Pursuant to an invitation the Honorable Speaker and House of Representatives appeared in the Senate Chamber on May 12, 2020, at 7:30 P.M. and the following Acts were ratified:

(R138, S. 635 (Word version)) -- Senator Young: AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 7-13-35, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE NOTICE OF GENERAL, MUNICIPAL, SPECIAL, AND PRIMARY ELECTIONS, SO AS TO REQUIRE THE NOTICE TO STATE THAT THE PROCESS OF EXAMINING THE RETURN-ADDRESSED ENVELOPES CONTAINING THE ABSENTEE BALLOTS MAY BEGIN AT 9:00 A.M. ON THE CALENDAR DAY IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING ELECTION DAY; TO AMEND SECTION 7-15-420, RELATING TO THE RECEIPT, TABULATION, AND REPORTING OF ABSENTEE BALLOTS, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT THE PROCESS OF EXAMINING THE RETURN-ADDRESSED ENVELOPES THAT HAVE BEEN RECEIVED BY THE COUNTY BOARD OF VOTER REGISTRATION AND ELECTIONS MAY BEGIN AT 9:00 A.M. ON THE CALENDAR DAY IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING ELECTION DAY; TO AMEND SECTION 7-15-470, RELATING TO ABSENTEE BALLOTS OTHER THAN PAPER BALLOTS, SO AS TO MODIFY THE REQUIREMENTS NEEDED TO OBTAIN THE STATE ELECTION COMMISSION CERTIFICATION BEFORE USING A NONPAPER-BASED VOTING MACHINE OR VOTING SYSTEM FOR IN-PERSON ABSENTEE VOTING; TO REQUIRE THE STATE ELECTION COMMISSION TO IMPLEMENT A SOFTWARE UPDATE TO ITS ELECTRONIC VOTING MACHINES TO ALLOW FOR CHALLENGES TO ABSENTEE VOTES CAST USING THE MACHINES IN AN EQUIVALENT MANNER TO CHALLENGES TO ABSENTEE VOTES CAST ON ELECTRONIC VOTING MACHINES IN THE 2018 GENERAL ELECTION; TO AMEND SECTION 7-15-330, RELATING TO THE TIME OF APPLICATION FOR ABSENTEE BALLOTS AND APPLICATIONS IN PERSON, SO AS TO REQUIRE THE BOARD OF VOTER REGISTRATION AND ELECTIONS TO KEEP A RECORD OF THE DATE AND METHOD UPON WHICH THE ABSENTEE BALLOT IS RETURNED; TO AMEND SECTION 7-15-440, RELATING TO THE LIST OF PERSONS ISSUED AND WHO MAY CAST ABSENTEE BALLOTS, SO AS TO CLARIFY THAT THE LIST IS IN ADDITION TO THE INFORMATION PROVIDED PURSUANT TO SECTION 7-15-330; BY ADDING SECTION 7-13-825 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT THE STATE ELECTION COMMISSION AND EACH COUNTY BOARD OF VOTER REGISTRATION AND ELECTIONS MUST POST THE REQUIREMENTS TO CHALLENGE A BALLOT IN A CONSPICUOUS LOCATION IN THEIR RESPECTIVE OFFICES AND WEBSITES; TO REPEAL CERTAIN SUBSECTIONS OF SECTION 1 OF THE ACT ON DECEMBER 31, 2021; AND TO PROVIDE THAT A QUALIFIED ELECTOR MUST BE PERMITTED TO VOTE BY ABSENTEE BALLOT IN AN ELECTION IF THE QUALIFIED ELECTOR'S PLACE OF RESIDENCE OR POLLING PLACE IS LOCATED IN AN AREA SUBJECT TO A STATE OF EMERGENCY DECLARED BY THE GOVERNOR AND THERE ARE FEWER THAN FORTY-SIX DAYS REMAINING UNTIL THE DATE OF THE ELECTION AND PROVIDE THAT THIS PROVISION EXPIRES ON JULY 1, 2020.

(R139, H. 3309 (Word version)) -- Reps. Cobb-Hunter, Thigpen, Henderson-Myers, Collins, Rose, Dillard, Caskey, Bannister, Norrell and Gilliard: AN ACT TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING ARTICLE 15 TO CHAPTER 3, TITLE 23 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT THE STATE LAW ENFORCEMENT DIVISION SHALL CREATE AND OPERATE A STATEWIDE SEXUAL ASSAULT KIT TRACKING SYSTEM.

(R140, H. 3411 (Word version)) -- Reps. G.R. Smith, W. Newton, Funderburk, Willis, Anderson, Weeks, Erickson, Elliott, R. Williams, Wheeler, Young and Clemmons: AN ACT TO MAKE APPROPRIATIONS AND TO PROVIDE REVENUES TO MEET THE ORDINARY EXPENSES OF STATE GOVERNMENT FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING JULY 1, 2020, IN THE EVENT THAT THE GENERAL APPROPRIATIONS ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2020-2021 HAS NOT BEEN ENACTED BY THAT DATE AND TO REGULATE THE EXPENDITURE OF SUCH FUNDS, TO MAKE SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2019-2020 TO COMBAT THE COVID-19 VIRUS, AND TO FURTHER PROVIDE FOR THE OPERATION OF STATE GOVERNMENT DURING THE PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS CAUSED BY THE COVID-19 VIRUS.

(R141, H. 3967 (Word version)) -- Reps. Mace, Trantham, Kimmons, Crawford, Henderson-Myers, Bernstein, McCoy, Fry, Magnuson, Allison, Henegan, Thayer, Cobb-Hunter, King, Brawley, Dillard, Davis, Hewitt, Spires, Collins, Sottile, Daning, Cogswell, Taylor, Atkinson, Ballentine, Bannister, Bennett, Clary, Elliott, Huggins, Long, McDaniel, McKnight, Pendarvis, Rutherford, Matthews, G.R. Smith, Garvin, Rose, B. Cox, Caskey, Moore and Hill: AN ACT TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 24-13-35 SO AS TO PROVIDE REQUIREMENTS CONCERNING THE TREATMENT OF FEMALE INMATES, AND TO PROVIDE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AUTHORIZATION OF PERIODIC VISITS BETWEEN SUCH INMATES AND THEIR MINOR DEPENDENTS.

(R142, H. 3998 (Word version)) -- Reps. Bannister, Bernstein, Crawford, Pendarvis, Garvin, Herbkersman, Hosey, Alexander, Bales, Stavrinakis, Cogswell, Whitmire, Norrell, Cobb-Hunter, Dillard, Elliott, Moore, Mack, Rutherford, Govan, Bennett, Clemmons, Funderburk, Hayes, McDaniel, Ridgeway, G.M. Smith, G.R. Smith, Sottile, Weeks, Wheeler, S. Williams, Davis, Rivers, Brown, Jefferson, R. Williams, Henderson-Myers, Matthews and Gilliard: AN ACT TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, TO ENACT THE "WORKFORCE AND SENIOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING ACT" BY ADDING SECTION 12-6-3795 SO AS TO ALLOW A TAXPAYER ELIGIBLE FOR THE FEDERAL HOUSING TAX CREDIT TO CLAIM A SOUTH CAROLINA HOUSING TAX CREDIT.

Last Updated: May 12, 2020 at 8:45 PM