| Bill Whitmire | |
| State House: | South Carolina |
| District: | 1st |
| Term Start: | 2003 |
| Predecessor: | Gresham Barrett |
| Birth Date: | 24 August 1948 |
| Birth Place: | Seneca, South Carolina, U.S. |
| Party: | Republican |
| Spouse: | Kathy Lynn Pittard (m: July 26, 1972) |
| Children: | Ashley Aven, Alayna Brianne, and Trevor Ramsey |
| Alma Mater: | Piedmont College |
| Parents: | Ramsey and Marie Fagan Whitmire |
| Residence: | Walhalla, South Carolina |
| Occupation: | Educator, farmer, politician |
William Whitmire (born August 24, 1948) is an American politician. He is a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives from the 1st District (parts of Oconee & Pickens Counties), serving since 2003. He is a member of the Republican Party.[1]
Whitmire was born on August 24, 1948, to Ramsey and Marie Fagan Whitmire. He graduated from in 1972 Piedmont College with an A.B.[2]
Whitmire is a retired educator in the School District of Oconee County. He was also a member of the United States Army Reserves from 1971 to 1977. He owns S&W Farms.[3]
Whitemire began his political career in Walhalla, serving on the Walhalla City Council and then as Mayor of Walhalla from 2000 to 2002.
, Whitmire serves as Chair of the College and University Trustee Screening Commission, a Joint Committee with members from the House and Senate.[4]
In 2003, he would be elected to the 1st House District of South Carolina, representing ports of Oconee and Pickens Counties.
In 2016, he ran uncontested for his seat.[5]
Due to his role as Chair of the College and University Trustee Screening Commission, Whitmire led the Commission in 2022 when it debated firing the entire board of trustees for the University of South Carolina.[6] What started out during a meeting to review five board members, frustration at the mishandling of athletic funds[7] and the resignation of the president of the University[8] became a question of redesigning the board structure altogether.[9] [10] Ultimately, the effort failed to pass before the end of the legislative session.[11]
In 2023, Whitmire sponsored no legislation.[12] However, he and State Senator Thomas C. Alexander worked to get a $5.6M grant for Walhalla to build a community center placed in the 2023-24 South Carolina state budget signed into law by Governor Henry McMaster.[13]
He is a supporter of fetal heartbeat-based abortion prohibition, voting for the Fetal Heartbeat Act in 2022[14] and 2023.[15]
See also: 2024 South Carolina elections, 2024 state legislature elections in the United States, South Carolina House of Representatives elections, 2024 South Carolina House of Representatives election
In March 2024, Whitmire filed for re-election.[16]
Whitmire is married to Kathy Lynn Pittard. They have 3 children.[2]