| THIS WEEK IN SOUTH CAROLINA In accordance with state law, the General Assembly adjourned sine die at 5 o’clock on Thursday, May 8, 2025. Per the terms of the sine die resolution, the House and Senate may return to finish work only on the budget. Since this is the first year of a two-year session, bills that did not pass this session will retain their current status and be carried over to the 2026 session. THE STATE BUDGET PROCESS The House amended the budget back to its original version of the budget (with a few exceptions) and returned it to the Senate, which voted to nonconcur in the House amendments. The bill now goes to conference committee. House conferees are House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Bruce Bannister (R-Greenville), Representative Lee Hewitt (R-Georgetown) and Representative Leon Stavrinakis (D-Charleston). Senate conferees are Senate Finance Committee Chairman Harvey Peeler Clemson ‘70 (R-Cherokee), Senate President Thomas Alexander Clemson ’78 (R-Oconee) and Senator Darrell Jackson (D-Richland). It is expected that the Conference Committee will meet the week of May 19th to negotiate the differences between the House and Senate versions. The two bodies are aiming to come back to consider the conference report on the budget on Wednesday, May 28, 2025. BILLS OF INTEREST There are three bills that the Governmental Affairs team has been actively working on that saw final action last week. They are as follows: Energy Earlier this week, the Senate concurred in the House amendment and passed H.3309 (South Carolina Energy Security Act). The bill now awaits the Governor’s signature. Clemson’s Energy Center was included in previous versions of this legislation, but the final bill removed specific references to ALL institutions of higher learning and created a Nuclear Advisory Council at SC Nexus at the SC Department of Commerce. Tort Reform After several weeks of intense negotiations, the House and Senate came to a compromise amendment on tort reform. The bill has been referred to as “liquor liability plus” as it incorporates the liquor liability provisions the House initially addressed and several of the provisions of S.244, which was the Senate’s comprehensive tort reform bill. The compromise provides bars, restaurants and other entities’ options and requirements for reducing minimum insurance coverage for serving alcohol. The bill also creates a new section aimed at tightly regulating the sale of beer and wine at collegiate sporting events. Golf Carts H.3292, a bill reforming the use of golf carts on public highways is also headed to the Governor’s desk. This bill gives municipalities or counties the ability to set ordinances that stipulate the hours, methods, and locations of golf cart operations, including nighttime operations of golf carts. The bill also sets default standards for the operation of golf carts in the absence of a specific ordinance by the local governing body. NEWS & FYI Please follow ClemsonGovAff on Twitter. |
