Copper Dome Chronicle: 2025 Session Week 5
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 February 11-13, 2025, is 1,590 words or a 6 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
***Senate Budget Calendar***NEW RESOURCE
FY 2025-2026 Agency Budget Requests
Week 5 Preview
The House will hold floor sessions on Tuesday (12pm), Wednesday (2pm), and Thursday (10am). The House has 15 bills, one joint resolution, and two concurrent resolutions eligible for consideration on its calendar to begin the week. Some bills that will generate debate include:
H.3558 (Commissioners to Article V Convention)
H.3523 (organized retail crime)
H.3309 (Energy Security Act)
H.3292 (golf carts on secondary roads after sunset)
H.3196 (Educator Assistance Act)
H.3195 (K-12 physical education requirements)
S.253 (state audit support)
The Senate will hold floor sessions on Tuesday (12pm), Wednesday (1pm), and Thursday (11am). The Senate has eight bills, two joint resolutions, and zero concurrent resolutions eligible for consideration on its calendar to begin the week; none has a printed objection.
S.213 (Greenville Airport Commission)
S.26 (watercraft liability insurance)
S.28 (child abuse via artificial intelligence)
S.29 (morphed images of minors)
S.35 (comptroller general constitutional amendment)
S.38 (special elections)
S.74 (electronic records disclosure)
S.143 (orders of protection)
S.180 (orders of protection)
S.271 (PSC elections)
Week 4 Review
House floor sessions consumed 2 hours, 6 minutes (not including the joint assembly held for judicial elections). One joint resolution was passed: H.3438 (Expand Catawba Indian Reservation).
Senate floor sessions consumed 3 hours, 49 minutes (not including the joint assembly held for judicial elections). Nine bills and one joint resolution were passed, including S.62 (K-12 lottery scholarships). This is the Senate bill to respond to the South Carolina Supreme Court’s decision in Eidson v. Department of Education, where the Court struck down the use of Educational Scholarship Trust Fund (ESTF) accounts to pay for private school tuition as created by Act 8 of 2023.
The joint assembly for judicial elections consumed 1 hour, 53 minutes of floor time. For the second consecutive year, the joint assembly rejected the candidacy for a Circuit Court seat where there was only one candidate. The Honorable Kristi Curtis won a seat on the Court of Appeals after the two other candidates withdrew their candidacy; who has a storied legal career including serving as a law clerk to retired Supreme Court Justice Kaye Hearn when Justice Hearn was on the Court of Appeals.
Committee Schedule Week 5
If a live stream link is not provided with a committee meeting that means no live stream is 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 (3 budget hearings)
Public Education; February 11 at 11:30am; Agenda; Livestream
Transportation; February 11, 90 minutes upon adjournment; Agenda; Livestream
Proviso; February 12 at 9am; Agenda; Livestream
There will likely be at least one additional meeting of the Proviso Subcommittee this week
Senate Finance Budget Subcommittees (4 budget hearings)
Criminal Justice, February 12, 8:45am; Agenda; Livestream
Transportation, February 12 at 12pm; Agenda; Livestream
Constitutional, February 13 immediately upon adjournment; Agenda; Livestream
Higher Education, February 13 at 10am; Agenda
Senate Meetings
Senate Transportation Subcommittee
February 11, 9:30am; Agenda
Summary: There are two bills on the agenda: S.275 (EV charging stations) and S.307 (peer-to-peer car sharing services)
Senate Finance Property Tax Subcommittee
February 11, 2pm; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: There are three bills on the agenda: S.125 (nonprofit housing corporation property tax exemption), S.264 (municipal annexations), and S.317 (house boat property tax exemption).
Senate Finance Retirement Systems Subcommittee
February 11, 3pm; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: There is one bill on the agenda: S.127 (Catawba Nation police officers participation in PORS)
Senate Judiciary Subcommittee
February 11, 3pm; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: There are five bills on the agenda: S.52 (DUI), S.136 (dismissal of pending firearms charges), S.168 (CWP program), S.192 (DUI blood draw), and S.208 (felony reckless driving).
Senate FVS Subcommittee
February 12, 9am; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: The agenda has not been posted as of February 9. There are three bills on the agenda: S.276 (Child Abuse and Neglect Network), S.240 (parental rights and child welfare), and S.121 (adoption proceedings).
Senate LCI Subcommittee
February 12, 9am; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: There is one bill on the agenda: S.268 (age-appropriate code design)
Senate Judiciary Subcommittee
February 12, 10am; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: There are two bills on the agenda: S.184 (dram shop/liquor liability) and S.244 (tort reform plus dram shop). These bills are priority legislation for the hospitality and alcohol industries, as well as the broader business community regarding tort reform efforts.
Senate Education Committee
February 12, 10am; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: There are four bills on the agenda and five regulations: S.77 (livestream school board meetings), S.78 (educator credential prior work experience credit), S.79 (school district noncertified teachers), and S.169 (lottery tickets).
Senate Medical Affairs Subcommittee
February 12, 10am; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: There is one bill on the agenda: S.236 (anesthesiologist assistants)
Senate Legislative Oversight Subcommittee
February 12, 11am; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: The subcommittee will receive a presentation from the Office of Resilience.
Senate LCI Subcommittee
February 12, 12pm; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: There are three bills on the agenda: S.101 (firefighters), S.171 (waste tires), and S.176 (public accountants).
Senate Judiciary Subcommittee
February 12, immediately upon adjournment; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: There is one bill on the agenda: S.157 (utility storm damage recovery)
Senate LCI Committee
February 13, 9am; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: There are three appointments and four bills, pending subcommittee reports, on the agenda: S.268 (age-appropriate code design), S.101 (firefighters), S.171 (waste tires), and S.176 (public accountants).
Senate Judiciary Subcommittee
February 13, 9:30am; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: There are two bills on the agenda: S.184 (dram shop/liquor liability) and S.244 (tort reform plus dram shop). These bills are priority legislation for the hospitality and alcohol industries, as well as the broader business community regarding tort reform efforts.
Senate Medical Affairs Subcommittee
February 13, 9:30am; Agenda
Summary: There is one bill and one Senate resolution on the agenda: S.170 (mandate surgical smoke evacuation systems) and S.310 (St. Jude resolution).
Senate Legislative Oversight Subcommittee
February 13, 10am; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: The subcommittee will receive a presentation from the Department of Children’s Advocacy.
Senate Judiciary Subcommittee
February 13, immediately upon adjournment; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: There are three bills on the agenda: S.156 (fentanyl induced homicide), S.159 (organized retail crime), and S.183 (drug induced homicide).
House Meetings
House Legislative Oversight Subcommittee
February 11, 8:30am; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: The subcommittee will discuss a study of the State Law Enforcement Division (SLED).
House Judiciary DRBP Subcommittee
February 11, 11am; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: There are nine bills on the agenda; all bills are related to guardian ad litems (GALs).
H.3013 (qualifications to serve as a GAL in private family court case)
H.3079 (prohibit certain ex parte communications by GAL in private actions)
H.3080 (responsibilities of GALs in private actions)
H.3084 (appointment and compensation of an attorney for a GAL)
H.3100 (prohibition on GAL recommendations in private actions)
H.3101 (subject GALs in private actions to investigation by ODC)
H.3103 (GAL in private actions required to be attorneys)
H.3622 (GAL in private custody or visitation cases)
H.3654 (authorize disclosure of case records to county and state GALs)
House Judiciary Committee
February 11, 30 minutes upon adjournment; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: There are four bills on the agenda: H.3430 (state auditor), H.3431 (minors and social media), H.3798 (military chaplains & privileged communications), and H.3472 (small estates).
House Ways & Means Property Tax Subcommittee
February 11, 1 hour upon adjournment; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: There is one bill on the agenda: H.3841 (4% property assessment upon decedent's death)
House 3M Committee
February 11, 90 minutes upon adjournment; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: There are six bills on the agenda: H.3022 (long-term care council), H.3254 (permanent medical licenses), H.3222 (litter control officers), H.3510 (county veterans’ affairs officers), H.3563 (evaluation of county veterans’ affairs officers), and H.3564 (SC Military Affairs Council).
House Education & Public Works Higher Education Subcommittee
February 11, 90 minutes upon adjournment; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: There are two bills on the agenda: H.3250 (repeal 59-104-250) and H.3251 (repeal 39-9-240).
House Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs Committee
February 11, 90 minutes upon adjournment; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: There are two bills and one joint resolution on the agenda: H.3813 (bear hunting), H.3656 (right to repair septic tanks/wells), and H.3814 (Surface Water Study Committee).
House LCI Business and Commerce Subcommittee
February 12, 9am; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: There is one bill on the agenda: H.3777 (direct-to-consumer vehicle sales), commonly called the “Scout” bill for Scout Motors.
House Regulations, Administrative Procedures, Artificial Intelligence and Cybersecurity Subcommittee
February 12, 9am; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: There are five regulations on the agenda from the State Board of Education and the Commission on Higher Education.
House Judiciary Constitutional Laws Subcommittee
February 12, 9am; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: There is one bill on the agenda: H.3497 (liquor liability).
House Judiciary Criminal Laws Subcommittee
February 12, 9am; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: There are two bills on the agenda: H.3650 (discharge firearm at a dwelling) and H.3924 (hemp-derived consumables).
House Regulations, Administrative Procedures, Artificial Intelligence and Cybersecurity Subcommittee
February 13, 9am; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: There are ten regulations from the Department of Environmental Services and the Conservation Bank.
House Judiciary Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, & Special Laws Subcommittee
February 13, 9am; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: There are two bills on the agenda: H.3058 (intimate images) and H.3460 (disclosure of electronic communications).
House LCI Banking and Insurance Subcommittee
February 13, 9am; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: There is one bill on the agenda: H.3771 (marine recovery insurance).
House Legislative Oversight Subcommittee
February 13, 30 minutes upon adjournment; Agenda; Livestream
Summary: The subcommittee will discuss a study of the State Law Enforcement Division (SLED).
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 (tentative)
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
