Copper Dome Chronicle: 2026 Overtime Week 15
Welcome to this week’s edition of the Copper Dome Chronicle, sponsored by Advocatus USA. We strive for substantive writing with brevity, inspired by the book Smart Brevity.
This week’s edition, covering August 24-28, is 1,363 words or a 5 minute read. The second regular session of the 126th General Assembly adjourned May 14, but a special session began on May 15. Thanks for reading and sharing; we welcome your feedback and commentary!
Resources
FY 2026-2027 Agency Budget Requests
2026 Candidate Tracking Portal
Overtime Week 15 Preview
Both chambers will return on August 25 in statewide session; the Senate at 12pm and the House at 1pm. Governor McMaster’s budget vetoes were issued on August 17. Out of the fourteen vetoes, two have drawn some scrutiny: #12 regarding cost overruns associated with the Scout Motors project and #13 regarding state agencies and funding authorization increases.
But the real reason for the statewide session is to consider a process for community investment projects (earmarks) that last week was dead, but like Lazarus, has been revived. According to news reports, a House bill in the status of third reading on the Senate calendar will be used as a vehicle to pass a supplemental appropriations bill. Those bills are:
H.3305 (Public Expression Protection Act) but is contested
H.4000 (alcohol licensing)
H.4544 (medical malpractice reform)
H.4670 (time-limited demands)
H.3510 (county veterans’ affairs officers) but is contested
None of those bills were ever in possession or considered by the House Ways & Means Committee or the Senate Finance Committee. Because the bill would be amended on third reading, Senate Rules 26B and 26C are important:
Senate Rule 26B: “No amendment shall be received on third reading of a Bill or Resolution, unless three-fifths (3/5) of the Senators present and voting give leave for the amendment to be received. The primary sponsor of an amendment offered on third reading may be recognized for up to three (3) minutes to explain the amendment prior to the vote required under this provision being taken. Any amendment offered pursuant to this provision must be in conformance with Rule 24.”
Senate Rule 26C: “Whenever an amendment is received, pursuant to Rule 26B, on a third reading of any Bill, Resolution, or amendment, the same shall be debatable.”
Senate Rule 24 is the Senate germaness rule:
“No clause shall be inserted in a Bill or Resolution unless the same is germane to the Bill or Resolution. In order to be germane, an amendment must be a natural and logical change or expansion directly related to the specific subject of the Bill or Resolution, as defined in the Bill or Resolution, and must not raise any new or independent matter different from the specific subject of the Bill or Resolution. Any perfecting amendment must be germane to both the amendment to be perfected and the underlying Bill or Resolution and must not offer a new proposition or substantially alter the main amendment.”
“Matter which is germane to the subject of the General Appropriation Bill and any Supplemental Appropriation Bill shall be defined as those things which reasonably, specifically, and inherently directly relate to the raising or spending of revenue for or in the fiscal year for which the bill applies and do not temporarily or permanently add, amend, or repeal a portion of the general permanent laws of South Carolina. Nothing in this paragraph prohibits the temporary suspension of any permanent law.”
“The provisions of this rule must be strictly construed.”
Advocates will be waiting to see if any senator raises a point of order under Rule 24 to the amendment inserting the CIPs and the outcome of the ruling. Could be a tense moment under the copper dome.
As far as other possible business, there are two bills in the status of a conference committee:
The conference report for H.4377 has not been considered by either chamber. The conference committee on H.3570 hasn’t met.
There are two motions pending on the House calendar:
The motion to reconsider the vote on the conference report for H.3924 (regulate hemp-derived products) made by Rep. Dennis Moss during the June 25 House floor session.
An up-or-down vote on the motion to reconsider the vote to recommit H.4042 (ivermectin over-the-counter sales) to the House Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs Committee.
In addition to budget vetoes, there is another veto pending on the House calendar: H.5164 (hospital beds in hallways). This was vetoed because the Senate version of the bill was signed into law S.958. It is anticipated the veto will be sustained.
Lastly, there is a bridge-naming concurrent resolution on the House calendar (S.1201).
Overtime Week 14 Review
Neither the House nor the Senate held any floor sessions.
There are seven bills in the status of a conference committee or had some action taken during floors sessions held on June 25 and August 11:
H.4337 (LAC powers & private organizations) - Pending. The conference committee adopted a report on June 16 and is awaiting action by both chambers.
H.3570 (economic interests disclosures) - Zombie (neither alive nor dead). The conference committee hasn’t met on the bill.
H.4042 (ivermectin over-the-counter sales) - Life-resuscitation in progress. The House recommitted the bill to the House Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs Committee on June 25. However, on August 11 Rep. Justin Bamberg made a motion to reconsider the vote to recommit the bill. A motion to table failed on a recorded vote 43-51, with the many members of the House Republican Caucus joining the House Freedom Caucus and a few House Democrats to defeat the tabling motion.
S.922 (governor appointments) - On life support. On June 25 the House nonconcurred in the Senate Amendments. Technically the Senate could recede from its amendments, which seems very unlikely, or request a conference committee. But at this late stage a path forward seems unlikely.
S.52 (DUI) - Probably Dead. On June 25 the House didn’t vote on it after the Senate rejected a free conference powers motion and seems unlikely another version will be adopted as an alternative. Our sources tell us the bill is dead because of the THC/hemp related provisions.
H.3924 (regulate hemp-derived products) - Still Dead. The Senate adopted the conference report on June 25 but the House overwhelmingly rejected it. Hemp-derived products will remain almost entirely free from state regulation and available for sale. However, law enforcement has made arrests and raids on wholesalers and retailers of these products despite no specific state law.
H.4763 (Helping Alleviate Lawful Obstruction “HALO” Act) - Dead. On June 25 the Senate adopted free conference powers and the conference report, but the House motion to adopt free conference powers failed on two separate votes, the first time by a single vote (needed 83 votes; received 82 votes with 15 excused absences). On August 11 the House did not take up the bill. Sen. Jeff Zell, a supporter of the bill, posted on social media that the bill was dead for the year.
Supplemental Appropriations Legislation
Since 1976, the General Assembly has enacted fifteen supplemental appropriations measures (nine joint resolutions; six bills):
H.4022 (1976) - Calhoun County
S.684 (1976) - Department of Health and Environmental Control
H.2295 (1981) - Legislative Department
H.3113 (1981) - Calhoun County Museum
H.2351 (1981) - Department of Probation, Parole, and Pardon Services
H.3260 (1989) - Department of Youth Services
H.4691 (1994) - Tax refunds from the legal settlements associated with Bass, et al. v. South Carolina and Perri, et al. v. South Carolina
H.3361 (1995) - Multiple agencies
H.3690 (1995) - Multiple agencies
H.4425 (1996) - State House Renovation
H.3625 (1999) - State Ports Authority (Charleston Harbor dredging)
H.3699 (2000) - Hurricane Floyd, Medicaid deficit, and homestead property tax exemption increase
H.4660 (2000) - School district health insurance
H.3471 (2007) - State Ports Authority (port access road)
H.3604 (2023) - Scout Motors project
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.
Conference Committee Meetings
As of August 22 no conference committee meetings have been scheduled.
Senate Meetings
As of August 22 no committee meetings have been scheduled.
House Meetings
As of August 22 no committee meetings have been scheduled.
Joint Meetings
Joint Bond Review Committee
October 6, 1pm; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: The JBRC agenda has not been posted.
Joint Bond Review Committee
December 1, 1pm; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: The JBRC agenda has not been posted.
2026 Key Dates
January 13, 2026: Session Convenes
January 28, 2026: Judicial Merit Selection Commission draft report published
January 28, 2026: State of the State Address
February 12, 2026: BEA revenue forecast update
March 4, 2026: Judicial elections
March 9-13, 2026: House floor budget deliberations
March 16-20: House furlough week
March 16, 2026: Candidate filing opens (all statewide constitutional offices, federal offices, SC House of Representatives)
March 30, 2026: Candidate filing closes
April 9, 2026: BEA revenue forecast update (cancelled)
April 6-10: House furlough week (confirmed)
April 20-24, 2026: Senate floor budget deliberations
May 14, 2026: Session Adjourns
May 19, 2026: BEA revenue forecast update -
