H 5357 South Carolina House · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Inmate minimum wage

Summary
A BILL TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ADDING SECTION 24-3-230 SO AS TO PROVIDE FOR THE COMPENSATION OF CERTAIN INMATES; BY AMENDING SECTION 24-1-295, RELATING TO INMATES EMPLOYED FOR WORK INVOLVING EXPORTATION OF PRODUCTS, SO AS TO PROVIDE INMATES MAY NOT BE COMPENSATED LESS THAN AN HOURLY RATE EQUAL TO THE FEDERAL MINIMUM WAGE; BY AMENDING SECTION 24-3-20, RELATING TO CONVICTED PERSONS, CUSTODY, PLACE OF CONFINEMENT, WORK RELEASE AND TRAINING PROGRAMS, LITTER REMOVAL, AND RESTITUTION PROGRAMS, SO AS TO PROVIDE INMATES MAY NOT BE COMPENSATED LESS THAN AN HOURLY RATE EQUAL TO THE FEDERAL MINIMUM WAGE; BY AMENDING SECTION 24-3-27, RELATING TO LOCAL REGIONAL CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES AND EMPLOYMENT OF INMATES, SO AS TO PROVIDE INMATES MAY BE COMPENSATED LESS THAN THE PREVAILING WAGE FOR WORK OF A SIMILAR NATURE IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR, BUT NOT LESS THAN AN HOURLY RATE EQUAL TO THE FEDERAL MINIMUM WAGE; AND BY AMENDING SECTION 24-3-30, RELATING TO PLACES OF INMATE CONFINEMENT, SO AS TO PROVIDE INMATES MAY BE COMPENSATED LESS THAN THE PREVAILING WAGE FOR WORK OF A SIMILAR NATURE IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR, BUT NOT LESS THAN AN HOURLY RATE EQUAL TO THE FEDERAL MINIMUM WAGE.
Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Mar 2026
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Mar 11, 2026 Last action Mar 11, 2026
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Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
2
Key actions
0
Committee
1
Mar 11, 2026
Committee
Referred to Committee on Ways and Means
lower
Mar 11, 2026
Introduced
Introduced and read first time
lower
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of Jermaine Johnson
Jermaine Johnson
DDemocratic
SC
52