Stewart Jones

Jones was a founding member of the South Carolina Freedom Caucus,"South Carolina House Conservatives Form Own Freedom Caucus". Charlotte Observer. Retrieved December 18, 2022."South Carolina Freedom Caucus". Twitter. November 10, 2022. Retrieved December 18, 2022. and an Executive Committee Member of the SC House Family Caucus.{{Cite web |title=SC Family Caucus |url=https://scfamilycaucus.org/ |access-date=2024-01-21 |website=Family Caucus of the South Carolina General Assembly |language=en-US}} He chaired the Early Childhood Development Committee.{{Cite web |title=Legislator Information |url=https://services.statescape.com/LegislatorInfo/Legislator.aspx?id=17718 |access-date=2024-01-21 |website=services.statescape.com}} Jones served as 2nd Vice Chair of the House Interstate Cooperation Committee, and also served on the House Education and Public Works Committee."House Standing Committees". South Carolina Legislature. December 7, 2022. Retrieved December 18, 2022.

Jones was one of three legislators who wrote to the Governor on April 15, 2020, saying "we cannot support labeling businesses as 'non-essential' — much less ordering them to close."{{Cite web |last=Brown |first=Kirk |title=3 Upstate legislators urge Gov. McMaster to allow SC businesses to reopen during pandemic |url=https://www.greenvilleonline.com/story/news/local/2020/04/15/3-legislators-urge-gov-mcmaster-reopen-shuttered-sc-businesses/2990388001/ |access-date=2024-01-21 |website=The Greenville News |language=en-US}} On April 29, the three lawmakers including Jones urged House Speaker Jay Lucas, "to reconvene members of the House of Representatives, under the belief the House might be able to vote to end Gov. McMaster's newest "State of Emergency" in response to the coronavirus."{{Cite web |last=Tripp |first=Drew |date=2020-04-29 |title=SC lawmakers want to overrule McMaster, end state of emergency & reopen businesses |url=https://abcnews4.com/news/local/sc-lawmakers-propose-overruling-mcmaster-to-end-state-of-emergency-reopen-businesses |access-date=2024-01-21 |website=WCIV |language=en}}

Jones held a press conference on the steps of the state capital in Columbia, announcing plans to bring the signed petitions straight to the governor's desk.

"They don't want to ask the government for any assistance, they want their freedom, they want to be able to run their business and run their lives," said Jones.{{Cite web |date=2020-04-27 |title='They want their freedom' {{!}} Some in SC advocating for reopening of hair salons |url=https://www.wcnc.com/article/money/business/some-in-sc-advocating-reopening-hair-salons/275-d3167e29-66e4-4ed4-a46d-e581cef95f4c |access-date=2024-01-21 |website=www.wcnc.com |language=en}}

In December 2021, passed 3126,{{Cite web |last=Chhetri |first=Devyani |title=South Carolina House Republicans make plans to oppose Biden's vaccine mandate |url=https://www.greenvilleonline.com/story/news/local/south-carolina/2021/09/10/sc-house-republicans-call-special-meeting-oppose-bidens-federal-vaccine-mandate/8275492002/ |access-date=2024-01-21 |website=The Greenville News |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=2021-2022 Bill 3126: Vaccine mandates - South Carolina Legislature Online |url=https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess124_2021-2022/bills/3126.htm |access-date=2024-01-21 |website=www.scstatehouse.gov}} a bill to ban federal COVID vaccine mandates{{Cite web |last=Stewart |first=Brenda |date=2022-05-02 |title=Medical Freedom Bill Signed into Law in South Carolina |url=https://whosonthemove.com/medical-freedom-bill-signed-into-law-in-south-carolina/ |access-date=2024-01-21 |website=Who's On The Move |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Green |first=Mary |date=2021-12-10 |title=SC House passes controversial bill banning some vaccine mandates |url=https://www.live5news.com/2021/12/10/sc-house-passes-controversial-bill-banning-some-vaccine-mandates/ |access-date=2024-01-21 |website=www.live5news.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2021-12-10 |title=SC House passes COVID-19 vaccine mandate ban bill |url=https://www.wspa.com/news/state-news/sc-house-passes-covid-19-vaccine-mandate-ban-bill/ |access-date=2024-01-21 |website=WSPA 7NEWS |language=en-US}} and a proviso to prohibit forced masking, COVID vaccines, and COVID tests in South Carolina K-12 schools.{{Cite web |last=Adcox |first=Seanna |date=2021-07-29 |title=SC school officials say they won't mandate masks despite CDC advice: 'Our hands are tied' |url=https://www.postandcourier.com/columbia/sc-school-officials-say-they-wont-mandate-masks-despite-cdc-advice-our-hands-are-tied/article_fd53b524-efc0-11eb-833e-57f902f77386.html |access-date=2024-01-21 |website=Post and Courier |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Mintzer |first=Adam |date=2021-08-11 |title=How the state budget blocked SC schools from implementing mask mandates |url=https://www.wistv.com/2021/08/11/how-state-budget-blocked-sc-schools-implementing-mask-mandates/ |access-date=2024-01-21 |website=www.wistv.com |language=en}} He also passed provisos to ban forced masking, COVID testing and vaccines in state funded universities and schools.{{Cite web |last=Stansell |first=Kaitlin |date=2021-06-10 |title=Schools, universities could lose funding if they require masks, COVID testing or vaccines |url=https://www.live5news.com/2021/06/10/budget-amendments-could-strip-schools-universities-funding-if-they-require-masks-covid-testing-or-vaccines/ |access-date=2024-01-21 |website=www.live5news.com |language=en}}

In 2021, Jones led 36 lawmakers on a petition demanding the state school board association's withdrawal from the National School Boards Association.{{Cite web |last=Chhetri |first=Devyani |title=SC School Board Association leaves national group after pressure from parents, lawmakers |url=https://www.greenvilleonline.com/story/news/local/south-carolina/2021/11/08/south-carolina-school-board-association-leaves-national-group-backlash/6346769001/ |access-date=2024-01-21 |website=The Greenville News |language=en-US}}

Jones supported the Fetal Heartbeat Bill,{{Cite web |date=2022-06-28 |title=Who voted for, against South Carolina's Fetal Heartbeat Act? |url=https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/politics/south-carolina-politics/sc-fetal-heartbeat-act-votes-2021-politics-south-carolina/275-ba732529-09ab-4f31-989a-5fb07ff0478b |access-date=2024-01-21 |website=wcnc.com |language=en-US}} which was signed into law with exceptions.{{Cite web |title=2023-2024 Bill 474: Abortion - Fetal Heartbeat |url=https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess125_2023-2024/bills/474.htm |access-date=2024-01-21 |website=www.scstatehouse.gov}} In 2023, Jones was one of 21 Republican co-sponsors of the South Carolina Prenatal Equal Protection Act of 2023, which would make women who had abortions eligible for the death penalty.{{cite web |title=H. 3549 |url=https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess125_2023-2024/bills/3549.htm |publisher=South Carolina General Assembly}}{{cite news |last1=Stuart |first1=Tessa |title=21 South Carolina GOP Lawmakers Propose Death Penalty for Women Who Have Abortions |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/south-carolina-death-penalty-abortion-1234695566/ |work=Rolling Stone |date=March 13, 2023}}

Jones helped to pass the First Steps Act of South Carolina in August 2023 "ensuring every child in South Carolina has an opportunity to have a great education and a future."{{Cite web |date=2023-08-10 |title=McMaster signs bill to permanently authorize First Steps |url=https://www.wspa.com/news/state-news/mcmaster-signs-bill-to-permanently-authorize-first-steps/ |access-date=2024-01-21 |website=WSPA 7NEWS |language=en-US}}

{{See also|2024 United States House of Representatives elections in South Carolina}}

In March 2024, Jones filed to run for South Carolina Congressional District 3 House of Representatives when incumbent Jeff Duncan announced that he would not seek re-election.{{Cite news |last=Chandler |first=Alvieann |date=January 29, 2024 |title=SC Rep. Stewart Jones announces campaign for Congress |url=https://www.foxcarolina.com/2024/01/29/state-rep-stewart-jones-announces-campaign-jeff-duncans-seat/ |access-date=March 17, 2024 |work=Fox Carolina}}{{Cite news |last=Holdman |first=Jessica |date=January 23, 2024 |title=Rep. Stewart Jones, original member of hardline Freedom Caucus, will run for SC 3rd District |url=https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/rep-stewart-jones-original-member-hardline-freedom-caucus-will-run-sc-3rd-district |access-date=March 17, 2024 |work=News From the States}}{{Cite news |date=January 29, 2024 |title=Jones announces bid for SC Third Congressional District |url=https://www.golaurens.com/news/jones-announces-bid-for-sc-third-congressional-district/article_f72b27f2-bee1-11ee-a96a-278fcc7b341a.html |access-date=March 17, 2024 |work=Go Laurens}} Among the field of seven candidates vying for the Republican nomination, Jones placed 4th in the June primary.{{Cite web |title=Election Night Reporting |url=https://www.enr-scvotes.org/SC/121614/web.317647/#/detail/27007 |access-date=2024-12-11 |website=www.enr-scvotes.org |language=en}} Jones was succeeded in the State House by Luke Samuel Rankin.

{{Reflist}}

• [https://votestewartjones.com/ Stewart Jones for Congress]
• [https://www.scstatehouse.gov/member.php?code=0952272613&session=125 Representative Stewart O. Jones]

{{South Carolina House of Representatives}}

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Category:Living people

Category:1983 births

Category:Republican Party members of the South Carolina House of Representatives

Category:People from Greenwood, South Carolina

Category:Candidates in the 2024 United States House of Representatives elections

Category:21st-century members of the South Carolina General Assembly