Copper Dome Chronicle: 2025 Overtime Week 1
Welcome to this week’s edition of the Copper Dome Chronicle, sponsored by Advocatus. We strive for substantive writing with brevity, inspired by the book Smart Brevity.
This week’s edition is 913 words or a 4 minute read. The 2025 regular session of the 126th South Carolina General Assembly adjourned sine die on Thursday, May 8. Thanks for reading and sharing; we welcome your feedback and commentary!
Resources
FY 2025-2026 Agency Budget Requests
Overtime Week 1 Preview
The Board of Economic Advisors (BEA) meets on May 20 at 10am (livestream available) to review state revenue projections. Some budget advocates believe a small amount of additional non-recurring revenue will be certified.
The budget conference committee on H.4025 (FY26 General Appropriations Act) will meet on May 20 at 12:30pm (livestream available). The budget conferees are:
Senate Finance Chair Harvey Peeler
Senate President Thomas Alexander
Senator Darrell Jackson
House Ways and Means Chair Bruce Bannister
Representative Lee Hewitt
Representative Leon Stavrinakis
While each budget conference committee is unique, the first moments are usually reserved for opening comments followed by provisos. Some proviso differences may be agreed to while others will require a vote. In order for a motion to be adopted by the conference committee - for example, a motion to adopt the Senate version of a proviso - two votes in favor from the House conferees and two votes in favor from the Senate conferees are required. Which version is put to a vote matters greatly during the conference committee process.
After provisos there is likely a break for the two sides to exchange offers on funding line items. Without earmarks this year that process this year should be a bit smoother, though differences still exist between the two versions of the budget.
It is the intent of the budget conference committee to continue its work until a budget agreement is reached, hopefully in time for the two chambers to consider the conference committee report on May 28. House Speaker Murrell Smith indicated unless a critical issue must be addressed, he did not intend to call the House back into session during calendar year 2025 after finalizing the budget. However, standing, ad hoc, and study committees will meet in the offseason.
What Was Passed & What Was Passed Over
Legislation passed by the General Assembly:
H.3127 (felony failure to stop)
H.3196 (Educator Assistance Act)
H.3276 (Hands-Free and Distracted Driving Act)
H.3309 (Energy Security Act)
H.3430 (state auditor)
H.3497 (liquor liability)
H.3523 (organized retail crime)
H.3800 (durable medical equipment)
H.3813 (bear hunting)
H.3862 (charter school enrollment preferences)
H.4067 (hospital emergency departments)
S.2 (behavioral healthcare agency restructuring)
S.28 (child abuse via artificial intelligence)
S.29 (morphed images of minors)
S.62 (K-12 scholarships)
S.74 (electronic records disclosure)
S.77 (livestream school board meetings)
S.78 (educator credential prior work experience credit)
S.79 (school district noncertified teachers)
S.103 (Truth in Meat Labeling
S.126 (law enforcement & judicial personal privacy protection)
S.156 (fentanyl induced homicide)
S.157 (utility storm damage recovery)
S.164 (state agency rule making)
S.171 (waste tires)
S.269 (school district private security firms)
S.275 (EV charging stations)
S.307 (peer-to-peer car sharing services)
S.425 (school-based meals)
Legislation passed by at least one chamber:
S.11 (state employee paid parental leave)
S.32 (Pregnancy Resource Act)
S.114 (telecommunication location information)
S.125 (nonprofit housing corporation property tax exemption)
S.150 (Rental Kart Age Act)
S.163 (cryptocurrency)
S.190 (redevelopment projects)
S.233 (Sexually Violent Predator Act)
S.235 (prostitution)
S.287 (electronic nicotine delivery systems)
S.405 (homicide by child abuse)
S.415 (kin-specific licensing standards)
S.439 (manufacturing property tax exemption)
S.449 (collaborative practice agreements)
S.477 (self-administered hormonal contraceptive)
S.526 (beach preservation appeals)
S.534 (removal of State Treasurer)
H.3021 (Small Business Regulatory Freedom Act)
H.3305 (Public Expression Protection Act)
H.3387 (unlawful occupants of property)
H.3431 (minors and social media)
H.3447 (homeowners association authority)
H.3556 (political party nominating contests)
H.3557 (candidate filing)
H.3570 (economic interests disclosures)
H.3645 (increase state employee paid parental leave)
H.3858 (boat taxes)
H.3876 (accommodations tax & short-term rental property)
H.3927 (prohibit DEI activities)
H.3930 (Second Amendment Financial Privacy Act)
H.4216 (income taxes)
Legislation that never advanced out of committee:
S.6 (FOIA)
S.46 (prohibit physician non-compete contracts)
S.47 (childcare tax credits)
S.60 (credit union public deposits)
S.222 (utility terrain vehicles)
S.274 (unemployment benefits)
S.331 (infant safe havens & safety boxes)
S.344 (Equine Advancement Act) and H.3279 (Equine Promotion Act)
S.447 (license plate readers)
H.3165 (annexation & impact fees)
H.3215 (building permits)
H.3399 (mandate filters on smartphones/tablets)
H.3405 (App Store Accountability Act)
H.3457 (Human Life Protection Act)
H.3503 (prohibit solid waste or mining facilities near public areas)
H.3777 (direct-to-consumer vehicle sales)
H.3874 (workers’ compensation medical fees)
H.3937 (possession of venomous reptiles)
H.4100 (possession of captive wildlife)
Committee Schedule
If a livestream link is not provided with a committee meeting that means livestream is not available. Additional meetings may be added during the week and while 24 hours notice is generally given, it is not always possible to provide such notice.
Senate Meetings
Senate Banking and Insurance Subcommittee
May 28, 10am; Agenda
Summary: There is one bill on the agenda: S.342 (PBMs & pharmacy services).
House Meetings
House Legislative Oversight Subcommittee
May 27, 10:30am; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: The subcommittee will discuss the study of the Department of Insurance.
House Legislative Oversight Subcommittee
June 4, 10:30am; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: The subcommittee will hold its fifth meeting on the study of the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED).
House Legislative Oversight Subcommittee
June 5, 10:30am; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: The subcommittee will discuss the study of the South Carolina Conservation Bank.
House Legislative Oversight Subcommittee
June 11, 10:30am; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: The subcommittee will discuss the study of the South Carolina Conservation Bank.
Key Dates
January 14, 2025: Session Convenes
January 16, 2025: Judicial Merit Selection Commission final report published
January 29, 2025: State of the State
February 5, 2025: Judicial elections
February 13, 2025: Board of Economic Advisors (BEA) February revenue estimate
March 10-14, 2025: House floor budget deliberations
March 17-21, 2025: House Furlough Week (committee meetings only)
April 10, 2025: Board of Economic Advisors (BEA) April revenue estimate
April 14-18, 2025: House Furlough Week
April 21-24, 2025: Senate floor budget deliberations
May 8, 2025: Session Adjourns
July 1, 2025: Fiscal Year 2025-2026 begins
