S 701

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026
Bill 701
Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter
(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)
A bill
TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING
SECTION 7-15-310, RELATING TO ABSENTEE VOTING DEFINITIONS, SO AS TO INCLUDE
MEMBERS OF THE UNITED STATES SPACE FORCE AS MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES; BY
AMENDING SECTION 7-15-610, RELATING TO DEFINITIONS PERTAINING TO THE SOUTH
CAROLINA UNIFORM MILITARY AND OVERSEAS VOTERS ACT, SO AS TO MAKE CONFORMING
CHANGES; BY AMENDING SECTION 8-7-10, RELATING TO DEFINITIONS PERTAINING TO
ABSENCES IN MILITARY SERVICE, SO AS TO MAKE CONFORMING CHANGES; AND BY AMENDING
SECTION 63-5-910, RELATING TO DEFINITIONS PERTIANING TO THE MILITARY PARENT
EQUAL PROTECTION ACT, SO AS TO MAKE CONFORMING CHANGES.
Be it enacted by the
General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
SECTION 1.  Section 7-15-310(1) of the S.C. Code is amended to
read:
    (1) "Members of the Armed Forces of the
United States" means members of the United States Army, the United States Navy,
the United States Marine Corps, the United States Air Force, the United States Space Force, the United States Coast
Guard, or any of their respective components.
SECTION 2.  Section 7-15-610 (1), (11), and (12) of the S.C. Code
is amended to read:
    (1) "Members of the Armed Forces of the
United States" means members of the United States Army, the United States Navy,
the United States Marine Corps, the United States Air Force, the United States Space Force, the United States Coast
Guard, or any of their respective components.
    (11)
"Uniformed service" means:
       (a)
active and reserve components of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard of the United
States;
       (b)
the Merchant Marine, the commissioned corps of the Public Health Service, or
the commissioned corps of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
of the United States;  or
       (c)
the National Guard or organized militia.
    (12)
"Uniformed-service voter" means an individual who is qualified to vote and is:
       (a)
a member of the active or reserve components of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard of the United
States who is on active duty;
       (b)
a member of the Merchant Marine, the commissioned corps of the Public Health
Service, or the commissioned corps of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration of the United States;
       (c)
a member on activated status of the National Guard or organized militia;  or
       (d)
a spouse or dependent of a member referred to in this item.
SECTION 3.  Section 8-7-10(2) of the S.C. Code is amended to read:
    (2) "Military service" means service in
the Army, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, or Marine
Corps of the United States or any compulsory service in any capacity to the
Federal Government for the purpose of national defense;  and
SECTION 4.  Section 63-5-910(A)(1) of the S.C. Code is amended to
read:
    (A)(1) In the case of a parent who is a
member of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, Marine
Corps, Coast Guard, or a Reserve component of these services, "military service
or service" means a deployment for combat operations, a contingency operation,
or a natural disaster based on orders that do not permit a family member to
accompany the member on the deployment.
SECTION 5.  This act takes effect upon approval
by the Governor.
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This web page was last updated on December 10, 2025 at 02:21 PM