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2025-2026 Bill 5271: Public Assistance and Citizenship Verification - South Carolina Legislature Online
South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026
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H. 5271
STATUS INFORMATION
General Bill
Sponsors: Rep. Long
Document Path: LC-0302HA26.docx
Introduced in the House on February 26, 2026
Currently residing in the House Committee on
Ways and Means
Summary: Public Assistance and Citizenship Verification
HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS
Date
Body
Action Description with journal page number
2/26/2026
House
Introduced and read first time (
House Journal-page 10
)
2/26/2026
House
Referred to Committee on
Ways and Means
(
House Journal-page 10
)
View the latest
legislative information
at the website
VERSIONS OF THIS BILL
02/26/2026
A bill
TO AMEND THE SOUTH
CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION
43-5-15
, RELATING TO APPLICATIONS FOR
PUBLIC AID AND ASSISTANCE, SO AS TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES
TO VERIFY APPLICANTS' CITIZENSHIP STATUS AND ELIGIBILITY TO RECEIVE THE REQUESTED
BENEFITS.
B
e it enacted by the
General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
S
ECTION 1.
S
ection
43-5-15
of the S.C. Code is amended to read:
S
ection
43-5-15
.
(
A)
Applications for assistance under the provisions of
this chapter shall be made as provided in this chapter and when no such
provision has been made in accordance with the manner and form prescribed by
the department.
(
B) Prior to approval of an application
for assistance, the department must verify an applicant's citizenship status
and benefit eligibility pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 29, Title 8.
Unless otherwise required by federal law, the department shall not approve an
application for assistance without verifying that the applicant is a United
States citizen and eligible to receive the requested benefits.
S
ECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval
by the Governor.
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This web page was last updated on February 26, 2026 at 11:14 AM