Copper Dome Chronicle: 2026 Session Week 3
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 27-29 is 1,779 words or a 7 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 3 Preview
As of January 26, the House will hold a perfunctory session on January 27. Three House Ways and Means budge subcommittees have been canceled. No word yet about the Senate. As of January 25, no decision has been made regarding floor sessions and committee meetings scheduled for January 27. Weather forecasters have projected significant impacts to the Upstate due to Winter Storm Fern.
Governor Henry McMaster’s 2026 State of the State Address will be January 28 at 7pm. This will be his final State of the State Address.
The House will hold floor sessions on Tuesday (12pm), Wednesday (2pm), and Thursday (10am). The House has five bills (two on the contested calendar) eligible for consideration on its calendar to begin the week. Bills that may generate some debate:
H.4756 (Student Physical Privacy Act)
H.4176 (Class III casino gaming)
H.4165 (non-opioid pain management treatments)
The Senate will hold floor sessions on Tuesday (12pm), Wednesday (1pm), and Thursday (11am). The Senate has 29 bills (25 are contested) and one joint resolution (one is contested) eligible for consideration on its calendar to begin the week. The four bills that are not contested:
S.52 (DUI)
S.76 (criminal gang and anti-racketeering)
S.768 (increase property tax homestead exemption)
H.4216 (income taxes)
As we have opined many times, after the annual appropriations act, the second most important - and political - process in the General Assembly is the election of judges. The Judicial Merit Selection Committee (JMSC) draft report and recommendations will be published January 28, 2026 and become final February 10, 2026. Judicial elections are tentatively scheduled for Wednesday, March 4, 2026.
This cycle will be the first conducted under the new requirements enacted in Act 219 of 2024. The marquee race will be Seat 2 on the South Carolina Supreme Court. Incumbent Justice John Few faces Court of Appeals Judge Blake Hewitt (a candidate for the 2024 Supreme Court seat won by Justice Letitia Verdin), former Speaker of the House Jay Lucas, and perennial candidate Judge Ralph K. Anderson III.
Justice Few, Judge Hewitt, and Judge Anderson have been frequent visitors to the lobby during the first two weeks of session; Speaker Lucas has not yet made an appearance (at least in the lobby).
One new issue raised during the public hearings for the Supreme Court was a novel position taken by Speaker Lucas that the mandatory retirement age of 72 doesn’t apply if a judge does not accept judicial retirement. Speaker Lucas stated he would not participate in the judicial retirement system and therefore is not subject to the mandatory retirement age.
Out of 40 candidates, four were found "Not Qualified." All State Supreme Court candidates were found qualified. There are 6 contested elections as of December 1, 2025. Dozens of judicial candidates have been in the lobby and committee meeting rooms during the first two weeks of session.
Week 2 Review
House floor sessions consumed 5 hours, 0 minutes. The House held three floor sessions, passing three bills, one concurrent resolution, one House resolution, and several congratulatory and memorial resolutions. Legislation that passed the House last week included:
H.3876 (accommodations tax & short-term rental property)
H.4189 (DHEC restructuring code cleanup)
S.287 (electronic nicotine delivery systems)
H.4962 (Robert Smalls Monument)
H.5012 (House Rules amendments)
The House spent just over one hour debating the merits of H.5012, which passed by a vote of 104-4. The debate started as a House Republican Caucus versus House Freedom Caucus issue, but an amendment resolved those differences and no Republicans or Freedom Caucus members voted against the resolution. The two amendments to the House Rules are:
Resolutions regarding sine die shall be referred to the House Rules Committee, and if reported favorably, shall receive immediate consideration in the House. Previously, House Rule 5.16 required such resolutions to receive immediate consideration in the House and not have a referral to the House Rules Committee.
House members who agree to accept questions while speaking at the well, such as during debate on a main motion or an amendment, may not refuse to answer questions upon agreeing to accept questions. The amendment does not require members to accept questions.
In recent years some House members have refused to answer questions from other House members for a variety of reasons. At times this resulted in more acrimonious debate than the House leadership believed was appropriate. The overwhelming majority of the House agreed with House leadership and the belief among many House members is this change will lead to more civil debate.
Senate floor sessions consumed 6 hours, 46 minutes. The Senate held three floor sessions, passing one bill, two joint resolutions, and several congratulatory and memorial resolutions. Legislation that passed the Senate last week included:
H.3431 (minors and social media) - Enrolled for ratification
S.769 (FY27 continuing resolution)
S.779 (legislator in-district expense)
S.52 (DUI) remained in Special Order status, giving it priority consideration on the Senate calendar, but most advocates anticipate the Senate will need at least two weeks to debate all the amendments and the bill. S.76 (criminal gang and anti-racketeering) generated some debate as well, while H.3650 (discharge firearm at a dwelling) was caught in the crosshairs of 2nd Amendment advocates and was moved to the contested calendar. It remains to be seen if 2nd Amendment advocate concerns can be assuaged this session.
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 (9 12 budget hearings)
Healthcare; January 27, 12pm; Agenda; Livestream
Public Education & Special Schools; January 27, Call of the Chair (1 hour upon adjournment); Agenda; Livestream
Economic Development; January 27, 1:30pm; Agenda; Livestream
Transportation; January 27, 1.5 hours upon adjournment; Agenda; Livestream
Constitutional; January 27, 2 hours after adjournment; Agenda; Livestream
Criminal Justice; January 28, 10am; Agenda; Livestream
Healthcare; January 28, 10am; Agenda; Livestream
Public Education & Special Schools; January 28, 10am; Agenda; Livestream
Economic Development; January 28, 10:30am; Agenda; Livestream
Transportation; January 29, 9am; Agenda; Livestream
Criminal Justice; January 29, 9:30am; Agenda; Livestream
Constitutional; January 29, Immediately upon adjournment; Agenda; Livestream
Higher Education; January 29, 11:30am or upon adjournment; Agenda; Livestream
Senate Meetings
Senate LCI Labor & Commerce Subcommittee
January 27, 10am; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: There is one bill on the agenda: S.444 (interactive sports wagering).
Senate Education Subcommittee
January 28, 10am; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: There is one bill on the agenda: S.199 (Student Physical Privacy Act).
Senate Medical Affairs Subcommittee
January 28, 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 H.4343 (human trafficking awareness & prevention training for medical professionals).
Senate Banking & Insurance Subcommittee
January 28, 11am; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: There are three bills and one regulation the agenda: S.697 (211 Network), S.780 (conventional mortgage rate definition), S.787 (exempt bridge loans from refinancing), and a regulation from the Board of Financial Institutions repealing Regulation 15-39D (Non-interest Bearing Negotiable Order of Withdrawal Accounts).
Senate FVS Committee
January 28, 11am; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: There are three bills on the agenda: S.695 (Safeguarding American Veterans' Benefits Act), S.718 (remove persons from RV parks) and S.832 (zoning ordinances and university events).
Senate Transportation Subcommittee
January 29, 9am; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: There is one bill on the agenda: S.831 (SCDOT modernization). This is the second hearing on this legislation.
House Meetings
House EPW K-12 Subcommittee
January 27, 1 hour upon adjournment; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: There are two bills on the agenda: H.4468 (special education advisory councils) and H.3197 (college and workforce readiness).
House Judiciary Committee
January 28, 10am; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: There are ten bills on the agenda: H.4758 (ban hemp-derived consumables), H.4759 (regulate hemp-derived consumables), S.336 (establish judicial elections date), H.4755 (JMSC reform), H.4145 (Pray Safe Act), S.477 (self-administered hormonal contraceptive), S.415 (kin-specific licensing standards), S.405 (homicide by child abuse), H.3774 (workers compensation notice), and H.4720 (pretrial intervention programs).
House LCI Business and Commerce Subcommittee
January 28, 10am; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: There is one bill on the agenda: H.4730 (billboard structure repairs).
House Legislative Oversight Subcommittee
January 28, 10:30am; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: The subcommittee will hold its eleventh meeting on the study of the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED).
House LCI Real Estate Subcommittee
January 28, 11am; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: There is one bill on the agenda: H.4338 (prohibit local government bans on exterior cladding).
House Invitations and Memorial Resolutions Committee
January 28, 11:30am; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: As of January 25 no agenda has been posted.
House LCI Public Utilities Subcommittee
January 28, 12pm; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: There is one bill on the agenda: H.4386 (public utilities acquiring water/sewer property).
House 3M Municipal and Public Affairs Subcommittee
January 29, 9am; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: There are three bills on the agenda: H.3187 (display barber poles), H.4188 (disposition of unidentified or unclaimed remains), and H.4635 (gym contract renewals).
House EPW Higher Education Subcommittee
January 29, 9am; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: There are four bills on the agenda: H.4736 (CHE commissioner training), H.4737 (college board of trustees training), H.4738 (CHE cleanup bill), and H.4739 (college student safety training).
House Regulations, Administrative Procedures, Artificial Intelligence and Cybersecurity Committee
January 29, 9am; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: There are 16 regulations on the agenda: two from the State Board of Education, one from Board of Financial Institutions, nine from the Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation, one the Aeronautics Commission, and three from the Department of Natural Resources.
House Judiciary Constitutional Laws Subcommittee
January 29, 9am; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: There are two bills on the agenda: H.3530 (Magistrates' Reform Act) and H.4813 (magistrate court fees and costs).
House Ways & Means Economic Development Subcommittee
January 29, 9am; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: There are three bills on the agenda: H.5006 (Small Business Tax Cut of 2026), H.3477 (homeowners association foreclosure authority), and H.3551 (poll worker pay not taxable).
House LCI Banking & Insurance Subcommittee
January 29, 9am; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: There is one bill on the agenda: H.4817 (Insurance Rate Reduction and Policyholder Protection Act).
House Judiciary DRBP Subcommittee
January 29, 9am; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: There are four bills on the agenda: H.4511 (probate court notice to creditors) H.4965 (probate judge qualifications), H.3113 (infant safe haven boxes), and H.4696 (infant safe haven age limit).
House Legislative Oversight Committee
January 29, Immediately upon adjournment; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: The committee will meet to discuss studies on the Tuition Grants Commission and the South Carolina Conservation Bank.
Joint Meetings
Joint Citizens and Legislative Committee on Children
January 27, 9am; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: The committee will receive three presentations on the issue of child abuse and neglect.
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 draft 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
