1. (A) The interscholastic athletic association, body, or entity shall establish an appeals process through which appeals of decisions by the interscholastic athletic association, body, or entity may be made to a disinterested third-party appellate panel. The panel must consist of seven members who serve four-year terms, with one person appointed by the delegation of each congressional district.

2. (B)

   1. (1) A member of the panel shall serve until his successor is appointed and qualified. A vacancy on the panel must be filled in the manner of the original appointment.
   2. (2) Members of the appellate panel may not concurrently serve as officers of the interscholastic athletic association, body, or entity and may not have served as a member of the executive committee within the three-year period immediately preceding their appointment to the appellate panel.
   3. (3) Principals and superintendents may appeal a ruling of the interscholastic athletic association, body, or entity to the panel. The appellate panel also must provide the final ruling in any appeal brought against a decision of the interscholastic athletic association, body, or entity.
3. (C) The interscholastic athletic association, body, or entity shall establish and ensure a procedure for emergency appeals to be held and decided upon in an expedited manner if the normal appellate process would prohibit the participation of a student, team, program, or school in an athletic event, to include competitions and practices.

4. (D) An appeal stays the determination of a sanction made by the association, body, or entity pending the outcome of the appeal. The appellate panel must consider the following factors prior to making a determination on a sanction:

   1. (1) the seriousness of a violation including, but not limited to, the degree in which a violation made a material difference in the outcome of a contest, if applicable;
   2. (2) the frequency in which a violation is committed;
   3. (3) whether a violation was wilful; and
   4. (4) whether a violation was self-reported.

HISTORY: 2026 Act No. 187 (H.4163), SECTION 2, eff May 18, 2026.

Editor's Note

2026 Act No. 187, SECTION 1, provides as follows:

"SECTION 1. This act may be cited as the 'South Carolina High School League Oversight and Accountability Act.'"