By Linda Hardman
Legislative Chair, DWGC
The 126th Session of the General Assembly did not pass as many bills as they usually do (81 total—about half as many as in 2024) but some were notable. To see formal descriptions, search for bill numbers at https://www.scstatehouse.gov/billsearch.php.
S.2: Established the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities, a combination of three other state health departments.
S.62: Passed by both houses, the voucher bill creates the SC Education Scholarship Fund. It was passed to avoid the constitutional prohibition of using public funds for private school vouchers. It also provides for a trustee to oversee the fund.
S.77: Promotes more public access to school board meetings, requiring livestreaming or electronic recordings.
S.425: Requires school districts to identify students living in poverty so that they can receive free and reduced-price breakfast and lunch. The service will be suspended if federal funding is suspended or discontinued.
H.3196: An Education Assistance Act that requires school districts to establish leave banks for teachers who require extra leave time; it also requires districts to inform teachers of expected salary and assignments before their employment begins.
H.3276: The Hands-Free, Distracted-Driving Act, which spells out the details for these violations and lists the consequences for violations incurred. The first offense results in a $100 fine, and the second offense results in a $200 fine plus points against one’s driving record. It takes effect September 1, with a grace period of 180 days where only a warning will be given.
H.3309: An important measure which comprises the Energy Security Act, mandating the three SC utility companies (Santee-Cooper, Dominion, and Duke) provide rate protection to their customers. The utilities must bear more of the costs for expanding their expensive data centers.
H.3430: Tort Reform and Liquor Liability Act reduces the exorbitant amount ($1,000,000) of insurance that must be carried by establishments that serve liquor. To qualify, these must close before midnight, provide alcohol training courses for employees, and use a digital ID scanner if serving alcohol between midnight and 4:00 am.
Lawmakers also voted to give themselves a $1500 monthly ($18,000/ year) pay raise to keep up with inflation and in-district costs of holding town halls, sending out mailers, and paying for fuel for district travel. This is their first increase in thirty years.
Vetoes
Governor McMaster vetoed 11 items in the budget. It’s not expected that the legislature will return to challenge these vetoes.
1. Activity Buses: Gives permission for school districts to allow nonprofits to use activity buses and to impose conditions and fees for their use. [Duplicated a policy already in use.]
2. University of South Carolina Teacher Advisory Committee: “An advisory committee shall be appointed to study and recommend policy changes to enhance the teaching of the state’s education workforce.” [This would have duplicated a study and program already completed by the State Superintendent of Education.]
3. Commission for Minority Affairs: The Division of Small and Minority Business Contracting and Certification to be transferred to the Commission for Minority Affairs. [This transfer was completed in 2024-2025.]
4, 5. Third Party Agency Operational Review and Legislative Audit Council: [Duplicated existing government watchdog and oversight programs.]
6. The State Law Enforcement Division (SLED), the Department of Public Safety, and the Department of Natural Resources shall provide a security detail to the Governor. [SLED recommended an update that made this unnecessary.]
7. The Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism had budgeted a reservation system at the new Pine Island State Park. [The governor vetoed the plan because it budgets the system months before the park opens.]
8. In the School Safety Program, considering increased funding to hire an additional 177 school resource officers, the Department of Public Safety will assist agencies in certain rural counties to recruit and hire these resource officers.
9. Department of Motor Vehicles and Electronic Titling. Up to $1,000,000 shall be appropriated to the Department of Motor Vehicles to create an electronic titling program. There were two bills: one set an operational deadline of June 30, 2026. The other did not. [The governor vetoed the version with the June, 2026 deadline, believing that date is not realistic.]
10. Division of Aeronautics. This provision deals with the hold-over capacity period limits of the Aeronautics Commission being suspended for the current fiscal year for a maximum of six months at the conclusion of the commissioner’s first or second term in office. The governor vetoed this provision because it created a perpetual hold-over status for members of the commission.
11. State Ethics Commission. This provision requires that the South Carolina Ethics Commission solicit and receive approval from the Senate Ethics and the House of Representatives Ethics Committee prior to making any changes to its online disclosure system. The governor said: “The State Ethics Commission Chairman and commissioners, who are confirmed by the House of Representatives and the Senate, are perfectly capable of approving any changes to the agency’s online disclosure and reporting system.”