Sen. Grooms-backed bill would allow 4‑year culinary arts degree at state technical colleges

A state Senate subcommittee voted to send a favorable report on bill S.863 after lawmakers and hospitality educators described industry demand for an applied baccalaureate in culinary arts management and said the program can be funded without general‑fund dollars.

Sen. Grooms, the bill sponsor, told the subcommittee the measure would allow technical colleges to expand into a 4‑year culinary degree and argued the hospitality sector "is so vital to our state" and that "I offer this bill as a way of providing a 4 year degree for culinary arts." The sponsor said the state's technical system can manage such expansions and highlighted coastal tourism as a driver for more advanced culinary leadership.

Miss Barton, who explained the bill to the panel, said the proposal would authorize an applied baccalaureate "within the state technical and comprehensive education system provided the program is first approved by the board for technical comprehensive education and then the commission on higher education." She answered a later fiscal question by saying the bill contains a provision to prevent use of general‑fund appropriations and that the program is expected to be supported "on tuition and fees" and current institutional resources, not by new general‑fund spending.

Vicki Wood, president of Trident Technical College, said the degree would advance workforce needs and economic mobility. "The proposed degree will do exactly that. It will prepare graduates for executive chef positions, restaurant operators, and culinary innovators," Wood said, noting Trident serves more than 20,000 academic students and that the regional tourism economy generates roughly $30,000,000,000 annually.

Nathan Rex, dean of the Culinary Institute of Charleston, summarized a recent employer needs assessment and said demand is strong: "We received more than 75 responses... 97% of respondents expressed support for a 4 year culinary degree at the Culinary Institute of Charleston." He and other witnesses argued an in‑state bachelor would help retain students who now leave for out‑of‑state programs.

Business leaders also backed the bill. Tommy Hall, a restaurant operator, gave a local example of a student who left the state to pursue a 4‑year program and said an in‑state option could keep talent local. Dan Blumenstock, vice president of Lowcountry Hotels, cited expansion of high‑school culinary programs—59 high schools statewide—and said the bill provides an affordable pathway for students to continue their training without leaving South Carolina.

Sen. Allen of Greenville asked whether the bill imposed a cost on the state; Miss Barton responded that the fiscal statement indicates the program "will not be out of any funds appropriated by the general fund" and will instead rely on tuition, fees and institution resources. A senator from Pickens asked about approval authority for technical‑college 4‑year degrees and the chair confirmed the committee's role in reviewing such proposals.

After discussion, Sen. Elliot moved for a favorable report to the full committee; the motion was seconded, the chair called the question and the voice vote carried. The subcommittee advanced S.863 to the full committee and adjourned.

The bill text requires institutional and system approvals and subsequent action by the commission on higher education; no full‑committee hearing date was announced during the subcommittee meeting.