Prohibition of Discrimination in Contracts

2025-2026 Bill 686: Prohibition of Discrimination in Contracts - South Carolina Legislature Online

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026
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S. 686
STATUS INFORMATION
General Bill
Sponsors: Senators Alexander, Peeler, Martin, Massey, Turner, Climer and Grooms
Document Path: SR-0451KM26.docx
Introduced in the Senate on January 13, 2026
Currently residing in the Senate Committee on
Finance
Summary: Prohibition of Discrimination in Contracts
HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS

Date

Body

Action Description with journal page number

12/10/2025

Senate

Prefiled

12/10/2025

Senate

Referred to Committee on
Finance

1/13/2026

Senate

Introduced and read first time (
Senate Journal-page 16
)

1/13/2026

Senate

Referred to Committee on
Finance
(
Senate Journal-page 16
)

View the latest
legislative information
at the website
VERSIONS OF THIS BILL
12/10/2025

A bill

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ADDING SECTION
11-35-5305
SO AS TO PROHIBIT PUBLIC ENTITIES FROM AWARDING CONTRACTS AND GRANTS
THAT DISCRIMINATE BASED ON RACE AND TO PROVIDE THAT ANY SUCH CONTRACT IS VOID
AND UNENFORCEABLE.

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

S
ECTION 1.
C
hapter 35, Title 11 of the S.C. Code is amended by
adding:

S
ection
11-35-5305
.
(
A) For the purposes
of this section, "public entity" means any agency, office, division, or other
unit by any name of every agency, office, or department of this State, and all
of its political subdivisions, including all institutions of higher learning,
public school districts, public charter school authorizers, and public charter
schools.

(
B)
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a public entity may not require,
impose, mandate or administer any procurement preference, set-aside, quota,
goal, or similar program that classifies, prioritizes, or discriminates based
on race in awarding contracts, subcontracts, grants, or any other public
benefit.

(
C)
Any policy, rule, regulation, or practice adopted or enforced by any public
entity in violation of subsection (A) is void and unenforceable.

(
D)
Any contract provision entered into by any public entity that violates
subsection (A) is void and unenforceable.

(
E)
Any statute or part of a statute in conflict with this section is repealed to
the extent of the conflict.

S
ECTION 2. Sections
12-28-2930
(A)(1)(a),
11-35-5210
,
11-35-5240
, and
11-35-5270
of the S.C. Code
are repealed.

S
ECTION 3. If any section, subsection,
paragraph, subparagraph, sentence, clause, phrase, or word of this act is for
any reason held to be unconstitutional or invalid, such holding shall not
affect the constitutionality or validity of the remaining portions of this act,
the General Assembly hereby declaring that it would have passed this act, and
each and every section, subsection, paragraph, subparagraph, sentence, clause,
phrase, and word thereof, irrespective of the fact that any one or more other
sections, subsections, paragraphs, subparagraphs, sentences, clauses, phrases,
or words hereof may be declared to be unconstitutional, invalid, or otherwise
ineffective.

S
ECTION 4. This act takes effect upon approval
by the Governor.

----XX----

This web page was last updated on January 13, 2026 at 1:08 PM