OCONEE COUNTY NEWS DESK · SOUTH CAROLINA
Oconee’s H.4762 votes: Whitmire and Duncan backed the school-chaplain bill
A named House roll call adds local detail to the school-religion debate. The vote is documented; enactment and a new Oconee district program are not.
Both Oconee-area House members voted yes at second reading on February 25, 2026.
How Whitmire and Duncan voted
The February 25, 2026 South Carolina House Journal lists Whitmire and Duncan among the 84 members voting yes on H.4762 at second reading; 31 voted no. The entry immediately following that roll call says the amended bill advanced to third reading.
That is the relevant passage vote. The same long journal contains many amendment and procedural votes, so finding a legislator’s name elsewhere on the page does not answer this question. Look for the final H.4762 tally of 84–31, followed by the second-reading disposition.
The official profiles identify William R. “Bill” Whitmire, House District 1 and Adam L. Duncan, House District 2 as Republicans representing districts that include Oconee and Pickens. The Oconee elected-officials guide explains the separate offices.
Two different school-religion provisions
The reviewed H.4762 text combines optional local chaplain policies with a proposed classroom Ten Commandments requirement.
For chaplains, it would permit school districts and charter schools to adopt policies, require written parental consent and background checks, disclose religious affiliation, and prohibit chaplains from promoting or requiring a particular religion while serving under that authorization during school hours on school grounds.
The separate display provision proposes Ten Commandments posters in classrooms by January 1, 2027. That date is in proposed text; it is not an enacted deadline established by this record.
Whitmire appears on the sponsor list. Duncan’s documented yes vote is established by the journal, whether or not he sponsored the bill. These are separate kinds of evidence.
What this means for Oconee schools
The official bill history, checked October 16, shows House third reading on March 3 and referral to Senate Education on March 4. It lists the bill as residing in that committee and shows no enactment.
Analysis: A vote for this combined bill documents support at that legislative stage. It does not reveal either representative’s personal religious beliefs or establish a separate position on every clause. Nor does a House vote create an SDOC chaplain program.
A local implementation report would need a district policy, an approved board action and operational details. This review establishes none of those. The school-board and parental-rights guide provides the district-record starting points. The faith and religious-liberty tracker supplies broader legal and legislative context.
Sources, dates and related votes
Primary records reviewed October 16, 2026: H.4762 history and amended text, the February 25 House Journal, and the official Whitmire and Duncan profiles. A later chamber action or district record would warrant an update.
For their different recorded action on abortion-drug legislation, read Whitmire and Duncan’s H.4760 votes. For local organizations, use the Oconee Republican directory.