Statehouse Update February 25-27

Update 2/27/25: Adjustments were made to this summary to reflect developments that occurred during the week.

The House chamber is set to hear the newly amended school choice bill that designates the general fund as the funding source. We await Senate floor debate on SC DOGE, elimination of the Comptroller General, and both energy joint resolutions. Committees are scheduled to discuss judicial deference, vaccine consent, noncertified teachers, cryptocurrency, and joint & several liability.

Legal Reform

Tort Reform S.244 – Provides that a jury determine the percentage of fault of the claimant and of any nonparty, using those percentages as a basis for damages, along with other insurance regulatory reforms. For a full SCPC analysis of S.244, click here. The Senate Judiciary committee hears this bill Tuesday, Feb. 25 at 2:30pm or thirty minutes after Senate adjournment. Update: This bill has advanced to the Senate floor.

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. The Senate Judiciary committee hears this bill Tuesday, Feb. 25 at 2:30pm or thirty minutes after Senate adjournment. Update: This bill has advanced to the Senate floor.

Liquor Liability H.3497 – Establishes a liquor liability risk mitigation program where if qualified, a business can have discounts applied to their insurance premium by the provider. The House Judiciary constitutional laws subcommittee hears this bill at 9am on Wednesday, Feb. 26. Update: This bill has advanced to the full House Judiciary committee.
SC DOGE S.318 – Creates a commission that sends spending cut recommendations to the Governor and General Assembly. This bill is on the Senate floor for debate.
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. The House LCI committee hears this bill on Tuesday, Feb. 25 one and a half hours after House adjournment. Update: This bill has advanced to the House floor.
Informed Vaccine Consent, Emergency Power Expansion S.54 - Bans vaccine mandates, transfers emergency health powers of the state from DHEC to the Department of Public Health and expands emergency health powers all widespread illnesses. Finally, the bill preserves the power to forcibly quarantine asymptomatic patients if they refuse vaccination or treatment. A medical affairs subcommittee hears this bill at 10am on Wednesday, Feb 26.

Education

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. The House Education committee amended the bill to designate the general fund as the funding source and set an incremental elimination of income requirements while leaving enrollment numbers capped (to the extent that general fund allocations allow). For a full SCPC analysis of the ESA bill, click here. This bill is on the House floor for debate. Update: 2/26 This bill has passed second reading on the House floor. 2/27 This bill has passed third reading and returns to the Senate as amended for approval.
Noncertified Teachers S. 79 – Allows public schools to hire non-certified teachers for up to 10% of their teaching staff. The Senate Education Committee hears this bill at 9:30am on Wednesday, Feb. 26.

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. This resolution is on the Senate floor for debate. Update: 2/25 There was no debate, this bill passed unanimously upon second reading. 2/26 This bill has advanced to the House upon third reading.
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.” Gives Public Service Authority power to jointly own investor-owned electric utilities, electrical generation and transmission facilities, the power to plan, finance, acquire, own, operate, and maintain those plants. This resolution is on the Senate floor for debate.

Gov. Structure

Elimination of the Comptroller General S.35 – This bill proposes a constitutional amendment eliminating the position of Comptroller General. This bill is on the Senate floor for debate.

Finance

Cryptocurrency S.163 – Prohibits use of federal central digital bank currencies by state and local governments and regulates digital asset mining. The Senate banking and insurance committee hears this bill at 11am on Wednesday, Feb. 26. Update: This bill has advanced to the Senate floor.

Budget Hearings

Senate Finance Constitutional Subcommittee

Tuesday, Feb. 25 upon Senate adjournment hearing from the State Ethics Commission, Secretary of State, and the Adjutant General
Thursday, Feb. 27 upon Senate adjournment hearing from the State Treasurer’s Office

Senate Finance Health and Human Services Subcommittee

Wednesday, Feb. 26 at 9am hearing from the Public Employee Benefit Authority, the Commission for the Blind, and the Department of Environmental Services

Senate Finance K-12 Education

Wednesday, Feb. 26 at 9am hearing from the SC School for the Deaf and Blind, State Museum, and the State Library

Senate Finance Natural Resources and Economic Development Subcommittee

Wednesday, Feb. 26 at 10am hearing from the Department of Insurance, South Carolina Conservation Bank, and Santee Cooper

Senate Finance Transportation and Regulatory Subcommittee

Wednesday, Feb. 26 at 12pm hearing from the Board of Financial Institutions, Workers’ Compensation Commission, and the State Accident Fund