Copper Dome Chronicle: 2026 Session Week 2
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 January 20-22 is 1,662 words or a 6.5 minute read. The General Assembly convened on January 13 and will adjourn on May 14. Thanks for reading and sharing; we welcome your feedback and commentary!
Resources
Senate Budget Calendar (TBA)
FY 2026-2027 Agency Budget Requests
Week 2 Preview
The House will hold floor sessions on Tuesday (12pm), Wednesday (2pm), and Thursday (10am). The House has nine bills (six on the contested calendar) eligible for consideration on its calendar to begin the week. Bills that may generate some debate:
H.3969 (robot delivery devices) - Veto Override Vote
H.3222 (litter control officers) - Senate Amendments
H.3832 (film incentives)
H.4176 (Class III casino gaming)
S.287 (electronic nicotine delivery systems)
H.4165 (non-opioid pain management treatments)
The Senate will hold floor sessions on Tuesday (12pm), Wednesday (1pm), and Thursday (11am). The Senate has 30 bills (25 are contested) and one joint resolution (one is contested) eligible for consideration on its calendar to begin the week. The five bills that are not contested:
S.52 (DUI)
H.3431 (minors and social media)
S.76 (criminal gang and anti-racketeering)
H.3650 (discharge firearm at a dwelling)
S.256 (Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy and Resilience Act)
Week 1 Review
The 2026 regular session is off to a fast start, especially in the House. The House Republican Caucus is moving several pieces of priority legislation through the committee process. New legislators were seated in both chambers that resulted in a few changes in committee assignments:
Senator Lee Bright selected seats on Judiciary, Banking & Insurance, Agriculture, Family and Veterans’ Services, and Fish, Game, and Forestry.
Senator Everett Stubbs selected a seat on Education and relinquished his seat on Banking & Insurance.
House Majority Leader Davey Hiott was assigned to Ways & Means, relinquishing his seat on Agriculture.
Rep. Doug Gilliam was assigned to Agriculture, relinquishing his seat on Education & Public Works.
Rep. Chris Hart was assigned to Judiciary, relinquishing his seat on 3M.
New Rep. Dianne Mitchell was assigned to Education & Public Works.
New Rep. Greg Ford was assigned to Agriculture.
New Reps. John Lastinger and Rep. Keishan Scott were assigned to 3M.
House floor sessions consumed 3 hours, 39 minutes. The House held three floor sessions, passing two bills and several congratulatory and memorial resolutions. Legislation that passed the House last week included:
H.4902 (NIL FOIA exemption)
H.3431 (minors and social media) - Returned to the Senate with House amendments
Additionally, in a rare occurrence during the past ten years, the House overrode one of Governor McMaster’s vetoes: S.136 (dismissal of pending firearms charges). The Senate overrode the veto during the one extra session day in May 2025, but the House didn’t take action until last week.
Senate floor sessions consumed 4 hours, 0 minutes. The Senate held three floor sessions, passing one bill, one concurrent resolution, and several congratulatory and memorial resolutions. Legislation that passed the House last week included:
S.52 (DUI) was set for Special Order, giving it priority status on the Senate calendar, but most advocates anticipate the Senate will need two weeks to debate all the amendments and the bill. Other priority legislation on the Senate calendar includes S.76 (criminal gang and anti-racketeering) and S.454 (charter school & authorizer accountability).
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.
House Ways & Means Budget Subcommittees (16 budget hearings)
Higher Education; January 20, 10:30am; Agenda; Livestream
Healthcare; January 20, 1 hour upon adjournment; Agenda; Livestream
Criminal Justice; January 20, 1 hour upon adjournment; Agenda; Livestream
Public Education & Special Schools; January 20, immediately upon adjournment; Agenda; Livestream
Transportation; January 20, 1.5 hours upon adjournment; Agenda; Livestream
Constitutional; January 20, 2 hours after adjournment; Agenda; Livestream
Higher Education; January 20, 2:30pm or upon adjournment; Agenda; Livestream
Higher Education; January 21, 9:30am; Agenda; Livestream
Constitutional; January 21, 10am; Agenda; Livestream
Healthcare; January 21, 10am; Agenda; Livestream
Criminal Justice; January 21, 10am; Agenda; Livestream
Public Education & Special Schools; January 21, 10am; Agenda; Livestream
Transportation; January 21, 10am; Agenda; Livestream
Economic Development; January 21, 11am; Agenda; Livestream
Transportation; January 22, 9am; Agenda; Livestream
Higher Education; January 22, 12:30pm or upon adjournment; Agenda; Livestream
Senate Meetings
Senate Judiciary Subcommittee
January 20, 15 minutes upon adjournment; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: There are four bills on the agenda: S.128 (citizenship & voter registration), S.694 (Aiken County precincts), H.3556 (political party nominating contests), and H.3557 (candidate filing).
Senate Finance Committee
January 20, 3pm; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: There are five bills on the agenda: S.768 (increase property tax homestead exemption), H.4216 (income taxes), S.769 (FY27 continuing resolution), S.508 (monuments and memorials), and S.779 (legislator in-district expense). S.768 has a revenue impact of ~$245M in the form of property tax relief for persons aged 60 years or older who own a primary house (known as 4% property). S.779 would reinstitute the $1,000 in-district expense reimbursement legislators received until the South Carolina Supreme Court struck it down as unconstitutional.
Senate Education Subcommittee
January 21, 10am; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: There are three bills on the agenda: S.70 (school board ethics), H.4339 (Healthy School Meals Act), and H.4257 (excused absences for interscholastic athletic contests).
Senate LCI Special Subcommittee
January 21, 10am; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: There is one bill on the agenda: S.688 (unemployment tax).
Senate Medical Affairs Subcommittee
January 21, 10am; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: There are three bills on the agenda: S.299 (mental health patient transportation), S.717 (Healthy Mother and Healthy Newborn Ombudsman), and S.819 (require TB tests nursing home employees).
Senate Transportation Committee
January 21, 11am; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: The full committee will screen five candidates for SCDOT Commission.
Senate Transportation Subcommittee
January 22, 9am; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: There is one bill on the agenda: an unfiled bill regarding SCDOT modernization authored by Senate Transportation Chair Larry Grooms.
Senate Finance Special Subcommittee
January 22 10am; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: There is one bill on the agenda: S.344 (Equine Advancement Act).
House Meetings
House Judiciary Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, & Special Laws Subcommittee
January 20, 9am; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: There is one bill on the agenda: H.4756 (Student Physical Privacy Act).
House 3M Health Subcommittee
January 20, 10am; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: There are four bills on the agenda: H.4767 (prohibit physician non-compete contracts), H.4757 (Parental Rights Act in Education and Healthcare), H.4262 (prohibit mRNA-based gene therapies), and H.4042 (ivermectin over-the-counter sales).
House Economic Development and Utility Modernization Ad Hoc Committee
January 20,11:30am; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: The ad hoc committee will hold its first meeting of the calendar year and discuss proposed legislation.
House Judiciary Committee
January 20, 1:30pm or 30 minutes upon adjournment; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: There are two bills on the agenda: H.4756 (Student Physical Privacy Act) and H.4760 (ban abortion-inducing drugs).
House LCI Business and Commerce Subcommittee
January 20, 1.5 hours upon adjournment; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: There is one bill on the agenda: H.4709 (Buy American Iron and Steel Act)
House Judiciary Criminal Laws Subcommittee
January 21, 9am; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: There are three bills on the agenda: S.405 (homicide by child abuse), (H.3774 (workers compensation notice), and H.4720 (pretrial intervention programs).
House Regulations, Administrative Procedures, Artificial Intelligence and Cybersecurity Subcommittee
January 21, 9am; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: There are nine regulations on the agenda: two from the Department of Public Health and seven from the Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation.
House Judiciary Constitutional Laws Subcommittee
January 21, 10am; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: There are two bills on the agenda: H.4758 (ban hemp-derived consumables) and H.4759 (regulate hemp-derived consumables).
House LCI Banking and Insurance Subcommittee
January 21, 11am; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: There is one bill on the agenda: H.4817 (Insurance Rate Reduction and Policyholder Protection Act).
House Judiciary Constitutional Laws Subcommittee
January 21, 12pm; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: There are four bills on the agenda: H.4669 (municipal elections), S.38 (special elections), H.3643 (voter party registration), and H.3310 (closed party nominating contests).
House Judiciary DRBP Subcommittee
January 21, 12:15pm; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: There are four bills on the agenda: H.4762 (display Ten Commandments/US History documents in public classrooms), H.4145 (Pray Safe Act), S.415 (kin-specific licensing standards), and S.477 (self-administered hormonal contraceptive).
House Agriculture Wildlife Subcommittee
January 21, 12:30pm; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: There is one bill on the agenda: H.4771 (night hunting).
House 3M Military and Veterans Affairs Subcommittee
January 21, 1pm; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: There is one bill on the agenda: H.4586 (US Space Force designation).
House Judiciary Committee
January 21, 30 minutes upon adjournment; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: There are six bills on the agenda: H.4756 (Student Physical Privacy Act), H.4760 (ban abortion-inducing drugs), H.4762 (display Ten Commandments/US History documents in public classrooms), H.4145 (Pray Safe Act), S.415 (kin-specific licensing standards), and S.477 (self-administered hormonal contraceptive).
House LCI Committee
January 22, 9am; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: There is one bill on the agenda: H.4817 (Insurance Rate Reduction and Policyholder Protection Act).
House Judiciary Constitutional Laws Subcommittee
January 22, 9am; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: There are two bills on the agenda: S.336 (establish judicial elections date) and H.4755 (JMSC reform).
House Regulations, Administrative Procedures, Artificial Intelligence and Cybersecurity Subcommittee
January 22, 9am; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: There are four regulations on the agenda: one the Aeronautics Commission and three from the Department of Natural Resources.
Joint Meetings
First Judicial Circuit Delegation
January 21, 9am; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: The delegation will meet to elect its representative to the State Board of Education.
Joint Bond Review Committee
January 28, 10am; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: The JBRC agenda has not yet been posted.
Joint Bond Review Committee
March 25, 10am; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: The JBRC agenda has not yet been posted.
Joint Bond Review Committee
June 9, 1pm; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: The JBRC agenda has not yet been posted.
2026 Key Dates
January 13, 2026: Session Convenes
January 28, 2026: Judicial Merit Selection Commission final report published
January 28, 2026: State of the State Address
February 12, 2026: BEA revenue forecast update
March 4, 2026: Judicial elections (unconfirmed)
March 9-13, 2026: House floor budget deliberations
March 16-20: House furlough week (scheduled)
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
April 6-10: House furlough week (confirmed)
April 20-24, 2026: Senate floor budget deliberations (projected)
May 14, 2026: Session Adjourns
May 19, 2026: BEA revenue forecast update
