Copper Dome Chronicle: 2026 Overtime Week 6
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 June 22-26 is 1,047 words or a 4 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 6 Preview
The House and Senate will convene at 12pm on Thursday, June 25.
There are four bills 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.
H.4042 (ivermectin over-the-counter sales) - Senate Amendments
H.5538 (Guarantee Banking Act) - - Senate Amendments
S.922 (governor appointments) - - Senate Amendments
The three bills in the status of Senate Amendments have three likely outcomes:
the House adopts the Senate amendments, the bill is ratified, and sent to Governor McMaster.
the House refuses to adopt the Senate amendments and it dies on the calendar.
the House never considers the bill and it dies on the calendar.
If the Senate overrides the vetoes on S.238 (legislative session extension) and S.428 (fraudulent check expungement), they could be considered as well by the House.
Conference reports.
There are 38 bills and one joint resolution on the Senate calendar (technically), plus any bills passed by the House on May 14 but were not read across the Senate desk. The bills the Senate may consider:
S.238 (legislative session extension) - Veto Message
S.428 (fraudulent check expungement) - Veto Message
S.1043 (Civil Air Patrol Leave Act) - House Amendments. The outcomes for this bill mirror those listed above for the three bills in the status of Senate Amendments in the House.
H.4709 (Buy American Iron and Steel Act) - this bill has not been read across the Senate desk. Its future remains in doubt but technically it is still alive. The House nonconcurred in the Senate amendments to the bill but session ended on May 14 before the Senate could take any action.
Conference reports.
H.4000 (alcohol licensing)
H.4544 (medical malpractice reform)
H.4670 (time-limited demands)
These three bills are on the Senate calendar under third reading bills and are uncontested. Technically, the Senate could pass them on third reading and the House could agree to the Senate amendments. There will be at least one more statewide session day during this special session. But more likely than not, these bills will die on the Senate calendar.
The conference committee reports most likely to be considered this week: H.3021 (Small Business Regulatory Freedom Act), H.3387 (unlawful occupants of property), and H.4337 (LAC powers & private organizations). Our sources indicate both sides are close to finalizing conference reports for S.52 (DUI) and S.11 (state employee paid parental leave). Between June 22 and the morning of June 25 more conference committees could meet to adopt conference reports. That could include the most important conference report: H.5126 (FY27 Budget).
The 12 bills in the status of a conference committee:
H.5126 (FY27 Budget)
H.3924 (regulate hemp-derived products)
S.52 (DUI)
S.11 (state employee paid parental leave)
H.3021 (Small Business Regulatory Freedom Act)
H.4763 (Helping Alleviate Lawful Obstruction “HALO” Act)
H.3387 (unlawful occupants of property)
H.4069 (patient billing)
H.4248 (shrimp country of origin labeling)
H.4337 (LAC powers & private organizations)
H.3570 (economic interests disclosures)
H.4635 (gym contract renewals)
The House has appointed conferees to S.883 (2026 sine die resolution) but the Senate has not, nor is it expected to appoint conferees.
H.5573 (Spartanburg County Memorial Auditorium Commission) is local legislation regarding the commission’s composition. It passed the House on May 13 with amendments after the Senate passed it with amendments on May 7. It was referred to the Spartanburg County Senate Legislative Delegation; it remains to be seen if it will be passed.
One bill vetoed by Gov. McMaster that doesn’t appear on either June 25 floor calendar: H.3558 (Commissioners to Article V Convention) - Veto Message.
Overtime Week 5 Review
Neither the House nor the Senate held any floor sessions.
One conference committee meeting was held:
H.4337 (LAC powers & private organizations) - first meeting held on June 16
2026 Political Party Nominating Contests
On June 9 voters went to the polls and participated in either a Republican or Democratic a primary election. Check out our election summary here.
Runoff elections will be held on June 23; below are the statewide offices and State House runoff elections listed alphabetically. An asterisk denotes an incumbent.
During the preceding two weeks both Lt. Gov. Evette and Attorney General Wilson picked up elected official endorsements, but Wilson scored the most influential: U.S. Senator Tim Scott, Congressman Ralph Norman (3rd place in the GOP Primary), Congresswoman Nancy Mace (5th place), and State Senator Josh Kimbrell (6th place). Rom Reddy, who placed 4th in the GOP Primary, declined to endorse either candidate.
On June 19, President Donald Trump issued a dual endorsement for both Evette and Wilson, which was a huge disappointment for the Evette campaign whom President Trump endorsed in the June 9 primary.
Statewide Offices
Governor GOP: Pamela Evette, Alan Wilson
Attorney General GOP: Stephen Goldfinch, David Stumbo
Commissioner of Agriculture GOP: Danny Ford, Cody Simpson
State House
District 8 GOP: Don Chapman*, Sherry Hodges
District 96 GOP: Hunter Hackett, Scotty Whetstone
District 99 GOP: Jarrod Brooks, Kristy Gore
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
H.3387 Conference Committee
June 22, 10am; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: The conference committee will hold its first meeting on H.3387 (unlawful occupants of property).
H.3021 Conference Committee
June 24, 8:30am; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: The conference committee will hold its second meeting on H.3021 (Small Business Regulatory Freedom Act).
Senate Meetings
As of June 20 no committee meetings have been scheduled.
House Meetings
House Legislative Oversight Subcommittee
June 24, 10:30am; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: The subcommittee will hold its second meeting on the study of the Department of Vocational Rehabilitation.
House Legislative Oversight Subcommittee
July 1, 10:30am; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: The subcommittee will hold its fourteenth meeting on the study of the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED).
Joint Meetings
Joint Bond Review Committee
August 11, 1:00pm; 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
