South Carolina General Assembly126th Session, 2025-2026
Bill 3796
Indicates Matter StrickenIndicates 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 ADDING article 29 to chapter 1, title 1 SO AS TO PROHIBIT A GOVERNMENTAL ENTITY FROM GRANTING OR RECOGNIZING LEGAL PERSONHOOD IN CERTAIN ITEMS. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina: SECTION 1. Chapter 1, Title 1 of the S.C. Code is amended by adding: Article 29 Legal Personhood Section 1-1-1910. (A) As used in this article: (1) "Body of water" means any natural or man-made accumulation of water, regardless of whether the accumulation of water is static or subject to a force that causes a hydrological current. (2) "Governmental entity" means: (a) a court; (b) the General Assembly; (c) the governing body of a political subdivision; or (d) another entity of the State or a political subdivision, if the entity has adjudicatory or rulemaking authority. (3) "Human being" means a member of the species classified as Homo sapiens; (4) "Land" means the solid terrestrial surface or subsurface of the earth. (5) "Legal personhood" means: (a) the legal rights and obligations of an individual under the laws of this State; or (b) the legal rights and obligations of a person other than an individual under the laws of this State. (6) "Political subdivision" means the same as that term is defined in Section 2-7-76. (7) "Real property" means any building, fixture, improvement, appurtenance, structure, or other development that is affixed permanently to land. (8) "State" means the same as that term is defined in Section 1-3-490. (B) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a governmental entity may not grant legal personhood to, nor recognize legal personhood in: (1) artificial intelligence; (2) an inanimate object; (3) a body of water; (4) land; (5) real property; (6) atmospheric gases; (7) an astronomical object; (8) weather; (9) a plant; (10) a nonhuman animal; or (11) any other member of a taxonomic domain that is not a human being. SECTION 2. This act takes upon approval by the Governor. ----XX----
A bill
TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ADDING article 29 to chapter 1, title 1 SO AS TO PROHIBIT A GOVERNMENTAL ENTITY FROM GRANTING OR RECOGNIZING LEGAL PERSONHOOD IN CERTAIN ITEMS.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
SECTION 1. Chapter 1, Title 1 of the S.C. Code is amended by adding:
Article 29
Legal Personhood
Section 1-1-1910. (A) As used in this article:
(1) "Body of water" means any natural or man-made accumulation of water, regardless of whether the accumulation of water is static or subject to a force that causes a hydrological current.
(2) "Governmental entity" means:
(a) a court;
(b) the General Assembly;
(c) the governing body of a political subdivision; or
(d) another entity of the State or a political subdivision, if the entity has adjudicatory or rulemaking authority.
(3) "Human being" means a member of the species classified as Homo sapiens;
(4) "Land" means the solid terrestrial surface or subsurface of the earth.
(5) "Legal personhood" means:
(a) the legal rights and obligations of an individual under the laws of this State; or
(b) the legal rights and obligations of a person other than an individual under the laws of this State.
(6) "Political subdivision" means the same as that term is defined in Section 2-7-76.
(7) "Real property" means any building, fixture, improvement, appurtenance, structure, or other development that is affixed permanently to land.
(8) "State" means the same as that term is defined in Section 1-3-490.
(B) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a governmental entity may not grant legal personhood to, nor recognize legal personhood in:
(1) artificial intelligence;
(2) an inanimate object;
(3) a body of water;
(4) land;
(5) real property;
(6) atmospheric gases;
(7) an astronomical object;
(8) weather;
(9) a plant;
(10) a nonhuman animal; or
(11) any other member of a taxonomic domain that is not a human being.
SECTION 2. This act takes upon approval by the Governor.
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