The budget was ratified on Wednesday and sent to the Governor who has 5 days, excluding Sunday, to issue vetoes. For appropriations bills, the Governor has line-item veto power.
As a reminder, the Clemson-specific items in the budget are as follows:
Clemson E&G Recurring:
$12.2 million in recurring funding for in state tuition mitigation
$4 million in recurring funding for Student Experiential Learning
$4 million in recurring funding for the Snow Institute for the Study of Capitalism
$500,000 in recurring funding for the Clemson Energy Center
Clemson E&G Nonrecurring:
$40 million in nonrecurring funding for the NextGen Computing Complex
$4 million in nonrecurring funding for Maintenance, Renovation and Replacement
Clemson PSA Recurring:
$600,000 in recurring funding for Statewide Operational and Programmatic Support
$1 million in recurring funding for Food Safety and Nutrition Agents
$500,000 in recurring funding for Critical Vehicles & Equipment
Clemson PSA Nonrecurring:
$3 million in nonrecurring funding for Planned Maintenance and Critical Infrastructure
The budget also includes a 2% base pay increase for classified employees of institutions of higher education. It also contains language that allows flexibility to reward unclassified employees with merit-based increases.
The budget includes an increase in the cost of health insurance contributions for state employees and employers. The state will pay for the employee portion and the university will be responsible for the employer portion.
The budget contains several items from the Executive Budget of impact to the University:
$10 million in nonrecurring lottery dollars for the continuation of the initiative to address the shortage of instructors in nursing schools
Over $3.5 million in nonrecurring lottery dollars for the College Transition Programs (ClemsonLIFE), which provide scholarships for South Carolina residents with intellectual disabilities to complete a postsecondary education program, which includes academic coursework and career exploration, thereby preparing them for independent living and employment.
An additional $695,000 in recurring funds for Call Me Mister, which brings the total annual state investment in this program to $1,195,000. |
Clemson’s Governmental Affairs Team tracked over 100 pieces of legislation this legislative session. Here are a few of the bills that specifically impact Clemson University and could affect you personally:
H.3309 (South Carolina Energy Security Act) For more than four years, members of the South Carolina General Assembly have debated the best methods to meet the State’s growing energy demands. After the failed project at V.C. Summer, many in the General Assembly were skeptical of industry claims and felt it necessary to exercise extreme caution before implementing sweeping changes.
After significant debate last year, numerous meetings of a Senate ad-hoc committee throughout the fall last year, and several weeks of debate this year, the General Assembly finally reached agreement on a comprehensive piece of legislation aimed at ensuring the state’s energy future. Among other things, H. 3309 allows Dominion Energy and Santee Cooper to jointly pursue a methane gas plant and streamlines the permitting process for new energy projects. Additionally, the bill also encourages the expansion of nuclear facilities, including small modular nuclear reactors. 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.
Governor McMaster signed the bill into law on May 12, 2025, and the bill was effective upon his signature.
H. 3430 (Tort Reform / Liquor Liability)
Tort Reform and Liquor Liability were at the forefront of legislators’ minds this session as numerous bar and restaurant owners across the state chose to close their doors instead of paying soaring premiums for liquor liability insurance. The exact reason for the substantial increase in premiums was difficult to pinpoint, but many blamed minimum coverage levels required in state law, unfair processes in the court system, and the lack of insurance providers in South Carolina. The Senate spent nearly five weeks debating S.244, which was their comprehensive tort reform bill. Meanwhile, the House quickly passed H. 3497, which focused almost exclusively on liquor liability.
After several weeks of intense negotiations, the House and Senate came to a compromise and passed
H. 3430, which has been referred to as “liquor liability plus”. Among other things, the compromise bill addresses modified joint and several liability, reduces current mandatory minimum insurance requirements, and 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, which will be critical to Clemson as we embark upon the sale of alcohol at sporting events.
Governor McMaster signed the bill into law on May 12, 2025. Much of the bill takes effect on January 1, 2026, however, the portion pertaining to the sale of alcohol at collegiate sporting events became effective upon the Governor’s signature.
H. 3247 (Excused School Absences)
It was brought to legislators’ attention a few years ago that school districts in South Carolina treat student absences for career and technical student organization experiences differently. For instance, one school district may excuse a school absence for a student to participate in a FFA or 4-H event, but another school district may not. With the passage of H. 3247, that will no longer be the case. School districts will now be required to adopt a policy that excuses absences for these types of experiences. The bill, however, does have some limitations and requires the student to complete assignments missed while out of school.
Governor McMaster signed this bill into law on April 28, 2025, and the bill became effective immediately. The Governor also held a bill signing ceremony on this bill in conjunction with the Annual Plant Presentation Day at the Statehouse, which is hosted by South Carolina FFA and the South Carolina Association of Agricultural Educators.
S. 103 (Fake Meat)
With the passage of S. 103, it is now illegal in the State of South Carolina for any person to label any artificial or cell-cultivated food product as beef, poultry, fish, crustacean, or any other animal protein for the purposes of selling that product in the state. In other words, it will now be a crime to call an artificial product, “meat”, when, in fact, it is not meat. As this bill was debated, certain legislators wanted Clemson Livestock Poultry Health (LPH) to be responsible for the enforcement of this law. Thankfully, the legislature agreed to allow any law enforcement entity to enforce the provisions of this law rather than giving exclusive jurisdiction to Clemson LPH or the Department of Agriculture. Ultimately, the law will be tough to enforce as written, but the overall intent is to send a clear message to industry that the General Assembly does not want to deceive the public by allowing these products to be marketed as something they are not. Furthermore, the General Assembly wanted to support the poultry and beef industries in the state who advocated for this bill.
Governor McMaster signed the bill into law on May 8, 2025, and the bill was effective upon his signature.
H.3292 (Golf Carts)
H. 3292 repeals the previous law governing the use of golf carts on public highways and replaces it with a new one. The new law 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 specific ordinances by the local governing body. Without a specific local ordinance, golf carts can only be operated during daylight hours. Additionally, the new law requires each golf cart passenger under the age of twelve years old to wear a fastened safety belt when the golf cart is being operated on the public streets and highways of the state.
Governor McMaster signed the bill into law on May 22, 2025, and the bill was effective immediately.
While the Clemson Governmental Affairs Team was not directly involved with this legislation, we do expect it to have an impact on the University due to the volume of golf cart traffic across campus. As such, policies and/or regulations may be needed because of this new law.
H. 3276 (South Carolina Hands-Free and Distracted Driving Act)
Again, while the Clemson Governmental Affairs Team was not directly involved with this legislation, we are sharing this information for everyone’s awareness as it could personally impact many. After several years of debate, the General Assembly finally passed a law that prohibits drivers from holding their phones while driving. This new law makes it a criminal offense for anyone to hold a mobile electronic device, compose any text, or watch videos (including video calls) while operating a motor vehicle on the public highways of the state. There are exceptions in the law for certain operators, such as first responders, and conditions in which the prohibition does not apply. The bill also prescribes criminal penalties and assesses point deductions for violations of the law.
Governor McMaster signed the bill into law on May 12, 2025, but the bill does not go into effect until September 1, 2025.
Other notable legislation signed into law this year:
S. 2 (Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities)
S. 62 (Education Scholarship Trust Fund) H. 3196 (Educator Assistance Act)
H. 3632 (STEM Scholarship Stipends)
Notable Legislation that Did Not Pass this Year:
This is the first year of a two-year session, therefore, bills that did not become law this year can still be considered next legislative session. Here are a few higher profile bills that either received consideration or have been considered in recent sessions, but failed to become law this year:
S. 344 (SC Equine Advancement Act)
S. 438 (Joint Bond Review Committee)
H. 3021 (Small Business Regulatory Freedom Act) Passed the House, Awaiting Consideration in the Senate
H. 3214 (Pilot Program on Public School-Based Community Canneries) Passed the House, Awaiting Consideration in the Senate
H. 3582 (Forming Open and Robust University Minds Act)
H. 3858 (Taxation on Boats) Passed the House, Awaiting Consideration in the Senate
H. 3863 (SC STEM Opportunity Act) Passed the House, Awaiting Consideration in the Senate
H. 3927 (DEI) Passed the House, Awaiting Consideration in the Senate
H. 4129 (Skill-Based Competition) Passed the House, Awaiting Consideration in the Senate
H. 4176 (I-95 Economic Stimulus and Education Stimulus Act)
H. 4216 (Income Tax Reform) Passed the House, Awaiting Consideration in the Senate |
