ÇΉCÿ i»·Äá¦ìáh´û¶UרäÝ´ÇG–+ü;+%ÇHïý<Œ"â®ü(%Ÿ’ÿ)ê!"Ívqx¥~"ÔqPhˆyðvCGÝw¿1* $G€£`…Ï~²×Õ—Ç!×ó‚?ãâ"²ZÇ$Ò ,ŒÞ"þnû~®=%^س‹´Ï²ÛPK ! Ÿžúö ] word/document.xmlí\ënãÆþ_ ï0П$€mñ~bIí*õچ¥Ý$( cDŽ$fICR–¢@£Z ÏÒGɓô/’¨+%ÙÎî¬%’3ß̹Ι3‡úö»‡ÀG÷$N<ž7ø3®HèP×GçI:<Õ(IqèbŸ†ä¼ñH’ÆwßN[.u& S aҚFÎycœ¦Q«ÙLœ1 prxNL:LÏ4épè9¤9¥±Û8žË¾E1uH’Àh&ïqÒ(àœ‡zhnŒ§Ð™JMgŒã”<Ì1ø½Aä¦ÞÔV„€€B_…÷†RšlV+@ÒA@0«$ù0¤5Ä)‡! «HêaHâ*’vҊ:« N#ÂÃ!œÂeð‘†É؋fÞ!8 ŽKûm¸ü²Ý4â¥ã\›•‹aXgú…ì?ŸùvDž«!M1ëQg Õ1˙ ÁóbÍsyy? a@qÈÃ~ZÑ„ž‹8ž»Ž2ÃñæŒå•Ã&³ àNö‚Ärìƒu_ÀJÜÔïWʨÉúâq2^D$û(Ïàƒ~G£ãŒêML'ÑÍ;­;w¯SæìUç¢ÃHŽ›LoŒ#ðºÓêŽBã3SC`-(“ ûJÇ>²¯ä•²f_Ü b^«Áâ´uÙg”ý¹‰ÙÇÔséÔ¤aSM[÷ûû Údϓ;0x„‡)ßÍ~vÊæøTg·›3ÜüOñ½ø ƒH¤Ó÷’ +2E·4Àa8(üµÄ„³ÀÉÌlFÀ„(& ‰ïIã¢G'é™(ðBŒÞÄØGF’`à?2€4‡É'øé²`ÚyAÚ{LYhx‚ÀdåSø£¼Ñ>¦’_jœÕ®·gHdñ•¡Of®}£ÿ¾‡ºWëÛwF¿{}õÊÛ£ýÀ÷ԃý÷-I¨?a1òÂҗqy½¶ 4NZ@n”œ¡ÎhÊÜß D®ð—@†Âé 2ǓÀ''¨}Ÿ ¿x>ìÊR/DÆ@¶;"qúE3«Üó Øî´Ð¥y q³üƒÑä3HÛ<¼šÞÑ,î2µp'qèU:&è-@\FCô='8~D¼”/Í_°¢™“8=óÜòXΰW=;ÞïMð]-d@´ŸRÅÞ=NIæÉ 5â<`4‚Í:½_óDÉÍõ/3Úìöú×·?¡ëº´ßt{— }°‘a²8©w´v¸'µŽØDÌqÚ.-àeáEeÚò`˜¶Xð3œ3œ¶Æ8eçvùU…Z $Re–ì“Öq~¡ÝêB¾Úæ&&CÏ'îŸÿ„žÃY½Šc/q¬_cnɐ@°–& /M W·Þ ÖⅾŸ¸žãAò*ûM‘6®ì2ŝ›•_O– yšABچ}„Çc–¢`+×ÿþñÁ²ÎÏ2gåÅ7¯†ñ‰ÆK;Å'·®&Š’¬Cˆ¢%+ÔûÕº^CŽÝÖ%° ž§±®‹wpèF⯓o`qùeB`e q Y ×ekN‚’<}ۚçb_cÅc'¼¸àÊ´ùSÈíKKüìŸñùà˓BqcúFÇ_øyѕsª¨°$pîçkÆ2;·ÐÈ'#/a…V÷2¸y Û®×o6¬e8Í蛒Aâ-e%¾4•ù"s’ìÛË>²¤d”¨Ý½¼ü¤Å˜FŸ¸áï4teHdL4…Š¤ Ò:,ܚ´Ï>–ýIëÀç
2025-2026 Bill 3253 Text of Previous Version (Dec.
06, 2024) - South Carolina Legislature Online South Carolina General Assembly126th Session, 2025-2026Bill 3253Indicates Matter StrickenIndicates New Matter(Text matches printed bills.
Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)                 A joint Resolution   PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO REPEAL SECTION 4, ARTICLE XI OF THE CONSTITUTION OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1895, RELATING TO THE PROHIBITION AGAINST THE STATE OR ITS POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS PROVIDING DIRECT AID TO RELIGIOUS OR OTHER PRIVATE EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS.
  Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
  SECTION 1.  It is proposed that Section 4, Article XI of the Constitution of this State be repealed, which section presently reads:
      No money shall be paid from public funds nor shall the credit of the State or any of its political subdivisions be used for the direct benefit of any religious or other private educational institution.
  SECTION 2.  The proposed amendment must be submitted to the qualified electors at the next general election for representatives.
 Ballots must be provided at the various voting precincts with the following words printed or written on the ballot:
      "Must Section 4, Article XI of the Constitution of this State be repealed so as to eliminate the prohibition against the State or its political subdivisions providing direct aid to religious or other private educational institutions?   Yes     o No      o   Those voting in favor of the question shall deposit a ballot with a check or cross mark in the square after the word 'Yes', and those voting against the question shall deposit a ballot with a check or cross mark in the square after the word 'No'." ----XX---- This web page was last updated on December 06, 2024 at 11:13 AM
⬇ Download PDF
View plain text versions (2)
  • 12/05/2024 View text Current html
  • Introduced Filed vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document

Action History

  1. Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Edgerton

  2. Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Kilmartin

  3. Referred to Committee on Judiciary

  4. Introduced and read first time

  5. Referred to Committee on Judiciary

  6. Prefiled

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

Export CSV (upgrade) →

7 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 163 not signed on

Sponsors (7)

Co-sponsors (0)

None.

Not signed on (163)

163 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 163 →

"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

Subjects

civil-rights education
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 3253 do?
A JOINT RESOLUTION PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO REPEAL SECTION 4, ARTICLE XI OF THE CONSTITUTION OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1895, RELATING TO THE PROHIBITION AGAINST THE STATE OR ITS POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS PROVIDING DIRECT AID TO RELIGIOUS OR OTHER PRIVATE EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS.
Who sponsors H 3253?
H 3253 is sponsored by Representative Wm. Weston J. Newton, Representative Thomas E. "Tommy" Pope, Representative Fawn M. Pedalino, Representative William M. "Bill" Chumley, Representative Bill Taylor, Representative John Gregory "Jay" Kilmartin, and Representative Sarita L. Edgerton.
What is the current status of H 3253?
This bill is in committee in the House. Introduced December 05, 2024. It must pass committee before a floor vote.
Where can I track H 3253?
Track H 3253 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.

Make your voice heard on H 3253

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 3253

Last checked for changes 2 months ago · updated continuously

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

Track this bill →