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H5639 • 2026

Countywide school district mandate

Countywide school district mandate

Education
Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor
Rep. Crawford Companion/Similar bill(s): 3470
Last action
2026-04-30
Official status
Referred to Committee on Education and Public Works ( House Journal-page 152 )
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Countywide school district mandate

Countywide school district mandate

What This Bill Does

  • Countywide school district mandate

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-30 House

    Introduced and read first time ( House Journal-page 152 )

  2. 2026-04-30 House

    Referred to Committee on Education and Public Works ( House Journal-page 152 )

Official Summary Text

Countywide school district mandate

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
2025-2026 Bill 5639: Countywide school district mandate - South Carolina Legislature Online

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026
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This Bill
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Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter
H. 5639
STATUS INFORMATION
General Bill
Sponsors: Rep. Crawford
Companion/Similar bill(s): 3470
Document Path: LC-0749WAB26.docx
Introduced in the House on April 30, 2026
Currently residing in the House Committee on
Education and Public Works
Summary: Countywide school district mandate
HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS

Date

Body

Action Description with journal page number

4/30/2026

House

Introduced and read first time (
House Journal-page 152
)

4/30/2026

House

Referred to Committee on
Education and Public Works
(
House Journal-page 152
)

View the latest
legislative information
at the website
VERSIONS OF THIS BILL
04/30/2026

A bill

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ADDING SECTION
59-17-165
SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT ON JULY 1, 2028, THE AREA OF EACH COUNTY OF
THIS STATE ALSO MUST BE CONSTITUTED AS A SCHOOL DISTRICT AND A COUNTY MAY NOT
HAVE MULTIPLE SCHOOL DISTRICTS WITHIN ITS BOUNDARIES, AND TO PROVIDE THAT THE
GENERAL ASSEMBLY BY LOCAL LAW BEFORE JULY 1, 2028, SHALL PROVIDE FOR THE
GOVERNANCE, FISCAL AUTHORITY, AND ADMINISTRATIVE AND OPERATIONAL
RESPONSIBILITIES FOR A COUNTYWIDE SCHOOL DISTRICT WHERE NO PROVISIONS OF LAW NOW
APPLY; AND PROVIDE THAT ALL ACTS OR PARTS OF ACTS RELATING TO A SCHOOL DISTRICT
THAT IS NOT A COUNTYWIDE SCHOOL DISTRICT REQUIRED BY SECTION
59-17-165
ARE
REPEALED AS OF JULY 1, 2028.

B
e it enacted by the
General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

S
ECTION 1.
C
hapter 17, Title 59 of the S.C. Code is amended by
adding:

S
ection
59-17-165
.
(
A) On July 1, 2028, the
area of each county of this State also must be constituted as a school district
and a county may not have multiple school districts within its boundaries,
provided that nothing in this section prevents a portion of a county from being
a part of a school district in another county.

(
B)
The General Assembly by local law before July 1, 2028, shall provide for the
governance, fiscal authority, and administrative and operational
responsibilities for a countywide school district where no provisions of law
now apply.

S
ECTION 2. All
acts or parts of acts relating to a school district that is not a countywide
school district required by Section
59-17-165
of the S.C. Code are repealed on
July 1, 2028.

S
ECTION 3. This act takes effect upon approval
by the Governor.

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This web page was last updated on April 30, 2026 at 1:03 PM