SC lawmaker wants elected officials to pass a constitutional literacy test before running for office

 COLUMBIA, S.C. (WCBD)- A South Carolina lawmaker believes that not enough candidates running for office have a basic understanding of how government works, and he has an idea of how to fix that.

Sen. Josh Kimbrell (R-Spartanburg) is proposing an amendment to the State Constitution that would require anyone who wants to run for office in South Carolina to pass a constitutional competency test.

“If you’re in a position of power where you’re going to vote on laws that affect every single person in a state or country or the district you represent, then you ought to have basic civics knowledge when it comes to the constitutional structure of our state and country,” he said.

Kimbrell said the test — designed, administered, and graded by the University of South Carolina School of Law — would assesses a “basic structural knowledge” of the state’s Constitution and the U.S. Constitution, much like what is required under the REACH Act.

Under the REACH Act of 2021, public high school students must pass a course that includes instruction on the U.S. Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, the Emancipation Proclamation, and the Federalist Papers.

“There are people out there running for office that make promises they can’t possibly keep because they can’t legally do what they’re talking about doing,” Kimbrell said. “I think the public is better served when people run for office and serve in office know the duties, the powers, and the limitations of the office.”

The Upstate senator also pointed to the idea that other professions in South Carolina require an individual to pass a licensing exam before they can practice, such as real estate agents and lawyers.

The proposed legislation would place a referendum on the ballot asking whether voters to decide whether passing the civics test should be an eligibility requirement to run for office. But, the measure must first be approved by two-thirds of each house in the legislature before being posed to the voters.

While this is a significant threshold to clear, Kimbrell said the proposal is “very popular” among his constituents and he hopes it will start a broader conversation.

“Yes I’d like to see this become law, I’d like to see the citizens pass it on a referendum, but just as importantly we’re having a conversation about constitutional literacy on the part of those that are going to serve you in office,” he said. “I think that already is a win for the people of South Carolina.”