South Carolina 2025-2026 Regular Session

South Carolina Senate Bill S1017

Introduced
3/17/26  

Caption

St. Peter's AME Church

Summary

S1017 is a Senate resolution honoring St. Peter AME Church in South Carolina on the dedication of its historical marker and commending the church for its long record of service to the state and its community. The resolution recounts the church’s founding by five formerly enslaved men, its early worship in a bush harbor, the eventual construction of its church building in 1906, and the later addition of an educational mission that included a school for African American children. The resolution also highlights the church’s history of leadership, renovations, and resilience, including damage from inclement weather in 2016 and the construction of a new church in 2020. It recognizes the work of pastors, congregants, and supporters who preserved and documented the church’s legacy, and it formally directs that a copy of the resolution be presented to Reverend Virgil Hammett.

Impact

This resolution does not change state law, create a new program, or appropriate funds. Its legal effect is ceremonial only: it formally recognizes St. Peter AME Church, records legislative appreciation for its historical and community significance, and directs presentation of the resolution to the church’s pastor. The practical impact is symbolic, supporting public recognition of the church’s heritage and its role in African American religious and educational history in South Carolina.

Sentiment

The sentiment around the bill is strongly positive and unanimous in tone. The resolution is written as a commendation, emphasizing gratitude, historical respect, resilience, and community service. Because there is no recorded opposition, amendment activity, committee transcript, or vote history in the provided context, there is no evidence of controversy or divided views.

Contention

There are no notable points of contention in the available materials. The measure is a noncontroversial honorary resolution, and the context provided includes no committee debate, no recorded votes, and no opposition. Any discussion reflected in the text is celebratory rather than disputed, focusing on the church’s historical importance, its educational mission, and its recovery from storm damage.

Companion Bills

No companion bills found.

Previously Filed As

SC S1134

Mt. Nebo Church

SC SR284

Commending First Baptist Church of Petersburg.

SC S0864

St. James the Greater Catholic Church

SC H4489

St. Phillip AME Church, 192nd anniversary

SC H4364

Oak Grove Baptist Church 85th anniversary

SC SR282

A resolution commemorating June 17, 2025, as the tenth anniversary of the Mother Emanuel AME Church shooting.

SC H5657

Nazarene Missionary Baptist Church

SC H5583

Enoree Baptist Church 175th anniversary

SC H4493

Rev. Yvonne Gregg, retirement

SC H4436

Unity ARP Church, 150th anniversary

Similar Bills

SC S1134

Mt. Nebo Church

SC H5588

Hopewell Baptist Church 150th anniversary

SC S0548

Jeannine Smalls

PA SR283

Honoring the life and legacy of Reverend Jesse Jackson.

SC S0673

Reverend Thurmond Merchison

SC S0626

Reverend Kenneth Hodges

US SR584

A resolution honoring the life and legacy of Reverend Richard Smallwood, a world-class composer, pianist, and arranger.

US SR629

A resolution honoring the life and legacy of Reverend Jesse Louis Jackson, Sr., and commending him for his significant leadership during the Civil Rights Movement and his decades of advocacy in pursuit of justice, equality, and human rights.