Copper Dome Chronicle: 2025 Session Week 11
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, covering March 25-27, 2025, is 1,195 words or a 4.5 minute read. The 126th South Carolina General Assembly convened on Tuesday, January 14, 2025 and will adjourn on Thursday, May 8, 2025. Thanks for reading and sharing; we welcome your feedback and commentary!
Resources
FY 2025-2026 Agency Budget Requests
Week 11 Preview
The House will hold floor sessions on Tuesday (12pm), Wednesday (10am), and Thursday (10am). The House has 15 bills eligible for consideration on its calendar to begin the week. Some bills that will generate debate include:
H.3046 (online technological exploitation)
H.3045 (child sexual abuse)
H.3387 (unlawful occupants of property)
S.74 (electronic records disclosure)
H.3276 (Hands-Free and Distracted Driving Act)
H.3927 (prohibit DEI activities)
The Senate will hold floor sessions on Tuesday (12pm), Wednesday (1pm), and Thursday (11am). The Senate has 27 bills (19 are contested) and 13 joint resolutions (2 are contested) eligible for consideration on its calendar to begin the week. S.244 (tort reform plus dram shop) remains in the status of Special Order and its debate will likely consume most of the floor time. Some other uncontested bills that will generate debate include:
Week 10 Review
The House did not hold floor sessions and no bills were passed. Some committee reports were introduced on March 20 and placed on the calendar.
Senate floor sessions consumed 11 hours, 40 minutes, not including the “15 minute recess” that consumed 3 hours on Tuesday. The Senate passed eight bills and several congratulatory and memorial resolutions. Some legislation that passed the Senate last week included:
S.170 (mandate surgical smoke evacuation systems)
S.287 (electronic nicotine delivery systems)
S.126 (law enforcement & judicial personal privacy protection)
H.3529 (family court judges)
The Board of Economic Advisors (BEA) did not meet on March 20 but released its February 2025 monthly and year-to-date (YTD) figures. State revenues have grown 10.3% compared to the BEA estimate of 6.6%. As Governor McMaster has said many times, the state’s economy is booming.
BEA February 2025 Digest, Page 6
Committee Schedule Week 11
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.
Senate Finance Budget Subcommittees (6 budget hearings)
Constitutional, March 25 at 10am; Agenda; Livestream
Natural Resources & Economic Development, March 26 at 10am; Agenda; Livestream
Transportation, March 26 at 12pm; Agenda; Livestream
Higher Education, March 27 at 10am; Agenda
Health & Human Services, March 27 immediately upon adjournment; Agenda; Livestream
Constitutional, March 27 immediately upon adjournment; Agenda; Livestream
Senate Meetings
Senate Finance Committee
March 25, 2pm or 15 minutes upon adjournment; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: There are three bills on the agenda: S.11 (state employee paid parental leave), S.32 (Pregnancy Resource Act), and H.3430 (state auditor). Additionally, the committee will receive a presentation from Frank Rainwater, Executive Director of the Office or Revenue and Fiscal Affairs.
Senate Judiciary Committee
March 25, 2pm or 15 minutes upon adjournment; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: There are nine bills on the agenda:
H.3309 (Energy Security Act)
S.446 (Electric Rate Stabilization Act)
S.52 (DUI)
S.76 (criminal gang and anti-racketeering)
S.85 (Criminal Enterprise and Racketeering Suppression Act)
S.114 (telecommunication location information)
S.208 (felony reckless driving)
S.270 (attempted murder)
S.405 (homicide by child abuse)
Senate FVS Committee
March 26, 9am; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: There are two bills on the agenda: S.415 (kin-specific licensing standards) and H.3654 (authorize disclosure of case records to county and state GALs). Additionally, there are six DSS regulations and one presentation.
Senate Education Committee
March 26, 10am; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: There are five bills on the agenda: H.3196 (Educator Assistance Act), H.3862 (charter school enrollment preferences), S.269 (school district private security firms), S.416 (school district expulsions), and S.425 (school-based meals).
Senate Banking & Insurance Committee
March 26, 11am; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: The committee will receive five presentations from representatives of pharmacies, health insurers, the Department of Health & Human Services, and a policy think tank regarding pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs).
Senate Legislative Oversight Subcommittee
March 26, 11am; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: This is the first meeting of the subcommittee reviewing the South Carolina Department of Veterans’ Affairs.
Senate LCI Committee
March 27, 9am; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: There is one bill on the agenda: H.3947 (continuing education requirements for nonresident real estate brokers). Additionally, there are five appointment hearings on the agenda, including Dr. Rebecca Battle-Bryant to be the first Director of the Office of Statewide Workforce Development at the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce.
House Meetings
House 3M Medical and Health Affairs Subcommittee
March 25, 9am; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: There is one bill on the agenda: S.2 (behavioral healthcare agency restructuring).
House Ways & Means Constitutional Subcommittee
March 25, 11am; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: There is one bill on the agenda: H.3925 (state finances reporting).
House Regulations Health and Healthcare Industries Subcommittee
March 25, 11am; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: There are six regulations from the Department of Social Services on the agenda.
House Judiciary Criminal Laws Subcommittee
March 25, 11am; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: There is one bill on the agenda: S.156 (fentanyl induced homicide).
House Ways & Means General Government Subcommittee
March 25, immediately upon adjournment; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: There are two bills on the agenda: S.291 (continuing resolution) and H.3645 (increase state employee paid parental leave).
House Judiciary Committee
March 25, 60 minutes upon adjournment; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: There are seven bills on the agenda: H.3524 (victim services training), H.3525 (victim services and compensation), H.3591 (fentanyl induced homicide, H.3624 (tree limb encroachment), H.3924 (hemp-derived ingestible), S.156 (fentanyl induced homicide), and H.3731 (special purpose districts).
House Regulations, Administrative Procedures, Artificial Intelligence and Cybersecurity Committee
March 26, 8:30am; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: There are ten regulations on the agenda from LLR.
House 3M Military and Veterans Affairs Subcommittee
March 26, 9am; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: There are four bills on the agenda: S.218 (veterans’ nursing homes), H.3333 (affordable housing and redevelopment of military installations), H.3453 (veterans' children tuition assistance), and H.3910 (concurrent jurisdiction regarding juveniles).
House Judiciary Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, & Special Laws Subcommittee
March 26, 9am; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: There are two bills on the agenda: H.3049 (Uniform Civil Remedies for Unauthorized Disclosure of Intimate Images Act) and H.3058 (disclosure of intimate images).
House Invitations Committee
March 26, 9:15am; Agenda
Summary: There are six resolutions on the agenda: five road naming resolutions and S.392 (Technology First State resolution).
House Regulations, Administrative Procedures, Artificial Intelligence and Cybersecurity Committee
March 27, 9am; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: There are four regulations on the agenda from LLR.
House Education & Public Works Committee
Date, Time, Agenda, Livestream - TBA
Summary: Based upon action in a full committee meeting held on March 19 there is likely a full committee meeting this week. The following bills were reported favorable by the EPW K-12 Subcommittee on March 19:
H.3201 (computer science education)
H.3258 (mobile panic alert systems)
H.3578 (cursive writing grades 2-5)
H.3831 (AED mandate)
H.3778 (Hurricane Helene make up days)
H.3863 (STEM Coalition)
Joint Meetings
Prostate Cancer Study Committee
March 27, 2pm; Agenda
Summary: The study committee will receive presentations from McLeod Health and Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System.
Key Dates
January 14, 2025: Session Convenes
January 16, 2025: Judicial Merit Selection Commission final report published
January 29, 2025: State of the State
February 5, 2025: Judicial elections
February 13, 2025: Board of Economic Advisors (BEA) February revenue estimate
March 10-14, 2025: House floor budget deliberations
March 17-21, 2025: House Furlough Week (committee meetings only)
April 10, 2025: Board of Economic Advisors (BEA) April revenue estimate
April 14-18, 2025: House Furlough Week
April 21-24, 2025: Senate floor budget deliberations
May 8, 2025: Session Adjourns
July 1, 2025: Fiscal Year 2025-2026 begins
