Friday, Dec. 18, 2020
The Senate and House of Representatives pre-filed 981 bills in advance of the 2021 legislative session. Below is a list of legislation of interest by category.
The first session of the 124th General Assembly will convene on Tuesday, Jan. 12. We will provide a “Pre-View” of the legislative session on Jan. 8.
LEGISLATION OF INTEREST
TAX
S.35 (Senator Grooms) Reduces each income tax rate by 1% over a five-year period. Referred to the Committee on Finance.
S.194 (Senator Hembree) Allows income tax deduction of all military and first responder retirement income. Referred to the Committee on Finance.
H.3345 (Reps. W. Cox and White) Joint Resolution to exclude federal pandemic unemployment compensation as taxable income. Referred to Committee on Ways and Means.
H.3349 (Rep. Davis) Income tax deduction for military and first responder retirement income. Referred to Committee on Ways and Means.
H.3352 (Reps. Gilliam, B. Cox, Trantham, Yow, McCravy, and others) Exempts all military retirement income from South Carolina income taxes. Referred to Committee on Ways and Means.
H.3392 (Rep. Pope) Tax reform including lowering the income tax and adding a tax for services. Referred to Committee on Ways and Means.
H.3393 (Rep. Pope) Enacts the “South Carolina Income Tax Act for Individuals, Trusts and Estates.” Referred to Committee on Ways and Means.
H.3558 (Reps. Jones and Haddon) Repeals the South Carolina Income Tax Act. Referred to Committee on Ways and Means.
CABLE/TELECOMMUNICATIONS
H.3146 (Rep. White) Creates the “Growing Rural Economies with Access to Technology” (GREAT) Program to facilitate broadband deployment. Referred to Committee on Labor, Commerce and Industry.
H.3196 (Rep. McKnight) Prohibits certain practices of government-owned communications services, including broadband. Referred to Committee on Labor, Commerce and Industry
H.3532 (Rep. Thigpen) Enacts the “South Carolina Net Neutrality Preservation Act” with rules for broadband companies. Referred to Committee on Labor, Commerce and Industry.
H.3450 (Reps. Burns and Chumley) Prohibits social media censorship. Referred to Committee on Judiciary.
ENERGY/UTILITIES
S.100 (Senator Cromer) Relating to definitions applicable to the “Utility Facility Siting and Environmental Protection Act.” Referred to the Committee on Judiciary.
S.132 (Senator Massey) Allows the Public Service Commission to issue bonds for the purpose of offsetting costs due to abandonment of a project. Referred to the Committee on Judiciary.
S.134 (Senator Massey) Removes the limitation of the governor’s ability to request a director resign without cause from the Board of Directors of the South Carolina Public Service Authority. Referred to the Committee on Judiciary.
S.218 (Senators McElveen and Shealy) Provides for a surcharge on coal combustion residuals transferred to a landfill in certain counties. Referred to the Committee on Judiciary.
S.239 (Senator Young) Extends provisions relating to rights of for-profit pipeline companies. Referred to the Committee on Judiciary.
S.240 (Senator Young) Establishes provisions for petroleum pipelines. Referred to the Committee on Judiciary.
S.244 (Senator Young) Relating to the natural gas rate stabilization act. Referred to the Committee on Judiciary.
S.247 (Senator Young) Prohibits public utilities from disclosing customer information to a third party without consent. Referred to the Committee on Judiciary.
S.294 (Senator Climer) Relating to rates for electric utilities and electric cooperatives and electric vehicle charging stations. Referred to the Committee on Judiciary.
S.301 (Senator Climer) Prohibits a public utility from recovering legal fees for a matter found to have violated the law. Referred to the Committee on Judiciary.
S.304 (Senator Climer) Relating to electric vehicle charging stations. Referred to the Committee on Judiciary.
S.313 (Senator Fanning) Includes electric cooperatives in the definition of electrical utilities for compliance. Referred to the Committee on Judiciary.
S.344 (Senators McLeod, Shealy, Matthews, Fanning and others) Enacts the “Ratepayer Protection Act” relating to electric utilities. Referred to the Committee on Judiciary.
H.3194 (Reps. Lucas, G. M. Smith, Simrill and Rutherford) Authorizes the sale of the South Carolina Public Service Authority (aka Santee Cooper). Referred to Committee on Ways and Means.
H.3204 (Rep. G. M. Smith) Relating to definitions applicable to the “Utility Facility Siting and Environmental Protection Act.” Referred to Committee on Labor, Commerce and Industry.
H.3280 (Rep. King) Requires mailed written notification for restrictions or interruptions of electric service. Referred to Committee on Labor, Commerce and Industry.
H.3311 (Rep. King) Unlawful for a third party to accept payments on behalf of a public utility. Referred to Committee on Labor, Commerce and Industry.
H.3354 (Rep. Ballentine) Relating to renewable energy property tax exemptions operating under twenty kilowatts. Referred to Committee on Ways and Means.
H.3523 (Rep. Cobb-Hunter) Prohibits members of the General Assembly from soliciting or accepting contributions from a utility that maintain an exclusive right to conduct its business within a geographically defined area. Referred to Committee on Judiciary.
H.3524 (Reps. Hixon and Forrest) Extends the provisions relating to exemptions of private, for-profit pipeline companies. Referred to Committee on Labor, Commerce and Industry.
H.3527 (Reps. Hixon and Forrest) Establishes provisions relating to pipeline companies. Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs.
WATER UTILITIES
S.219 (Senators McElveen and Shealy) Joint Resolution requiring DHEC to promulgate regulations to establish maximum contaminant levels for certain pollutants in public water systems. Referred to the Committee on Medical Affairs.
S.235 (Senator Turner) Relating to the board and service area of the Renewable Water Resources Authority (REWA). Referred to the Committee on Judiciary.
S.247 (Senator Young) Prohibits public utilities from disclosing customer information to a third party without consent. Referred to the Committee on Judiciary.
S.291 (Senator Climer) Requires an integrated resource plan for water and sewer utilities. Referred to the Committee on Judiciary.
S.293 (Senator Climer) Relating to a water or sewer utility system’s failure to plan for reasonably foreseeable circumstances. Referred to the Committee on Judiciary.
H.3272 (Rep. Hill) Enacts the “Fair Access to Residential Water Act.” Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs.
H.3273 (Rep. Huggins) Relating to adding additional members of municipal water and sewer boards. Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs.
H.3514 (Rep. J. Moore) Joint Resolution requiring regulations to establish maximum contaminant levels for certain pollutants in public water systems. Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs.
H.3515 (Rep. J. Moore) Requires DHEC to promulgate regulations to establish maximum contaminant levels for certain pollutants in public water systems. Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs.
H.3574 (Rep. Clyburn) Enacts the “South Carolina Safe Water Act” for public and private water utilities. Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs.
JUDICIAL/LEGAL
S.54 (Senator Malloy) Increases judicial salaries. Referred to the Committee on Judiciary.
S.55 (Senator Malloy) Provides for judicial salary increase schedule. Referred to the Committee on Judiciary.
S.57 (Senator Malloy) Relating to appointments of the Workers’ Compensation Commission. Referred to the Committee on Judiciary.
S.65 (Senator Malloy) Increases civil jurisdiction of the magistrate court from seven thousand five hundred dollars to fifteen thousand dollars. Referred to the Committee on Judiciary.
S.76 (Senator Malloy) Removes the mandatory retirement age for judges. Referred to the Committee on Finance.
S.81 (Senators Malloy and Goldfinch) Raises the limits on judgments against governmental employees and applies the statute to charitable hospitals and governmental entities and others. Referred to the Committee on Judiciary.
S.82 (Senator Malloy) Increases limits on liability for a single occurrence and adjusts annually in accordance with the Consumer Price Index. Referred to the Committee on Judiciary.
S.96 (Senator Malloy) Relating to the Supreme Court licensing the practice of law. Referred to the Committee on Labor, Commerce and Industry.
S.105 (Senator Campsen) Increases the amount of liens that may be enforced by a magistrate. Referred to the Committee on Banking and Insurance.
S.114 (Senator Campsen) Relating to the time period for eligibility examination for magistrates. Referred to the Committee on Judiciary.
S.117 (Senator Campsen) Increase the civil jurisdiction of magistrate court from seven thousand five hundred dollars to ten thousand dollars. Referred to the Committee on Judiciary.
S.138 (Senator Massey) Relating to admissibility as evidence regarding the use of seat belts. Referred to the Committee on Judiciary.
S.145 (Senator Massey) Changes to the Tortfeasors Act. Referred to the Committee on Judiciary.
S.147 (Senator Massey) Enacts the “South Carolina COVID-19 Liability Safe Harbor Act.” Referred to the Committee on Judiciary.
S.192 (Senator Hembree) Changes to the Judicial Merit Selection process. Referred to the Committee on Judiciary.
S.199 (Senator Hembree) Increases the civil jurisdiction of magistrate court from seven thousand five hundred dollars to ten thousand dollars. Referred to the Committee on Judiciary.
S.292 (Senator Climer) Constitutional amendment to require judges be appointed by the governor. Referred to the Committee on Judiciary.
H.3284 (Reps. Magnuson, Burns, Jones and Morgan) Constitutional amendment to require judges be appointed by the governor. Referred to the Committee on Judiciary.
H.3297 (Rep. Rutherford) Relating to the Tort Claims Act and exceptions to waiver of immunity. Referred to Committee on Judiciary.
H.3431 (Rep. Huggins) Increases the civil jurisdiction of magistrate court from seven thousand five hundred dollars to fifteen thousand dollars. Referred to Committee on Judiciary.
H.3446 (Rep. Lucas) Constitutional amendment increasing the number of associate Supreme Court justices from four to six. Referred to Committee on Judiciary.
H.3447 (Rep. Lucas) Increases the number of associate justices on the Supreme Court upon ratification of a constitutional amendment. Referred to Committee on Judiciary.
H.3448 (Rep. Lucas) Requires the Judicial Merit Selection Commission to release the names of all qualified candidates. Referred to Committee on Judiciary.
H.3484 (Rep. Blackwell) Prohibits family members of the General Assembly from running for judicial office. Referred to Committee on Judiciary.
HEALTHCARE
S.2 (Senator Peeler) Reorganizes the Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC), abolishes the board and renames it the “Department of Behavioral and Public Health.” Referred to the Committee on Medical Affairs.
S.150 (Senators Davis and Hutto) Enacts the “South Carolina Compassionate Care Act” relating to medical cannabis products. Referred to the Committee on Medical Affairs.
S.290 (Senator Climer) Enacts the “State Health Facility Licensure Act” and eliminates the Certificate of Need Program. Referred to the Committee on Medical Affairs.
S.370 (Senator Talley) Relating to exemptions for a Certificate of Need and other changes. Referred to the Committee on Medical Affairs.
H.3161 (Rep. Taylor) Eliminates the Certificate of Need Program. Referred to Committee on Medical, Military, Public and Municipal Affairs.
H.3180 (Rep. G. R. Smith) Enacts the “Vulnerable Adult Maltreatment Registry Act.” Referred to Committee on Judiciary.
H.3223 (Rep. Davis) Eliminates the Certificate of Need Program. Referred to Committee on Medical, Military, Public and Municipal Affairs.
H.3361 (Reps. Herbkersman, Collins, Rose, Rutherford and others) Enacts the “South Carolina Compassionate Care Act” relating to medical cannabis. Referred to Committee on Medical, Military, Public and Municipal Affairs
HIGHER EDUCATION
S.23 (Senator Hutto) Prohibits possession of a firearm on college campuses. Referred to the Committee on Judiciary.
S.24 (Senator Hutto) Relating to in-state tuition for persons who have a lawful presence in this state. Referred to the Committee on Education.
S.64 (Senator Malloy) Establishes the South Carolina College and University Board of Regent. Referred to the Committee on Education.
S.160 (Senator Scott) Relating to disposal of surplus property by the Midlands Technical College Enterprise Campus Authority. Referred to the Committee on Education.
S.231 (Senators Shealy, McLeod and Matthews) Enacts the “Student Identification Card Suicide Prevention Act.” Referred to the Committee on Education.
S.261 (Senator Bright Matthews) Enacts the “South Carolina Technical Education Transition Program” for qualified ex-felons. Referred to the Committee on Education.
S.376 (Senator Talley) Enacts the “State Institution of Higher Education Efficiency Act” and provides exemptions to the state procurement code. Referred to the Committee on Education.
H.3002 (Rep. Bennett) Requires American founding principles to be taught in publicly supported colleges and universities. Referred to Committee on Education and Public Works.
H.3017 (Rep. Davis) Includes students of two-year institutions and technical colleges for the Palmetto Fellows Scholarships. Referred to Committee on Education and Public Works.
H.3026 (Rep. Huggins) Expands categories for in-state tuition for military personnel and dependents. Referred to Committee on Ways and Means.
H.3027 (Rep. Huggins) Enacts the “Title IX Notification Act” relating to student violations. Referred to Committee on Education and Public Works.
H.3029 (Reps. Huggins, Garvin, Allison, Ballentine and Wooten) Relating to disposal of surplus property by the Midlands Technical College Enterprise Campus Authority. Referred to Committee on Education and Public Works.
H.3076 (Reps. Chumley and Burns) Requires the Commission on Higher Education to furnish data on the ethnic and political diversity of faculties of public institutions of higher learning. Referred to Committee on Education and Public Works.
H.3102 (Rep. White) Abolishes the Education Oversight Committee and the Commission on Higher Education and establishes the Commission for Comprehensive Education. Referred to Committee on Education and Public Works.
H.3143 (Rep. White) Creates the “Higher Education Scholarship Endowment Fund.” Referred to Committee on Ways and Means.
H.3144 (Rep. White) Establishes the “SC Workforce Industry Needs Scholarship” (SCWINS) for technical college students. Referred to Committee on Education and Public Works.
H.3248 (Rep. White) Relating to providing increased funding to public institutions of higher learning in the same percentage as general fund revenue increase and other changes to scholarships. Referred to Committee on Ways and Means.
H.3321 (Rep. King) Requires written notice to students before terminating or reducing scholarships. Referred to Committee on Education and Public Works.
H.3323 (Rep. King) Mandates a Legislative Audit Council management performance audit of each public institution of higher education. Referred to Committee on Education and Public Works.
H.3324 (Rep. King) Prohibits application fees for in-state residents by public institutions of higher learning. Referred to Committee on Education and Public Works.
H.3333 (Rep. Rutherford) Relating to in-state tuition and legal immigration status. Referred to Committee on Education and Public Works.
H.3339 (Rep. G. R. Smith) Enacts the “Forming Open and Robust University Minds (FORUM) Act” to protect expression of speech on campus. Referred to Committee on Education and Public Works.
H.3355 (Rep. W. Cox) Removes minimum standardized test scores for Palmetto Fellows and Life scholarships. Referred to Committee on Education and Public Works.
H.3356 (Rep. Jones) Removes all public funds from colleges or universities that remove the name of a historical figure from a building. Referred to Committee on Ways and Means.
H.3470 (Rep. B. Newton) Provides lottery tuition assistance for high school students enrolled in dual credit courses. Referred to Committee on Education and Public Works
AUTOMOTIVE
S.248 (Senator Young) Enacts the “South Carolina Hands-Free Act” relating to unlawful use of wireless devices while driving. Referred to the Committee on Transportation.
H.3093 (Rep. W. Cox) Increases penalties for unlawful use of wireless devices while driving. Referred to Committee on Judiciary.
H.3063 (Rep. Bryant) Enacts the “South Carolina Biometric Data Privacy Act” and establishes standards. Referred to Committee on Labor, Commerce and Industry.
H.3360 (Rep. Taylor) Enacts the “South Carolina Hands-Free Act” relating to texting and driving. Referred to Committee on Judiciary.
CHILDCARE
S.226 (Senators Shealy, McLeod, Hutto, Jackson, McElveen and Matthews) Reauthorizes the Joint Citizens and Legislative Committee on Children through December 31, 2030. Referred to the Committee on Family and Veterans’ Services.
S.229 (Senators Shealy, McLeod, Hutto, Jackson, McElveen and Matthews) Enacts the “South Carolina Child Abuse Response Protocol Act.” Referred to the Committee on Family and Veterans’ Services.
H.3079 (Rep. Collins) Joint Resolution creating a study committee to examine the availability of high-quality childcare in this state. Referred to Committee on Medical, Military, Public and Municipal Affairs.
H.3209 (Reps. Bernstein, Collins and Murphy) Enacts the “South Carolina Child Abuse Response Protocol Act.” Referred to Committee on Judiciary.
H.3211 (Reps. Bernstein, Collins and Kimmons) Reauthorizes the Joint Citizens and Legislative Committee on Children through December 31, 2030. Referred to Committee on Judiciary.
JUVENILE JUSTICE
S.22 (Senators Hutto, Shealy and Jackson) Relating to children in adult jails and juvenile detention status at the Department of Juvenile Justice. Referred to the Committee on Judiciary.
S.53 (Senator Malloy) Enacts the “South Carolina Juvenile Justice Reform Act.” Referred to the Committee on Judiciary.
S.90 (Senator Malloy) Constitutional amendment to change the age for separate confinement for juvenile offenders from seventeen to eighteen years of age. Referred to the Committee on Judiciary.
S.91 (Senators Malloy and Shealy) Prohibits a sentence of death or a life sentence without parole if the offender was younger than eighteen years of age at the time of the offense. Referred to the Committee on Judiciary.
H.3213 (Reps. Bernstein, Collins and Kimmons) Eliminates the exception for children to be tried as an adult and commitment to the Department of Juvenile Justice. Referred to Committee on Judiciary.
H.3473 (Rep. Robinson) Creates the Restorative Justice Study Committee to review juvenile justice laws. Referred to Committee on Judiciary.
ALCOHOL
S.169 (Senator Allen) Relating to the revocation of licenses after a third violation. Referred to the Committee on Judiciary.
S.367 (Senators Talley, Climer, Turner, Bennett and others) Relating to drive-through or curb service of alcoholic beverages. Referred to the Committee on Judiciary.
S.388 (Senator Harpootlian) Establishes the Department of Alcohol Licensing and Enforcement. Referred to the Committee on Judiciary.
H.3013 (Rep. Rutherford) Authorizes sale of alcoholic beverages on Sunday by referendum. Referred to Committee on Judiciary.
H.3201 (Rep. Rutherford) Constitutional amendment relating to restricting the sale of products deemed unsafe by the General Assembly to persons under the age of twenty-one. Referred to Committee on Judiciary.
H.3575 (Reps. Fry, Collins, Elliott, Kirby and others) Relating to drive-through or curb service of alcoholic beverages. Referred to Committee on Judiciary.
ANIMAL WELFARE
S.46 (Senator Verdin) Relating to the custody of an animal after an arrest. Referred to the Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources.
S.186 (Senator Hembree) Relating to the training of hunting dogs and references regarding the ill-treatment of animals. Referred to the Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources.
S.378 (Senator Cash) Relating to penalties for teasing, maltreating and injuring police dogs and horses. Referred to the Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources.
H.3066 (Rep. Collins) Enacts “Fargo’s and Hyco’s Law” relating to penalties for teasing, maltreating and injuring police dogs and horses. Referred to Committee on Judiciary.
H.3067 (Rep. Hill) Prohibits a person convicted of animal cruelty from owning an animal for a period not to exceed five years. Referred to Committee on Judiciary.
H.3071 (Reps. Ott, Ligon and Taylor) Joint Resolution to create the “Equine Industry Support Measures Study Committee.” Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs.
H.3539 (Rep. Davis) Relating to the transportation of live swine on a public road. Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs.
H.3544 (Rep. D. C. Moss) Creates the “South Carolina Equine Promotion Act” and establishes the Equine Promotion Board. Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs.
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