# South Carolina H 4749: A BILL TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ENACTING THE "FORMING OPEN AND ROBUST UNIVERSITY MINDS (FORUM) ACT" BY ADDING CHAPTER 148 TO TITLE 59 SO AS TO DEFINE NECESSARY TERMS, TO PROVIDE MEASURES TO PROTECT EXPRESSIONS BY STUDENTS AND STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS IN CERTAIN PLACES ON THE CAMPUSES OF PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING IN THIS STATE, TO PROVIDE RELATED REQUIREMENTS FOR POLICIES AND PROCEDURES, TO PROVIDE SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES OF PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING, AND TO PROVIDE MEANS OF REDRESS FOR VIOLATIONS OF THIS ACT, AMONG OTHER THINGS.

South Carolina H 4749, A BILL TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ENACTING THE "FORMING OPEN AND ROBUST UNIVERSITY MINDS (FORUM) ACT" BY ADDING CHAPTER 148 TO TITLE 59 SO AS TO DEFINE NECESSARY TERMS, TO PROVIDE MEASURES TO PROTECT EXPRESSIONS BY STUDENTS AND STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS IN CERTAIN PLACES ON THE CAMPUSES OF PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING IN THIS STATE, TO PROVIDE RELATED REQUIREMENTS FOR POLICIES AND PROCEDURES, TO PROVIDE SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES OF PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING, AND TO PROVIDE MEANS OF REDRESS FOR VIOLATIONS OF THIS ACT, AMONG OTHER THINGS., is a 126th General Assembly (2025-2026) House bill sponsored by Thomas E. "Tommy" Pope (Republican); status failed, last action 2026-01-22 (Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Cromer, D.Mitchell) (as of 2026-10-12).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/SC-H4749-2025-2026
- As of: 2026-10-12
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: South Carolina H 4749
- State: South Carolina
- Session: 126th General Assembly (2025-2026)
- Title: A BILL TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ENACTING THE "FORMING OPEN AND ROBUST UNIVERSITY MINDS (FORUM) ACT" BY ADDING CHAPTER 148 TO TITLE 59 SO AS TO DEFINE NECESSARY TERMS, TO PROVIDE MEASURES TO PROTECT EXPRESSIONS BY STUDENTS AND STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS IN CERTAIN PLACES ON THE CAMPUSES OF PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING IN THIS STATE, TO PROVIDE RELATED REQUIREMENTS FOR POLICIES AND PROCEDURES, TO PROVIDE SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES OF PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING, AND TO PROVIDE MEANS OF REDRESS FOR VIOLATIONS OF THIS ACT, AMONG OTHER THINGS.
- Status: failed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2025-12-16
- Last action: 2026-01-22, Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Cromer, D.Mitchell
- Sponsor: Thomas E. "Tommy" Pope (Republican)
- Cosponsors: 5
- Touches household money: no
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

FORUM Act of 2026

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Thomas E. "Tommy" Pope (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: April Cromer (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Dianne Mitchell (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Sarita L. Edgerton (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Josiah Magnuson (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Joseph S. "Joe" White (Republican), House

## Actions (6)

- 2026-01-22: Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Cromer, D.Mitchell (House)
- 2026-01-14: Member(s) request name added as sponsor: White (House)
- 2026-01-13: Referred to Committee on Education and Public Works (House)
- 2026-01-13: Introduced and read first time (House)
- 2025-12-16: Referred to Committee on Education and Public Works (House)
- 2025-12-16: Prefiled (House)

## Bill text

- Introduced: [HTML](https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess126_2025-2026/bills/4749.htm)

## Related bills

- S 0623: AN ACT TO EXEMPT GEORGETOWN COUNTY FROM CERTAIN BUILDING REQUIREMENTS AND TO ALLOW THE COUNTY TO INSTEAD ENFORCE AE STANDARDS IN GEORGETOWN COUNTY'S FLOOD DAMA… (became law)
- S 0586: AN ACT TO AMEND ACT 172 OF 1995, RELATING TO THE KERSHAW COUNTY TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT EACH MEMBER OF THE KERSHAW COUNTY TRANSPORTATIO… (signed)
- H 5653: AN ACT TO AMEND ACT 843 OF 1952, AS AMENDED, RELATING TO THE LEE COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION, SO AS TO CLARIFY THE METHOD BY WHICH PERSONS FILE TO BECOME A CANDI… (signed)
- S 1062: A JOINT RESOLUTION TO APPROVE REGULATIONS OF THE STATE COMMISSION ON HIGHER EDUCATION, RELATING TO DETERMINATION OF RATES OF TUITION AND FEES, DESIGNATED AS RE… (signed)
- S 0779: A JOINT RESOLUTION TO PROVIDE THAT EACH MEMBER OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY SHALL RECEIVE A MONTHLY LEGISLATIVE EXPENSE ALLOWANCE OF ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS; TO PROVID… (signed)
- H 5261: A JOINT RESOLUTION TO EXTEND THE DEADLINE FOR RECEIVING ALCOHOL SERVER TRAINING AS PROVIDED FOR IN CHAPTER 3, TITLE 61 TO MAY 1, 2026. (signed)

## Sources
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess126_2025-2026/bills/4749.htm)

## Related
- [S 0623: AN ACT TO EXEMPT GEORGETOWN COUNTY FROM CERTAIN BUILDING REQUIREMENTS AND TO AL…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/SC-S0623-2025-2026)
- [S 0586: AN ACT TO AMEND ACT 172 OF 1995, RELATING TO THE KERSHAW COUNTY TRANSPORTATION…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/SC-S0586-2025-2026)
- [H 5653: AN ACT TO AMEND ACT 843 OF 1952, AS AMENDED, RELATING TO THE LEE COUNTY BOARD O…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/SC-H5653-2025-2026)
- [S 1062: A JOINT RESOLUTION TO APPROVE REGULATIONS OF THE STATE COMMISSION ON HIGHER EDU…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/SC-S1062-2025-2026)
- [S 0779: A JOINT RESOLUTION TO PROVIDE THAT EACH MEMBER OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY SHALL RE…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/SC-S0779-2025-2026)
- [H 5261: A JOINT RESOLUTION TO EXTEND THE DEADLINE FOR RECEIVING ALCOHOL SERVER TRAINING…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/SC-H5261-2025-2026)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/SC-H4749-2025-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).