Copper Dome Chronicle: June 26 2024 Session Day
Welcome to this week’s edition of the Copper Dome Chronicle, sponsored by Advocatus. We strive for substantive writing with brevity, inspired by the book Smart Brevity.
This week’s edition is 540 words or a 2 minute read. The 2024 regular session has adjourned pursuant to S.1192. Thanks for reading and sharing; we welcome your feedback and commentary!
Resources
SC Election Commission Candidate Filing Tracker
June 26 Session Day Preview
The House and Senate will return on Wednesday, June 26 to consider conference committee reports. The most important item is consideration, and very likely the adoption, of the conference committee reports on H.5100 (FY25 budget) and H.5101 (capital reserve bill). Read our budget conference committee recap to learn what is in next year’s budget.
One conference report that will draw some debate and discussion is H.3728 (Transparency and Integrity in Education Act). Commonly called the anti-CRT (critical race theory) bill, the conference committee has met a few times and reached an agreement; however, the agreement was only reached because a majority of the committee decided to request free conference powers from both chambers.
Rules reminder: House Rule 5.19.c and Senate Rule 50 require a 2/3 vote of the respective chamber’s membership (83 House and 31 Senate) to grant free conference powers. If free conference powers aren’t granted, the conference committee may reconvene and agree to an alternate conference report, or the bill may simply fail due to lack of a conference report.
During the final meeting Senator Darrell Jackson stated he would not sign the conference report, which may indicate Senate Democrats may vote against the motion - or simply vote present - to grant free conference powers and with 16 Senate Democrats, they can defeat this motion. Senate Republicans need 31 votes for the motion to pass.
Some conference committees have not met since adjournment, including H.5118 (comprehensive energy bill), S.1046 (judicial merit selection commission reform), and H.4187 (retail theft). These bills were priority legislation and it remains to be determined if a version will make it to the Governor’s desk or wither on the conference committee vine.
June 5 Session Day Review
On Wednesday, June 5 the General Assembly elected, by a vote of 152-0, the Honorable Letitia H. Verdin as Associate Justice of the South Carolina Supreme Court. According to multiple news reports, Judge Jocelyn Newman withdrew from the race on May 28 followed by Judge Blake Hewitt on May 30. Additionally, several conference committees met on June 4 and June 5.
Committee Schedule June 24-28 2024
Some committee meetings that will generate some debate and news. If a live stream link is not provided with a committee meeting that means no live stream is available.
Senate LCI Committee; June 25 at 10am; Agenda; Live Stream
Summary: The committee will consider 24 appointments to various professional and occupational licensing boards.
Senate Legislative Oversight Committee; June 25 at 10am; Agenda; Live Stream
Summary: The committee will meet to discuss studies of the Department of Transportation and the Commission on Higher Education.
House Legislative Oversight Economic Development, Transportation and Natural Resources Subcommittee; June 25 at 10am; Agenda; Live Stream
Summary: The committee will meet to receive a presentation from the South Carolina Forestry Commission. This will be the seventh meeting on the Forestry Commission.
S.314 Conference Committee; June 25 at 11am; Agenda
Summary: The conference committee on S.314 (higher ed permanent improvement projects) will meet. If this conference committee cannot reach agreement, an existing budget proviso 117.134 was included in the budget conference committee report to address some issues related to permanent improvement projects.
S.142 Conference Committee; June 25 at 12pm; Agenda; Live Stream
Summary: The conference committee S.142 (safe harbor for exploited minors) will meet for the second time.
S.1017 Conference Committee; June 25 at 1pm; Agenda; Live Stream
Summary: The conference committee on S.1017 (low income housing property tax exemption) will meet for the first time.
S.1046 Conference Committee; June 26 at 9:30am; Agenda; Live Stream
Summary: The conference committee on S.1046 (judicial merit selection commission reform) will meet for the first time.
H.4087 Conference Committee; June 26 at 9:30am; Agenda
Summary: The conference committee on H.4087 (tax credits omnibus bill) will meet for the first time.
S.969 Conference Committee; June 26 at 11:30am; Agenda
Summary: The conference committee on S.969 (income tax deduction for law enforcement and firefighters) will meet for the first time.
Key Dates
January 9: Session Convenes
January 16: Judicial Merit Selection Commission final report published
January 24: State of the State
February 7: Judicial elections (subject to change)
February 15: Board of Economic Advisors (BEA) February revenue estimate
February 20-22: House Ways & Means Committee budget deliberations
March 6: Election of the Chief Justice of the State Supreme Court
March 11-14: House floor budget deliberations
March 16: Candidate filing opens for all House and Senate seats at 12pm
April 1: Candidate filing closes for all House and Senate seats at 12pm
April 1-5: House furlough week
April 9-11: Senate Finance Committee budget deliberations
April 10: Crossover Day
April 17: Judicial Elections
April 23-25: Senate floor budget deliberations
May 9: Session Adjourns
June 5: Election of an Associate Justice of the State Supreme Court
June 11: Nominating Primary Elections
June 18: Budget conference report votes (tentative)
June 25: Nominating Primary Runoff Elections
June 26: Budget conference report votes
July 1: Fiscal Year 2024-2025 begins
October 6: Last day to register to vote
October 21: Early voting opens
November 2: Early voting closes
November 5: General Election Day
