South Carolina Legislation recently passed a bill to allow invocations before public meetings.

The legislation says public bodies can adopt policies to let members take turns giving an invocation, elect a chaplain or create a pool of speakers from faith groups to offer the prayer.

The bill also calls for the state attorney general to defend public bodies if they face constitutional challenges.

Other local municipalities and Polk County offer invocations prior to meetings. Landrum used to and stopped after the state ruled that it could no longer.

The towns of Tryon and Columbus normally have council members offer prayer, although at times Tryon invites a local church to give the invocation. Polk County also invites a local church member to offer the invocation and Saluda has recently began inviting a church representative to offer an invocation.