Rev. Dr. Jefferson N. McDowell Memorial Bridge

2025-2026 Bill 4572: Rev. Dr. Jefferson N. McDowell Memorial Bridge - South Carolina Legislature Online

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026
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H. 4572
STATUS INFORMATION
Concurrent Resolution
Sponsors: Rep. Rankin
Document Path: LC-0376CM-GT26.docx
Introduced in the House on January 13, 2026
Introduced in the Senate on February 4, 2026
Currently residing in the Senate Committee on
Transportation
Summary: Rev. Dr. Jefferson N. McDowell Memorial Bridge
HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS

Date

Body

Action Description with journal page number

12/16/2025

House

Prefiled

12/16/2025

House

Referred to Committee on
Invitations and Memorial Resolutions

1/13/2026

House

Introduced (
House Journal-page 26
)

1/13/2026

House

Referred to Committee on
Invitations and Memorial Resolutions
(
House Journal-page 26
)

1/29/2026

House

Committee report: Favorable
Invitations and Memorial Resolutions
(
House Journal-page 3
)

2/3/2026

House

Adopted, sent to Senate (
House Journal-page 22
)

2/4/2026

Senate

Introduced (
Senate Journal-page 10
)

2/4/2026

Senate

Referred to Committee on
Transportation
(
Senate Journal-page 10
)

View the latest
legislative information
at the website
VERSIONS OF THIS BILL
12/17/2025
01/29/2026

Committee Report

January 29, 2026

H. 4572

Introduced
by Rep. Rankin

S. Printed 1/29/26--H.

Read the first time January 13, 2026

________

The committee on House Invitations
and Memorial Resolutions

To whom was referred a Concurrent Resolution (H.
4572) to request the Department of Transportation name the bridge on South
Harper Extension that crosses over the South Carolina Highway 127 bypass in
Laurens County "Reverend, etc., respectfully

Report:

That they have duly and carefully considered
the same, and recommend that the same do pass:

DENNIS MOSS for Committee.

_______

A concurrent RESOLUTION

TO REQUEST THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION NAME THE
BRIDGE ON SOUTH HARPER EXTENSION THAT CROSSES OVER THE SOUTH CAROLINA HIGHWAY
127 BYPASS IN LAURENS COUNTY "REVEREND DR. JEFFERSON N. MCDOWELL MEMORIAL
BRIDGE" AND ERECT APPROPRIATE SIGNS OR MARKERS AT THIS LOCATION CONTAINING
THESE WORDS.

W
hereas, Jefferson N.
McDowell born Sept. 2, 1953, to Jeff and Maude McDowell in the Red Town
Community of Enoree. At the age of 12 the family moved to Laurens where he
graduated from Laurens High School. He spent two years in the United States
Army, returned home and attended Greenwood Technical College. While employed
with the South Carolina Department of Corrections, he studied and received an
Honorary Doctorate of Divinity from Spirit of Truth Institute in 2001. In 2005,
he earned a ministerial certificate from Morris College; and

W
hereas, Dr. McDowell
spent fifteen years in service to God as pastor of Wyatt Chapel in Union.
McDowell was installed as the twenty-third pastor of Mount Zion Missionary
Baptist Church on February 12, 2006. He immediately set about doing God's work
by establishing new ministries and committees to better serve the needs of the
church and the community. Ministries included a preaching staff, marriage,
fitness, media, transportation, and greeters, with each ministry playing an
integral role. A grant-seeking and grant-writing committee was established to
explore opportunities for the church. He also established a bus committee to
generate funds to purchase a new church bus. A free Summer Enrichment Program
provides a safe and nurturing environment for community youth; and

W
hereas, beside him, as
he carried out his life's work, was his beloved wife, Dorothy Harper McDowell,
whom he married in 1976. Together they were the parents of three children -
Latrise, Lanise, and Nekia, who blessed them with the affections of three grandchildren;
and

W
hereas, on February
24, 2011, Dr. John T. Berry Sr., and the Church and Community Human Relations
of the Upstate honored Dr. McDowell as an "Unsung Hero," citing his excellence
in leadership, commitment, dedication, inherent dignity, untiring labor, and unique
perspectives in making a difference in bringing about a beacon light of hope,
love, opportunities, and perseverance to activate and promote goodwill and a
better quality of life for all people; and

W
hereas, Dr. McDowell
received the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Award from the Laurens County NAACP in
2020 for bringing about constructive change in the community. He also was a
member of the Laurens County Ministerial Alliance where he served four years as
president; and

W
hereas, following a
life well spent devoted to God, his family, and the community, Reverend Dr. Jefferson
N. McDowell passed away December 4, 2021; and

W
hereas, it is only
fitting and proper that Reverend Dr. Jefferson N. McDowell, a native son of the
Palmetto State who spent his life making conditions better for the people he
served, is honored with a bridge in Laurens County named in his memory. Now, therefore,

B
e it resolved by the House
of Representatives, the Senate concurring:

T
hat the members of the
South Carolina General Assembly, by this resolution, request the Department of
Transportation name the bridge on South Harper Extension that crosses over the
South Carolina Highway 127 Bypass in Laurens County "Reverend Dr. Jefferson
McDowell Memorial Bridge" and erect appropriate signs or markers at this
location containing these words.

B
e it further resolved
that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the Department of
Transportation.

----XX---

This web page was last updated on January 29, 2026 at 4:04 PM