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2025-2026 Bill 5508: Alyasha Maple 2026 S.C. Journalist of the year from the S.C. Press Association - South Carolina Legislature Online
South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026
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H. 5508
STATUS INFORMATION
House Resolution
Sponsors: Reps. G.M. Smith, Weeks, Alexander, Anderson, Atkinson, Bailey, Ballentine, Bamberg, Bannister, Bauer, Beach, Bernstein, Bowers, Bradley, Brewer, Brittain, Burns, Bustos, Calhoon, Caskey, Chapman, Chumley, Clyburn, Cobb-Hunter, Collins, Cox, Crawford, Cromer, Davis, Dillard, Duncan, Edgerton, Erickson, Ford, Forrest, Frank, Gagnon, Garvin, Gatch, Gibson, Gilliam, Gilliard, Gilreath, Govan, Grant, Guest, Guffey, Haddon, Hager, Hardee, Harris, Hart, Hartnett, Hartz, Hayes, Henderson-Myers, Herbkersman, Hewitt, Hiott, Hixon, Holman, Hosey, Howard, Huff, J.E. Johnson, J.L. Johnson, Jones, Jordan, Kilmartin, King, Kirby, Landing, Lastinger, Lawson, Ligon, Long, Lowe, Luck, Magnuson, Martin, McCabe, McCravy, McDaniel, McGinnis, C. Mitchell, D. Mitchell, Montgomery, J. Moore, T. Moore, Morgan, Moss, Neese, B. Newton, W. Newton, Oremus, Pace, Pedalino, Pope, Rankin, Reese, Rivers, Robbins, Rose, Rutherford, Sanders, Schuessler, Scott, Sessions, M.M. Smith, Spann-Wilder, Stavrinakis, Taylor, Teeple, Terribile, Vaughan, Waters, Wetmore, White, Whitmire, Wickensimer, Williams, Willis, Wooten and Yow
Document Path: LC-0501VR-JAH26.docx
Introduced in the House on April 14, 2026
Adopted by the House on April 14, 2026
Summary: Alyasha Maple 2026 S.C. Journalist of the year from the S.C. Press Association
HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS
Date
Body
Action Description with journal page number
4/14/2026
House
Introduced and adopted (
House Journal-page 7
)
View the latest
legislative information
at the website
VERSIONS OF THIS BILL
04/14/2026
A
house
RESOLUTION
TO RECOGNIZE AND
COMMEND ALAYSHA MAPLE FOR BEING NAMED THE 2025 DAILY JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR BY
THE SOUTH CAROLINA PRESS ASSOCIATION.
W
hereas, the members of
the South Carolina House of Representatives are pleased to honor Alaysha Maple,
Next Gen News Editor and public safety and arts and entertainment reporter for the
Sumter Item, upon her receipt of the 2025 Journalist of the Year award for
daily newspapers, at the annual South Carolina Press Association awards
ceremony held at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center on Friday, March
6, 2026; and
W
hereas, the South
Carolina Press Association's annual news contest recognizes excellence in
journalism produced during the previous year, and this recognition of Alaysha
Maple marks the first time in the 132-year history of the family-owned
newspaper that a Sumter Item reporter has received this prestigious honor. In
addition, according to the association's records, Alaysha Maple also is the
first Black woman to be named Journalist of the Year in the history of the
awards; and
W
hereas, a native of
Sumter, Alaysha Maple is a 2021 graduate of College of Charleston, where she
earned a bachelor of arts in communication. She joined the Sumter Item later
that year as a multimedia reporter and has since been promoted to editor of the
paper's Next Generation beat, where she leads Sumter's Next Generation series and
coordinates student-focused field trips and community programming; and
W
hereas, Alaysha Maple
has distinguished herself through comprehensive coverage of crime, local
government, investigative reporting, feature writing, and community events. Her
work reflects diligent research, persistence, and a steadfast commitment to
ensuring important stories receive sustained public attention, earning
recognition for its fairness, accuracy, and impact; and
W
hereas, her individual
work that was awarded in the 2025 contest included two first-place honors for best
series, with video editor Zac Hooks, for
Past is Present
, and best government
beat reporting, as well as second-place award for best arts and entertainment reporting
for a story on the Sumter Community Concert Band, and a third-place recognition
for her obituary of Wilson Hall matriarch Sarah Witherspoon Nash Wilson. She
has also contributed to staff honors for General Excellence and best special edition
in Life is Good, both earning second place; and
W
hereas, during the
contest period, Alaysha Maple graduated from America's Newspapers' Executive
Development Program and has participated in additional professional development
cohorts, bringing enhanced expertise to her newsroom. She also mentors two USC
Sumter student interns through a partnership supported by the
Williams-Brice-Edwards Charitable Trust; and
W
hereas, beyond her
professional accomplishments, Alaysha Maple's dedication to mentorship,
collaboration with students, and ability to build meaningful relationships
across her community, from residents to business leaders to public officials,
further distinguish her service; and
W
hereas, the members of
the South Carolina House of Representatives commend Alaysha Maple for her
insightful reporting, articulate writing, and an unwavering commitment to
excellence in journalism. Now, therefore,
B
e it resolved by the
House of Representatives
:
T
hat the members of the
South Carolina
House of Representatives
,
by this resolution, recognize and commend Alaysha Maple for being named as the
2025 Daily Journalist of the Year by the South Carolina Press Association.
B
e it further resolved
that a copy of this resolution be presented to Alaysha Maple.
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This web page was last updated on April 14, 2026 at 12:57 PM