Statehouse Update February 18-20

Update 2/20/25: Adjustments were made to this summary to reflect developments that occurred during the week.

It's a cold week in Columbia but the legislature is hot with bill movement! Final subcommittee amendments are due from members by Thursday for liability legislation. A new SC D.O.G.E. committee, automatic renewal for gun permits, ensuring voters are residents, and judicial deference/regulatory freedoms are all up for discussion. The Senate is also poised to hold a vote on the livestreaming of schoolboard meetings.

Legal Reform

Tort Reform S.244 – Provides that a jury determine percentage of fault of the claimant and of any nonparty, using those percentages as a basis for damages, along with other insurance regulatory reforms. A Senate Judiciary subcommittee hears this bill at 9:30am on Wednesday, Feb. 19 and upon Senate adjournment Thursday Feb. 20. Update: This bill has advanced to the full Senate Judiciary committee.

Liability Regulation S.184 – Allows for a licensee that sells, serves, or otherwise furnishes alcohol (bar or restaurant owners) to be held civilly liable to a third party for damages arising out of the sale or furnishing of alcohol. This bill addresses "Dram Shop" laws, which place liability on a business based on their duty to train employees in identifying intoxication and denying those under 21. A Senate Judiciary subcommittee hears this bill at 9:30am on Wednesday, Feb. 19 and upon Senate adjournment Thursday Feb. 20. Update: This bill has advanced to the full Senate Judiciary committee.
Regulatory Freedom/Judicial Deference H.3021 - For every new regulation introduced, two existing regulations must be removed, allowing challenges to existing regulations in court, and introducing expiration dates for regulations. A House labor, commerce, and industry subcommittee hears this bill an hour and a half after House adjournment on Tuesday, Feb. 18. Update: This bill has advanced to the full House LCI committee.

Government Efficiency S.318 – Creates a commission that sends spending cut recommendations to the Governor and General Assembly. The Senate Finance Committee hears this bill at 2pm on Tuesday, Feb. 18. Update: This bill has advanced to the Senate floor as amended.
Ensuring Voters are Residents H. 3459 – Clarifies language on driver’s license requirements and changing of domicile. The House Judiciary committee hears this bill at 9am on Thursday, Feb. 20.

Second Amendment

Automatic Carry Permit Renewals S.168 – Sets carry permits to automatically renew and eliminates the renewal fee. A Senate Judiciary subcommittee hears this bill upon Senate adjournment on Wednesday, Feb. 19.

Education

Livestreaming Schoolboard Meetings S. 77 - Requires school boards to adopt policies for electronic transmission of meetings. This bill is on the Senate floor for debate. Update: This bill passed third reading and moves to the House for consideration.
Education Scholarship Trust Fund S.62 - A rendition of last year’s ESA bill, establishing accounts to be used on the school of the students’ choosing, but this legislation establishes the SC Education Lottery as the funding source. The House education and public works committee hears this bill thirty minutes after House adjournment on Wednesday, Feb. 19. Update: This bill has advanced to the House floor.

Energy

Joint Resolution, V.C. Summer S. 51 - “to encourage Santee Cooper to issue a request for proposal to solicit proposals on utilizing assets associated with V.C. Summer Units 2 and 3 and for considerations related to a request for a proposal." The Senate Judiciary committee hears this bill at 3pm on Tuesday, Feb. 18. Update: This bill has advanced to the Senate floor as amended.
Joint Resolution, Santee Cooper S. 12 - “to authorize the Public Service Authority to jointly own, as tenants-in-common or through a limited liability company, with investor-owned utilities, electrical generation and transmission facilities.” The Senate Judiciary committee hears this bill at 3pm on Tuesday, Feb. 18. Update: This bill has advanced to the Senate floor as amended.
The Big Energy Bill H. 3309 - This bill is the SC House’s aim at generating more energy to meet demands, the bill restructures the public service commission and mandates the departmental transfer of consumer advocacy responsibilities. It also encourages the deployment of new nuclear facilities, automatically approves projects after 6 months, bypasses the SC Court of Appeals, and still allows companies to charge ratepayers before project completion. The bill heightens the fiscal impact up to 23 million dollars and allows Santee Cooper to incur massive debt. The bill creates a 10-year plan that rejects market signals and relies on a Biden-era renewable energy institute funded by federal dollars. A Senate Judiciary subcommittee hears this bill at 10am on Thursday, Feb. 20.

Finance

Cryptocurrency S.163 – Prohibits use of federal central digital bank currencies by state and local governments and regulates digital asset mining. A Senate banking subcommittee hears this bill Wednesday, Feb. 19 at 11am. Update: This bill has advanced to the Senate floor as amended.

Budget Hearings

House Ways and Means Committee

Tuesday, Feb. 18 at 10am hearing on subcommittee proviso and funding recommendations

Senate Finance Constitutional Subcommittee

Tuesday, Feb. 18 upon Senate adjournment hearing from the Department of Administration, State Treasurer’s Office, and Office of the Comptroller General
Thursday, Feb. 20 upon Senate Adjournment hearing from the Office of the Comptroller General

Senate Finance Criminal Justice Subcommittee

Wednesday, Feb. 19 at 8:45am hearing from the Judicial Department, Administrative Law Court, Commission on Indigent Defense, and the Commission on Prosecution Coordination

Senate Finance Natural Resources and Economic Development Subcommittee

Wednesday, Feb. 19 at 10am hearing from the South Carolina State Housing and Finance Authority, Department of Natural Resources, Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism, and The Palmetto Trail

Senate Finance Transportation and Regulatory Subcommittee

Wednesday, Feb. 19 at 12pm hearing from the Commission on Minority Affairs, Office of Regulatory Staff, and the Public Service Commission

Senate Finance Higher Education Subcommittee

Thursday, Feb. 20 at 10am hearing from The Citadel and The College of Charleston

Senate Finance K-12 Education Subcommittee

Wednesday, Feb. 19 at 10am hearing from ETV, Archives and History, and the Arts Commission

Senate Finance Health and Human Services Subcommittee

Wednesday, Feb. 19 at 10am hearing from the Retirement System Investment Commission, Department of Social Services, and the Department of Children’s Advocacy