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H 5205
College Safety Training Programs for Students
Floor Vote
Jurisdiction
South Carolina
Measure
H 5205
Session
126th Session (2025-2026)
Last updated at
May 12, 2026, 10:46 PM
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
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A bill to amend the south carolina code of laws by adding article 4 to chapter 101, title 59 so as to require each public college, university, and technical college IN this state to implement a safety training program for all new students, to provide exclusions from the programs, to provide requirements of the programs, to require each institution to compile and annually report certain campus crime statistics, among other things, to provide additional reporting requirements, and to provide enforcement mechanisms.
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Primary sponsor
McGinnis
HouseSCRepublican
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South Carolina General Assembly126th Session, 2025-2026 Download This Bill in Microsoft Word Format Indicates Matter StrickenIndicates New Matter H. 5205 STATUS INFORMATION General BillSponsors: Reps. McGinnis, Erickson, Grant, Spann-Wilder and GovanCompanion/Similar bill(s): 4739Document Path: LC-0652WAB26.docx Introduced in the House on February 18, 2026Introduced in the Senate on February 25, 2026Last Amended on April 29, 2026Currently residing in the House Summary: College Safety Training Programs for StudentsHISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS Date Body Action Description with journal page number 2/18/2026 House Introduced and read first time (House Journal-page 49) 2/18/2026 House Referred to Committee on Education and Public Works (House Journal-page 49) 2/18/2026 Scrivener's error corrected 2/19/2026 House Committee report: Favorable Education and Public Works (House Journal-page 11) 2/24/2026 Scrivener's error corrected 2/24/2026 House Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Govan 2/24/2026 House Read second time (House Journal-page 63) 2/24/2026 House Roll call Yeas-106 Nays-0 (House Journal-page 64) 2/25/2026 House Read third time and sent to Senate (House Journal-page 17) 2/25/2026 Senate Introduced and read first time (Senate Journal-page 9) 2/25/2026 Senate Referred to Committee on Education (Senate Journal-page 9) 4/16/2026 Senate Committee report: Favorable with amendment Education (Senate Journal-page 6) 4/29/2026 Senate Committee Amendment Adopted (Senate Journal-page 85) 4/29/2026 Senate Read second time (Senate Journal-page 85) 4/29/2026 Senate Roll call Ayes-43 Nays-0 (Senate Journal-page 82) 4/30/2026 Senate Read third time and returned to House with amendments (Senate Journal-page 38) 5/6/2026 House Concurred in Senate amendment and enrolled (House Journal-page 66) 5/6/2026 House Roll call Yeas-116 Nays-0 (House Journal-page 67) View the latest legislative information at the website VERSIONS OF THIS BILL 02/18/202602/18/2026-A02/19/202602/24/202604/16/202604/29/2026 Indicates Matter Stricken Indicates New Matter Committee Amendment Adopted April 29, 2026 H. 5205 Introduced by Reps. McGinnis, Erickson, Grant, Spann-Wilder and Govan S. Printed 4/29/26--S. Read the first time February 25, 2026 ________ A bill TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ADDING ARTICLE 4 TO CHAPTER 101, TITLE 59 SO AS TO REQUIRE EACH PUBLIC COLLEGE, UNIVERSITY, AND TECHNICAL COLLEGE IN THIS STATE TO IMPLEMENT A SAFETY TRAINING PROGRAM FOR ALL NEW STUDENTS, TO PROVIDE EXCLUSIONS FROM THE PROGRAMS, TO PROVIDE REQUIREMENTS OF THE PROGRAMS, TO REQUIRE EACH INSTITUTION TO COMPILE AND ANNUALLY REPORT CERTAIN CAMPUS CRIME STATISTICS, AMONG OTHER THINGS, TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL REPORTING REQUIREMENTS, AND TO PROVIDE ENFORCEMENT MECHANISMS. Amend Title To Conform Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina: SECTION 1. Chapter 101, Title 59 of the S.C. Code is amended by adding: Article 4 College Safety Training Programs for Students Section 59-101-810. As used in this article: (1) "Institution of higher learning" is defined pursuant to Section 59-103-5. (2) "Public safety director" means the director or equivalent designated leader of a campus public safety department. (3) "Campus public safety department" means the division of an institution of higher learning that provides law enforcement and safety services to the institution. (4) "Affiliated" means anyone who possessed or possesses a valid campus identification at the time the alleged crime occurred including, but not limited to, students, faculty, staff, and contractors. Section 59-101-820. (A) Beginning with the 2027-2028 School Year, each institution of higher learning shall develop and implement a safety training program for all new students. The training must be administered during the student's initial orientation or within the first thirty days of the student's arrival on campus. The provisions of this subsection apply to undergraduate and graduate students who are enrolled on a full-time or part-time basis and physically attend class on campus. The provisions of this subsection do not apply to: (1) students who are only enrolled in adult education, dual enrollment, or certificate programs; (2) continuing education students; and (3) transient students. (B)(1) The training program for an institution of higher learning to which the provisions of this article apply must be developed by the institution's public safety director, in coordination with the institution's president and governing board. In the absence of a campus public safety department, a technical college shall contract with the security personnel that it uses on campus to develop and implement the student safety training in coordination with the president and governing board. (2) Notwithstanding the provisions of item (1), the president of the University of South Carolina system, in coordination with the governing board, shall work with the appropriate administrative personnel or public safety personnel at each system institution to ensure that each campus implements a training program as required by this chapter. (3) The content, format, and delivery method of the training must be determined by each institution and may include orientation programs, first-year experience courses, online modules, or any other methods considered appropriate by the institution. (C) The student safety training program must include information and instruction on the following topics: (1) personal safety and situational awareness on campus; (2) emergency procedures, including evacuation, lockdown, and shelter-in-place protocols; (3) how to access campus security services, emergency alerts, and communication systems; (4) prevention of and response to sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking, including Title IX rights and reporting procedures; (5) the role and contact information of the institution's behavioral intervention team or threat assessment team, if applicable; (6) bystander intervention strategies and safe reporting practices; and (7) information on campus mental health resources and crisis response protocols. (D) Institutions may tailor their training to the unique needs, size, and resources of their campuses, and may include additional topics as considered appropriate. (E)(1) Before January thirty-first of each academic year: (a) each public college and university shall submit an annual report to the Commission on Higher Education; and (b) each technical college shall submit an annual report to the State Board for Technical and Comprehensive Education. (2) The report required in item (1) must include a summary of the student safety training program, the methods of delivery, and any associated training materials. Section 59-101-830. (A)(1) Beginning with the 2027-2028 School Year, each institution of higher learning shall submit its annual security report required by federal law and the summary analysis described in subsection (B) to the Commission on Higher Education or the State Board of Technical and Comprehensive Education, as appropriate, and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division no later than October thirty-first of each year. The annual security report and the summary analysis described in subsection (B) shall cover the time period of January first through December thirty-first of the preceding calendar year. (2) Each institution, the Commission on Higher Education, the State Board of Technical and Comprehensive Education, and the State Law Enforcement Division shall make reports required pursuant to this section available on their websites and provide a summary to the House Education and Public Works Committee and the Senate Education Committee no later than December first each year. (B) Each institution shall compile and report a summary analysis as required in Section 59-101-830(A), to include the number of criminal reports alleging homicide, sexual assault, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, motor vehicle larceny, and arson reported to have occurred on property owned, leased, or controlled by the institution. The annual summary analysis shall, to the extent possible, report whether the alleged victim and alleged offender were affiliated with the institution at the time the crime was reported. (C) Upon a request by the Speaker of the House, the Chairman of House Education and Public Works, the President of the Senate, or the Chairman of Senate Education for interim campus safety or crime reporting data, the institution must provide the requested data within thirty calendar days after receipt of the request. (D) Nothing in this section may be construed to require disclosure of personally identifiable information or information that would compromise an ongoing criminal investigation. (E) Nothing in this section may be construed to limit, modify, or otherwise affect the duties of institutions of higher learning or relieve any institution from complying with all applicable federal reporting and disclosure requirements. Section 59-101-840. (A) Each institution shall make publicly available on its website its campus safety plan or plans, to the extent that such plans are not confidential, sensitive, or otherwise protected from public disclosure under state or federal law. (B) If an institution does not currently have a campus safety plan, it shall develop and implement one in coordination with the institution's public safety director, president, and board of trustees. The institution shall then post the nonconfidential portions of the plan on its website. (C) Institutions must review and update their posted safety plans at least once per academic year. A posted safety plan must include the date of its issuance and most recent update if any update has been made. Section 59-101-850. (A) The Commission on Higher Education and State Board for Technical and Comprehensive Education shall maintain a record of the annual reports required pursuant to Section 59-101-820(E) and Section 59-101-830. (B) By December first of each year, the Commission on Higher Education and State Board for Technical and Comprehensive Education shall determine whether each institution under its respective purview has complied with the provisions of this article for that calendar year. (C) By January first of each year, the Commission on Higher Education and State Board for Technical and Comprehensive Education shall notify the chairmen of the House Education and Public Works Committee and the Senate Education Committee of any institutions not in compliance with the provisions of this article. SECTION 2. Chapter 101, Title 59 of the S.C. Code is amended by adding: Section 59-101-440. (A) Beginning with the 2027-2028 School Year, each public institution of higher learning in this State shall make opioid and fentanyl prevention education and awareness information available to enrolled students. Education may be provided in person or electronically and must include information on recognizing an opioid overdose, appropriate response including contacting emergency services, and the legal protections available to people who seek medical assistance or render aid in good faith pursuant to Section 15-1-310 and the South Carolina Overdose Prevention Act. (B) The information required by subsection (A) must be posted on a publicly accessible portion of each institution's internet website for viewing by students, parents, and legal guardians. (C) Each institution of higher learning shall provide training on the administration of naloxone or other opioid overdose reversal medication to staff assigned to work in student residence halls. The training may be incorporated into existing training programs. (D) For the purpose of assisting a person at risk of experiencing an opioid-related overdose, an institution of higher learning may obtain, possess, store, and maintain naloxone or other opioid overdose reversal medication pursuant to a standing order, statewide protocol, or other lawful mechanism authorized under the South Carolina Overdose Prevention Act, and may make the medication available for use in responding to a suspected overdose on property owned or controlled by the institution. (E) A person who, in good faith and in accordance with training, administers opioid overdose reversal medication pursuant to this section is entitled to the immunities and protections provided under Section 15-1-310 and the South Carolina Overdose Prevention Act. (F) For purposes of this section: (1) "Institution of higher learning" is defined pursuant to Section 59-103-5. (2) "South Carolina Overdose Prevention Act" means Chapter 130 of Title 44. SECTION 3. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor. ----XX---- This web page was last updated on April 29, 2026 at 8:58 PM