South Carolina 2025-2026 Regular Session Status: In Committee

S 135 — Pledge

Last action — Referred to Committee on Education

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

This bill is in committee in the Senate. Introduced December 11, 2024. It must pass committee before a floor vote.

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

Prognosis

Stalled 14% · moderate confidence

  • In Committee

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 1 sponsor

    1 primary, 0 co-sponsors signed on.

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

Summary

A BILL TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 59-1-455, RELATING TO THE REQUIREMENT THAT SCHOOLS ALLOT TIME FOR THE RECITATION OF THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, SO AS TO REQUIRE PUPILS TO SALUTE THE UNITED STATES FLAG AND RECITE THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

36 added · 11 removed

Plain-language change summary

The amendment to Bill S 135 now specifies that all public school students in South Carolina are required to salute the United States flag and recite the Pledge of Allegiance during each school day. The revision includes clear language about the actions required of students and maintains an exemption for those who choose not to participate, ensuring they cannot be penalized for opting out. This change reinforces the importance of patriotic expression in schools while also respecting individual rights, which is significant for fostering an inclusive educational environment.

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2025-2026 Bill 135 Text of Previous Version (Dec.
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11, 2024) - South Carolina Legislature Online South Carolina General Assembly126th Session, 2025-2026Bill 135Indicates Matter StrickenIndicates New Matter(Text matches printed bills.
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Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)                 A bill   TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 59-1-455, RELATING TO THE REQUIREMENT THAT SCHOOLS ALLOT TIME FOR THE RECITATION OF THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, SO AS TO REQUIRE PUPILS TO SALUTE THE UNITED STATES FLAG AND RECITE THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
  Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
  SECTION 1.  Section 59-1-455 of the S.C.
Code is amended to read:
      Section 59-1-455.  Beginning with the 1991-92 school year, all public school students, commencing with grades kindergarten through and including high school, shall during the course of each school day's activities at a specific time which must be designated by the local school require the pupils in each school in the district on every school day to salute the United States flag and say the Pledge of Allegiance as follows:
    "I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."     Anyperson not wishing to say the "Pledge of Allegiance" or otherwise participate in saying the "Pledge of Allegiance" is exempt from participation and may not be penalized for failing to participate.
    A person who does not wish to participate may leave the classroom, may remain in his seat, or may express his nonparticipation in any form which does not materially infringe upon the rights of other persons or disrupt school activities.
pupils who are children of accredited representatives of foreign governments to whom the United States government extends diplomatic immunity, shall not be required to render such salute and pledge but shall be required to show full respect to the flag while the pledge is being given merely by standing at attention, the boys removing hats, hoods, or head coverings.
  SECTION 2.  This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.
----XX---- This web page was last updated on December 11, 2024 at 04:33 PM
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Action History

  1. Referred to Committee on Education

  2. Introduced and read first time

  3. Referred to Committee on Education

  4. Prefiled

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

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 S 135 do?
A BILL TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 59-1-455, RELATING TO THE REQUIREMENT THAT SCHOOLS ALLOT TIME FOR THE RECITATION OF THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, SO AS TO REQUIRE PUPILS TO SALUTE THE UNITED STATES FLAG AND RECITE THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
Who sponsors S 135?
S 135 is sponsored by Senator Mike Reichenbach.
What is the current status of S 135?
This bill is in committee in the Senate. Introduced December 11, 2024. It must pass committee before a floor vote.
Where can I track S 135?
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