NO. 8
REGULAR SESSION BEGINNING TUESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2025
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The House assembled at 2:00 p.m.
Deliberations were opened with prayer by Rev. Charles E. Seastrunk Jr. as follows:
Our thought for today is from I Corinthians 13:13: "So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three remain, but the greatest of these is love."
Let us pray. We give You our thanks and praise, You have bestowed upon us. Grant us wisdom that we might join You, O Lord in finding the things that are important for us to work on during this time in Session. Grant Your blessings on our defenders of freedom and first responders. Keep them safe. We pray for our World, Nation, President, State, Governor Speaker, and Staff. We lift prayers to keep safe our men and women who serve and sacrifice for our freedom. Heal the wounds of those seen and those hidden. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayers. Amen.
Pursuant to Rule 6.3, the House of Representatives was led in the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America by the SPEAKER.
After corrections to the Journal of the proceedings of yesterday, the SPEAKER ordered it confirmed.
Rep. ANDERSON moved that when the House adjourns, it adjourn in memory of Leitha Mae Anderson Manigault, mother of Rep. ANDERSON, which was agreed to.
God's gift to us is life, and our gift to God is how we live it. Leitha Mae Anderson Manigault was a shining example of a well-lived life.
On the evening of December 17, 2024, Leitha traded time for eternity and answered the call of her Creator: "Come unto Me and Rest." Known by many names, her legacy of love spans for generations.
A woman of deep faith. A member of Greater St. Stephen A. M. E. Church, Georgetown where she served faithfully.
Mom lived life with grace, humor, and love, proving that sometimes, a plate of collard greens can bring more joy than words ever could. Rest well Momma.
Mr. Speaker, Members, staff, lobbyist and businesses, thanks to all of you for your acts of kindness.
Rep. Carl Anderson
The following was introduced:
H. 3816 (Word version) -- Reps. Lawson, Alexander, Anderson, Atkinson, Bailey, Ballentine, Bamberg, Bannister, Bauer, Beach, Bernstein, Bowers, Bradley, Brewer, Brittain, Burns, Bustos, Calhoon, Caskey, Chapman, Chumley, Clyburn, Cobb-Hunter, Collins, B. J. Cox, B. L. Cox, Crawford, Cromer, Davis, Dillard, Duncan, Edgerton, Erickson, Forrest, Frank, Gagnon, Garvin, Gatch, Gibson, Gilliam, Gilliard, Gilreath, Govan, Grant, Guest, Guffey, Haddon, Hager, Hardee, Harris, Hart, Hartnett, Hartz, Hayes, Henderson-Myers, Herbkersman, Hewitt, Hiott, Hixon, Holman, Hosey, Howard, Huff, J. E. Johnson, J. L. Johnson, Jones, Jordan, Kilmartin, King, Kirby, Landing, Ligon, Long, Lowe, Luck, Magnuson, Martin, May, McCabe, McCravy, McDaniel, McGinnis, Mitchell, Montgomery, J. Moore, T. Moore, Morgan, Moss, Murphy, Neese, B. Newton, W. Newton, Oremus, Pace, Pedalino, Pope, Rankin, Reese, Rivers, Robbins, Rose, Rutherford, Sanders, Schuessler, Sessions, G. M. Smith, M. M. Smith, Spann-Wilder, Stavrinakis, Taylor, Teeple, Terribile, Vaughan, Weeks, Wetmore, White, Whitmire, Wickensimer, Williams, Willis, Wooten and Yow: A HOUSE RESOLUTION TO RECOGNIZE AND HONOR EDUCATOR TESSIE BRIDGES OF CHEROKEE COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT, TO CONGRATULATE HER UPON BEING NAMED THE 2025 SOUTH CAROLINA ELEMENTARY ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL OF THE YEAR, AND TO COMMEND HER FOR HER DEDICATED SERVICE TO EDUCATION IN THIS GREAT STATE.
The following was introduced:
H. 3817 (Word version) -- Reps. Spann-Wilder, Alexander, Anderson, Atkinson, Bailey, Ballentine, Bamberg, Bannister, Bauer, Beach, Bernstein, Bowers, Bradley, Brewer, Brittain, Burns, Bustos, Calhoon, Caskey, Chapman, Chumley, Clyburn, Cobb-Hunter, Collins, B. J. Cox, B. L. Cox, Crawford, Cromer, Davis, Dillard, Duncan, Edgerton, Erickson, Forrest, Frank, Gagnon, Garvin, Gatch, Gibson, Gilliam, Gilliard, Gilreath, Govan, Grant, Guest, Guffey, Haddon, Hager, Hardee, Harris, Hart, Hartnett, Hartz, Hayes, Henderson-Myers, Herbkersman, Hewitt, Hiott, Hixon, Holman, Hosey, Howard, Huff, J. E. Johnson, J. L. Johnson, Jones, Jordan, Kilmartin, King, Kirby, Landing, Lawson, Ligon, Long, Lowe, Luck, Magnuson, Martin, May, McCabe, McCravy, McDaniel, McGinnis, Mitchell, Montgomery, J. Moore, T. Moore, Morgan, Moss, Murphy, Neese, B. Newton, W. Newton, Oremus, Pace, Pedalino, Pope, Rankin, Reese, Rivers, Robbins, Rose, Rutherford, Sanders, Schuessler, Sessions, G. M. Smith, M. M. Smith, Stavrinakis, Taylor, Teeple, Terribile, Vaughan, Weeks, Wetmore, White, Whitmire, Wickensimer, Williams, Willis, Wooten and Yow: A HOUSE RESOLUTION TO EXPRESS THE PROFOUND SORROW OF THE MEMBERS OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES UPON THE PASSING OF MRS. LOUISE THELMA ROBINSON-SIMMONS OF UNION HEIGHTS, TO CELEBRATE HER LIFE, AND TO EXTEND THE DEEPEST SYMPATHY TO HER FAMILY AND MANY FRIENDS.
The Resolution was adopted.
The following was introduced:
H. 3818 (Word version) -- Reps. Pope, Sessions, Guffey, King, Ligon, Martin, Moss and Terribile: A HOUSE RESOLUTION TO RECOGNIZE AND HONOR U.S. ARMY COLONEL (RET.) MELINDA WOODHURST FOR HER FAITHFUL LABORS IN SUPPORT OF YORK COUNTY VETERANS AND TO THANK HER FOR HER OWN MILITARY SERVICE TO OUR GREAT COUNTRY.
The Resolution was adopted.
The following was introduced:
H. 3819 (Word version) -- Reps. Pope, Rutherford, Alexander, Anderson, Atkinson, Bailey, Ballentine, Bamberg, Bannister, Bauer, Beach, Bernstein, Bowers, Bradley, Brewer, Brittain, Burns, Bustos, Calhoon, Caskey, Chapman, Chumley, Clyburn, Cobb-Hunter, Collins, B. J. Cox, B. L. Cox, Crawford, Cromer, Davis, Dillard, Duncan, Edgerton, Erickson, Forrest, Frank, Gagnon, Garvin, Gatch, Gibson, Gilliam, Gilliard, Gilreath, Govan, Grant, Guest, Guffey, Haddon, Hager, Hardee, Harris, Hart, Hartnett, Hartz, Hayes, Henderson-Myers, Herbkersman, Hewitt, Hiott, Hixon, Holman, Hosey, Howard, Huff, J. E. Johnson, J. L. Johnson, Jones, Jordan, Kilmartin, King, Kirby, Landing, Lawson, Ligon, Long, Lowe, Luck, Magnuson, Martin, May, McCabe, McCravy, McDaniel, McGinnis, Mitchell, Montgomery, J. Moore, T. Moore, Morgan, Moss, Murphy, Neese, B. Newton, W. Newton, Oremus, Pace, Pedalino, Rankin, Reese, Rivers, Robbins, Rose, Sanders, Schuessler, Sessions, G. M. Smith, M. M. Smith, Spann-Wilder, Stavrinakis, Taylor, Teeple, Terribile, Vaughan, Weeks, Wetmore, White, Whitmire, Wickensimer, Williams, Willis, Wooten and Yow: A HOUSE RESOLUTION TO COMMEND TAIWAN FOR ITS RELATIONS WITH THE UNITED STATES AND THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA, TO SUPPORT CONSTANT TALKS UNDER THE "US-TAIWAN INITIATIVE ON 21ST-CENTURY TRADE" AND A "US-TAIWAN AVOID DOUBLE TAXATION AGREEMENT" AS TAIWANESE COMPANIES ARE LOOKING FOR A DIVERSE AND FREE MARKET INVESTMENT IN THE UNITED STATES, AND TO ENCOURAGE THE STATE GOVERNMENT TO ORGANIZE A TRADE DELEGATION TO TAIWAN TO ATTRACT MORE INVESTMENTS AND CITY GOVERNMENTS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE ANNUAL "SMART CITY" FORUM IN TAIWAN.
The Resolution was adopted.
The following was introduced:
H. 3820 (Word version) -- Reps. Bauer, Alexander, Anderson, Atkinson, Bailey, Ballentine, Bamberg, Bannister, Beach, Bernstein, Bowers, Bradley, Brewer, Brittain, Burns, Bustos, Calhoon, Caskey, Chapman, Chumley, Clyburn, Cobb-Hunter, Collins, B. J. Cox, B. L. Cox, Crawford, Cromer, Davis, Dillard, Duncan, Edgerton, Erickson, Forrest, Frank, Gagnon, Garvin, Gatch, Gibson, Gilliam, Gilliard, Gilreath, Govan, Grant, Guest, Guffey, Haddon, Hager, Hardee, Harris, Hart, Hartnett, Hartz, Hayes, Henderson-Myers, Herbkersman, Hewitt, Hiott, Hixon, Holman, Hosey, Howard, Huff, J. E. Johnson, J. L. Johnson, Jones, Jordan, Kilmartin, King, Kirby, Landing, Lawson, Ligon, Long, Lowe, Luck, Magnuson, Martin, May, McCabe, McCravy, McDaniel, McGinnis, Mitchell, Montgomery, J. Moore, T. Moore, Morgan, Moss, Murphy, Neese, B. Newton, W. Newton, Oremus, Pace, Pedalino, Pope, Rankin, Reese, Rivers, Robbins, Rose, Rutherford, Sanders, Schuessler, Sessions, G. M. Smith, M. M. Smith, Spann-Wilder, Stavrinakis, Taylor, Teeple, Terribile, Vaughan, Weeks, Wetmore, White, Whitmire, Wickensimer, Williams, Willis, Wooten and Yow: A HOUSE RESOLUTION TO DECLARE APRIL 23, 2025, "TABLE TENNIS DAY" IN SOUTH CAROLINA AND TO ENCOURAGE ALL SOUTH CAROLINIANS TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE HEALTH BENEFITS AND PLEASURE OF PLAYING THIS ENJOYABLE SPORT.
The Resolution was adopted.
The following was introduced:
H. 3821 (Word version) -- Reps. Bauer, Alexander, Anderson, Atkinson, Bailey, Ballentine, Bamberg, Bannister, Beach, Bernstein, Bowers, Bradley, Brewer, Brittain, Burns, Bustos, Calhoon, Caskey, Chapman, Chumley, Clyburn, Cobb-Hunter, Collins, B. J. Cox, B. L. Cox, Crawford, Cromer, Davis, Dillard, Duncan, Edgerton, Erickson, Forrest, Frank, Gagnon, Garvin, Gatch, Gibson, Gilliam, Gilliard, Gilreath, Govan, Grant, Guest, Guffey, Haddon, Hager, Hardee, Harris, Hart, Hartnett, Hartz, Hayes, Henderson-Myers, Herbkersman, Hewitt, Hiott, Hixon, Holman, Hosey, Howard, Huff, J. E. Johnson, J. L. Johnson, Jones, Jordan, Kilmartin, King, Kirby, Landing, Lawson, Ligon, Long, Lowe, Luck, Magnuson, Martin, May, McCabe, McCravy, McDaniel, McGinnis, Mitchell, Montgomery, J. Moore, T. Moore, Morgan, Moss, Murphy, Neese, B. Newton, W. Newton, Oremus, Pace, Pedalino, Pope, Rankin, Reese, Rivers, Robbins, Rose, Rutherford, Sanders, Schuessler, Sessions, G. M. Smith, M. M. Smith, Spann-Wilder, Stavrinakis, Taylor, Teeple, Terribile, Vaughan, Weeks, Wetmore, White, Whitmire, Wickensimer, Williams, Willis, Wooten and Yow: A HOUSE RESOLUTION TO RECOGNIZE AND HONOR PJ MORTON FOR HIS EXCEPTIONAL MUSICAL TALENT AND SUCCESS AND TO WELCOME HIM TO THE KOGER CENTER IN COLUMBIA ON FEBRUARY 21, 2025.
The Resolution was adopted.
The following was introduced:
H. 3822 (Word version) -- Reps. McDaniel, Alexander, Anderson, Atkinson, Bailey, Ballentine, Bamberg, Bannister, Bauer, Beach, Bernstein, Bowers, Bradley, Brewer, Brittain, Burns, Bustos, Calhoon, Caskey, Chapman, Chumley, Clyburn, Cobb-Hunter, Collins, B. J. Cox, B. L. Cox, Crawford, Cromer, Davis, Dillard, Duncan, Edgerton, Erickson, Forrest, Frank, Gagnon, Garvin, Gatch, Gibson, Gilliam, Gilliard, Gilreath, Govan, Grant, Guest, Guffey, Haddon, Hager, Hardee, Harris, Hart, Hartnett, Hartz, Hayes, Henderson-Myers, Herbkersman, Hewitt, Hiott, Hixon, Holman, Hosey, Howard, Huff, J. E. Johnson, J. L. Johnson, Jones, Jordan, Kilmartin, King, Kirby, Landing, Lawson, Ligon, Long, Lowe, Luck, Magnuson, Martin, May, McCabe, McCravy, McGinnis, Mitchell, Montgomery, J. Moore, T. Moore, Morgan, Moss, Murphy, Neese, B. Newton, W. Newton, Oremus, Pace, Pedalino, Pope, Rankin, Reese, Rivers, Robbins, Rose, Rutherford, Sanders, Schuessler, Sessions, G. M. Smith, M. M. Smith, Spann-Wilder, Stavrinakis, Taylor, Teeple, Terribile, Vaughan, Weeks, Wetmore, White, Whitmire, Wickensimer, Williams, Willis, Wooten and Yow: A HOUSE RESOLUTION TO RECOGNIZE AND HONOR DR. TRACIE ANDERSON SWILLEY OF RICHLAND COUNTY ON BEING NAMED 2025 NATIONAL PRINCIPAL OF THE YEAR AND COMMEND HER FOR HER MANY YEARS OF DEDICATED SERVICE AND OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTIONS TO EDUCATION IN SOUTH CAROLINA.
The Resolution was adopted.
The following was introduced:
H. 3823 (Word version) -- Reps. B. L. Cox, Alexander, Anderson, Atkinson, Bailey, Ballentine, Bamberg, Bannister, Bauer, Beach, Bernstein, Bowers, Bradley, Brewer, Brittain, Burns, Bustos, Calhoon, Caskey, Chapman, Chumley, Clyburn, Cobb-Hunter, Collins, B. J. Cox, Crawford, Cromer, Davis, Dillard, Duncan, Edgerton, Erickson, Forrest, Frank, Gagnon, Garvin, Gatch, Gibson, Gilliam, Gilliard, Gilreath, Govan, Grant, Guest, Guffey, Haddon, Hager, Hardee, Harris, Hart, Hartnett, Hartz, Hayes, Henderson-Myers, Herbkersman, Hewitt, Hiott, Hixon, Holman, Hosey, Howard, Huff, J. E. Johnson, J. L. Johnson, Jones, Jordan, Kilmartin, King, Kirby, Landing, Lawson, Ligon, Long, Lowe, Luck, Magnuson, Martin, May, McCabe, McCravy, McDaniel, McGinnis, Mitchell, Montgomery, J. Moore, T. Moore, Morgan, Moss, Murphy, Neese, B. Newton, W. Newton, Oremus, Pace, Pedalino, Pope, Rankin, Reese, Rivers, Robbins, Rose, Rutherford, Sanders, Schuessler, Sessions, G. M. Smith, M. M. Smith, Spann-Wilder, Stavrinakis, Taylor, Teeple, Terribile, Vaughan, Weeks, Wetmore, White, Whitmire, Wickensimer, Williams, Willis, Wooten and Yow: A HOUSE RESOLUTION TO CONGRATULATE HANNAH MILLER UPON BEING NAMED THE 2024 CITY OF GOOSE CREEK RECREATION DEPARTMENT FULL-TIME EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR AND 2024 CITY EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR, TO THANK HER FOR HER DEDICATED SERVICE, AND TO WISH HER CONTINUED SUCCESS IN THE YEARS TO COME.
The Resolution was adopted.
The following was introduced:
H. 3824 (Word version) -- Reps. Sessions, Alexander, Anderson, Atkinson, Bailey, Ballentine, Bamberg, Bannister, Bauer, Beach, Bernstein, Bowers, Bradley, Brewer, Brittain, Burns, Bustos, Calhoon, Caskey, Chapman, Chumley, Clyburn, Cobb-Hunter, Collins, B. J. Cox, B. L. Cox, Crawford, Cromer, Davis, Dillard, Duncan, Edgerton, Erickson, Forrest, Frank, Gagnon, Garvin, Gatch, Gibson, Gilliam, Gilliard, Gilreath, Govan, Grant, Guest, Guffey, Haddon, Hager, Hardee, Harris, Hart, Hartnett, Hartz, Hayes, Henderson-Myers, Herbkersman, Hewitt, Hiott, Hixon, Holman, Hosey, Howard, Huff, J. E. Johnson, J. L. Johnson, Jones, Jordan, Kilmartin, King, Kirby, Landing, Lawson, Ligon, Long, Lowe, Luck, Magnuson, Martin, May, McCabe, McCravy, McDaniel, McGinnis, Mitchell, Montgomery, J. Moore, T. Moore, Morgan, Moss, Murphy, Neese, B. Newton, W. Newton, Oremus, Pace, Pedalino, Pope, Rankin, Reese, Rivers, Robbins, Rose, Rutherford, Sanders, Schuessler, G. M. Smith, M. M. Smith, Spann-Wilder, Stavrinakis, Taylor, Teeple, Terribile, Vaughan, Weeks, Wetmore, White, Whitmire, Wickensimer, Williams, Willis, Wooten and Yow: A HOUSE RESOLUTION TO RECOGNIZE AND HONOR THE SOUTH CAROLINA ARTS EDUCATION ASSOCIATION FOR ITS PIONEERING WORK IN THE STATE AND TO CONGRATULATE THE ADMINISTRATORS AND STAFF ON THE ONE HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ORGANIZATION.
The Resolution was adopted.
The following was introduced:
H. 3825 (Word version) -- Reps. Davis, Alexander, Anderson, Atkinson, Bailey, Ballentine, Bamberg, Bannister, Bauer, Beach, Bernstein, Bowers, Bradley, Brewer, Brittain, Burns, Bustos, Calhoon, Caskey, Chapman, Chumley, Clyburn, Cobb-Hunter, Collins, B. J. Cox, B. L. Cox, Crawford, Cromer, Dillard, Duncan, Edgerton, Erickson, Forrest, Frank, Gagnon, Garvin, Gatch, Gibson, Gilliam, Gilliard, Gilreath, Govan, Grant, Guest, Guffey, Haddon, Hager, Hardee, Harris, Hart, Hartnett, Hartz, Hayes, Henderson-Myers, Herbkersman, Hewitt, Hiott, Hixon, Holman, Hosey, Howard, Huff, J. E. Johnson, J. L. Johnson, Jones, Jordan, Kilmartin, King, Kirby, Landing, Lawson, Ligon, Long, Lowe, Luck, Magnuson, Martin, May, McCabe, McCravy, McDaniel, McGinnis, Mitchell, Montgomery, J. Moore, T. Moore, Morgan, Moss, Murphy, Neese, B. Newton, W. Newton, Oremus, Pace, Pedalino, Pope, Rankin, Reese, Rivers, Robbins, Rose, Rutherford, Sanders, Schuessler, Sessions, G. M. Smith, M. M. Smith, Spann-Wilder, Stavrinakis, Taylor, Teeple, Terribile, Vaughan, Weeks, Wetmore, White, Whitmire, Wickensimer, Williams, Willis, Wooten and Yow: A HOUSE RESOLUTION TO RECOGNIZE AND HONOR JACKSON THOMAS BENTON OF BERKELEY COUNTY FOR HIS NOTEWORTHY ACHIEVEMENTS IN THE BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA AND TO CONGRATULATE HIM UPON ACHIEVING THE PRESTIGIOUS RANK OF EAGLE SCOUT, THE HIGHEST AWARD IN SCOUTING.
The Resolution was adopted.
The following was introduced:
H. 3826 (Word version) -- Reps. Spann-Wilder, Alexander, Anderson, Atkinson, Bailey, Ballentine, Bamberg, Bannister, Bauer, Beach, Bernstein, Bowers, Bradley, Brewer, Brittain, Burns, Bustos, Calhoon, Caskey, Chapman, Chumley, Clyburn, Cobb-Hunter, Collins, B. J. Cox, B. L. Cox, Crawford, Cromer, Davis, Dillard, Duncan, Edgerton, Erickson, Forrest, Frank, Gagnon, Garvin, Gatch, Gibson, Gilliam, Gilliard, Gilreath, Govan, Grant, Guest, Guffey, Haddon, Hager, Hardee, Harris, Hart, Hartnett, Hartz, Hayes, Henderson-Myers, Herbkersman, Hewitt, Hiott, Hixon, Holman, Hosey, Howard, Huff, J. E. Johnson, J. L. Johnson, Jones, Jordan, Kilmartin, King, Kirby, Landing, Lawson, Ligon, Long, Lowe, Luck, Magnuson, Martin, May, McCabe, McCravy, McDaniel, McGinnis, Mitchell, Montgomery, J. Moore, T. Moore, Morgan, Moss, Murphy, Neese, B. Newton, W. Newton, Oremus, Pace, Pedalino, Pope, Rankin, Reese, Rivers, Robbins, Rose, Rutherford, Sanders, Schuessler, Sessions, G. M. Smith, M. M. Smith, Stavrinakis, Taylor, Teeple, Terribile, Vaughan, Weeks, Wetmore, White, Whitmire, Wickensimer, Williams, Willis, Wooten and Yow: A HOUSE RESOLUTION TO CELEBRATE THE JOYOUS OCCASION OF THE ONE HUNDRED TWENTY-FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ST. MATTHEW BAPTIST CHURCH AND TO CONGRATULATE AND HONOR REVEREND CALVERT R. BRADLEY AND THE CONGREGATION FOR THEIR YEARS OF DEDICATED SERVICE TO THE NORTH CHARLESTON COMMUNITY.
The Resolution was adopted.
The following was introduced:
H. 3827 (Word version) -- Reps. Davis, Alexander, Anderson, Atkinson, Bailey, Ballentine, Bamberg, Bannister, Bauer, Beach, Bernstein, Bowers, Bradley, Brewer, Brittain, Burns, Bustos, Calhoon, Caskey, Chapman, Chumley, Clyburn, Cobb-Hunter, Collins, B. J. Cox, B. L. Cox, Crawford, Cromer, Dillard, Duncan, Edgerton, Erickson, Forrest, Frank, Gagnon, Garvin, Gatch, Gibson, Gilliam, Gilliard, Gilreath, Govan, Grant, Guest, Guffey, Haddon, Hager, Hardee, Harris, Hart, Hartnett, Hartz, Hayes, Henderson-Myers, Herbkersman, Hewitt, Hiott, Hixon, Holman, Hosey, Howard, Huff, J. E. Johnson, J. L. Johnson, Jones, Jordan, Kilmartin, King, Kirby, Landing, Lawson, Ligon, Long, Lowe, Luck, Magnuson, Martin, May, McCabe, McCravy, McDaniel, McGinnis, Mitchell, Montgomery, J. Moore, T. Moore, Morgan, Moss, Murphy, Neese, B. Newton, W. Newton, Oremus, Pace, Pedalino, Pope, Rankin, Reese, Rivers, Robbins, Rose, Rutherford, Sanders, Schuessler, Sessions, G. M. Smith, M. M. Smith, Spann-Wilder, Stavrinakis, Taylor, Teeple, Terribile, Vaughan, Weeks, Wetmore, White, Whitmire, Wickensimer, Williams, Willis, Wooten and Yow: A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION TO RECOGNIZE THE POSITIVE IMPACT OF SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATHEMATICS (STEM) EDUCATION ON QUALITY OF LIFE IN SOUTH CAROLINA AND TO DECLARE APRIL 2, 2025, AS "STEM EDUCATION DAY" IN SOUTH CAROLINA.
The Concurrent Resolution was agreed to and ordered sent to the Senate.
The following was introduced:
H. 3828 (Word version) -- Rep. Gagnon: A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION TO REQUEST THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION NAME THE INTERSECTION LOCATED AT THE JUNCTION OF SOUTH CAROLINA HIGHWAY 187 AND SOUTH CAROLINA HIGHWAY 29 IN ANDERSON COUNTY "PAUL ROBINSON EARLE MEMORIAL INTERSECTION" AND ERECT APPROPRIATE MARKERS OR SIGNS AT THIS INTERSECTION CONTAINING THIS DESIGNATION.
The Concurrent Resolution was ordered referred to the Committee on Invitations and Memorial Resolutions.
The Senate sent to the House the following:
S. 237 (Word version) -- Senators Rankin, Sabb and Garrett: A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION TO FIX NOON ON WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2025, AS THE TIME TO ELECT A SUCCESSOR TO A CERTAIN JUDGE OF THE COURT OF APPEALS, SEAT 2, UPON HER ELECTION TO THE SUPREME COURT, AND THE SUCCESSOR WILL FILL THE UNEXPIRED TERM OF THAT OFFICE WHICH WILL EXPIRE ON JUNE 30, 2029; TO ELECT A SUCCESSOR TO A CERTAIN JUDGE OF THE COURT OF APPEALS, SEAT 3, WHICH WILL EXPIRE ON JUNE 30, 2025; TO ELECT A SUCCESSOR TO A CERTAIN JUDGE OF THE COURT OF APPEALS, SEAT 4, WHICH WILL EXPIRE ON JUNE 30, 2025; TO ELECT A SUCCESSOR TO A CERTAIN JUDGE OF THE CIRCUIT COURT, FOURTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, SEAT 2, AND THE SUCCESSOR WILL FILL THE UNEXPIRED TERM OF THAT OFFICE WHICH WILL EXPIRE ON JUNE 30, 2030; TO ELECT A SUCCESSOR TO A CERTAIN JUDGE OF THE CIRCUIT COURT, FIFTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, SEAT 1, UPON HER APPOINTMENT TO THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS, AND THE SUCCESSOR WILL SERVE A NEW TERM OF THAT OFFICE WHICH WILL EXPIRE ON JUNE 30, 2031; TO ELECT A SUCCESSOR TO A CERTAIN JUDGE OF THE CIRCUIT COURT, SEVENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, SEAT 1, WHICH WILL EXPIRE ON JUNE 30, 2025; TO ELECT A SUCCESSOR TO A CERTAIN JUDGE OF THE CIRCUIT COURT, NINTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, SEAT 1, WHICH WILL EXPIRE ON JUNE 30, 2025; TO ELECT A SUCCESSOR TO A CERTAIN JUDGE OF THE CIRCUIT COURT, NINTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, SEAT 2, AND THE SUCCESSOR WILL FILL THE UNEXPIRED TERM OF THAT OFFICE WHICH WILL EXPIRE ON JUNE 30, 2030; TO ELECT A SUCCESSOR TO A CERTAIN JUDGE OF THE CIRCUIT COURT, TENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, SEAT 1, WHICH WILL EXPIRE ON JUNE 30, 2025; TO ELECT A SUCCESSOR TO A CERTAIN JUDGE OF THE CIRCUIT COURT, ELEVENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, SEAT 1, UPON HIS RETIREMENT ON OR BEFORE DECEMBER 31, 2025, AND THE SUCCESSOR WILL FILL THE UNEXPIRED TERM OF THAT OFFICE WHICH WILL EXPIRE ON JUNE 30, 2030; TO ELECT A SUCCESSOR TO A CERTAIN JUDGE OF THE CIRCUIT COURT, SIXTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, SEAT 2, UPON HIS RETIREMENT ON FEBRUARY 14, 2025, AND THE SUCCESSOR WILL FILL THE UNEXPIRED TERM OF THAT OFFICE WHICH WILL EXPIRE ON JUNE 30, 2028; TO ELECT A SUCCESSOR TO A CERTAIN JUDGE OF THE CIRCUIT COURT, AT-LARGE, SEAT 7, AND THE SUCCESSOR WILL FILL THE UNEXPIRED TERM OF THAT OFFICE WHICH WILL EXPIRE ON JUNE 30, 2027; TO ELECT A SUCCESSOR TO A CERTAIN JUDGE OF THE CIRCUIT COURT, AT-LARGE, SEAT 14, WHICH WILL EXPIRE ON JUNE 30, 2025; TO ELECT A SUCCESSOR TO A CERTAIN JUDGE OF THE CIRCUIT COURT, AT-LARGE, SEAT 15, WHICH WILL EXPIRE ON JUNE 30, 2025; TO ELECT A SUCCESSOR TO A CERTAIN JUDGE OF THE CIRCUIT COURT, AT-LARGE, SEAT 16, WHICH WILL EXPIRE ON JUNE 30, 2025; TO ELECT A SUCCESSOR TO A CERTAIN JUDGE OF THE FAMILY COURT, FIRST JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, SEAT 1, WHICH WILL EXPIRE ON JUNE 30, 2025; TO ELECT A SUCCESSOR TO A CERTAIN JUDGE OF THE FAMILY COURT, SECOND JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, SEAT 1, UPON HER RETIREMENT ON APRIL 30, 2025, AND THE SUCCESSOR WILL FILL THE UNEXPIRED TERM OF THAT OFFICE WHICH WILL EXPIRE ON JUNE 30, 2028; TO ELECT A SUCCESSOR TO A CERTAIN JUDGE OF THE FAMILY COURT, SECOND JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, SEAT 2, WHICH WILL EXPIRE ON JUNE 30, 2025; TO ELECT A SUCCESSOR TO A CERTAIN JUDGE OF THE FAMILY COURT, THIRD JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, SEAT 1, UPON HIS RETIREMENT ON OR BEFORE DECEMBER 31, 2025, AND THE SUCCESSOR WILL FILL THE UNEXPIRED TERM OF THAT OFFICE, WHICH WILL EXPIRE ON JUNE 30, 2028; TO ELECT A SUCCESSOR TO A CERTAIN JUDGE OF THE FAMILY COURT, THIRD JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, SEAT 2, WHICH WILL EXPIRE ON JUNE 30, 2025; TO ELECT A SUCCESSOR TO A CERTAIN JUDGE OF THE FAMILY COURT, THIRD JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, SEAT 3, WHICH WILL EXPIRE ON JUNE 30, 2025; TO ELECT A SUCCESSOR TO A CERTAIN JUDGE OF THE FAMILY COURT, FOURTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, SEAT 2, UPON HER RETIREMENT ON OR BEFORE JUNE 30, 2025, AND THE SUCCESSOR WILL FILL A NEW TERM OF THAT OFFICE WHICH WILL EXPIRE ON JUNE 30, 2031; TO ELECT A SUCCESSOR TO A CERTAIN JUDGE OF THE FAMILY COURT, FIFTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, SEAT 2, WHICH WILL EXPIRE ON JUNE 30, 2025; TO ELECT A SUCCESSOR TO A CERTAIN JUDGE OF THE FAMILY COURT, FIFTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, SEAT 3, WHICH WILL EXPIRE ON JUNE 30, 2025; TO ELECT A SUCCESSOR TO A CERTAIN JUDGE OF THE FAMILY COURT, SIXTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, SEAT 1, WHICH WILL EXPIRE ON JUNE 30, 2025; TO ELECT A SUCCESSOR TO A CERTAIN JUDGE OF THE FAMILY COURT, SEVENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, SEAT 1, WHICH WILL EXPIRE ON JUNE 30, 2025; TO ELECT A SUCCESSOR TO A CERTAIN JUDGE OF THE FAMILY COURT, SEVENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, SEAT 2, WHICH WILL EXPIRE ON JUNE 30, 2025; TO ELECT A SUCCESSOR TO A CERTAIN JUDGE OF THE FAMILY COURT, EIGHTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, SEAT 1, UPON HIS ELECTION TO THE COURT OF APPEALS, AND THE SUCCESSOR WILL FILL A NEW TERM OF THAT OFFICE WHICH WILL EXPIRE ON JUNE 30, 2031; TO ELECT A SUCCESSOR TO A CERTAIN JUDGE OF THE FAMILY COURT, EIGHTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, SEAT 3, WHICH WILL EXPIRE ON JUNE 30, 2025; TO ELECT A SUCCESSOR TO A CERTAIN JUDGE OF THE FAMILY COURT, NINTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, SEAT 2, WHICH WILL EXPIRE ON JUNE 30, 2025; TO ELECT A SUCCESSOR TO A CERTAIN JUDGE OF THE FAMILY COURT, NINTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, SEAT 4, WHICH WILL EXPIRE ON JUNE 30, 2025; TO ELECT A SUCCESSOR TO A CERTAIN JUDGE OF THE FAMILY COURT, TENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, SEAT 1, WHICH WILL EXPIRE ON JUNE 30, 2025; TO ELECT A SUCCESSOR TO A CERTAIN JUDGE OF THE FAMILY COURT, TENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, SEAT 3, WHICH WILL EXPIRE ON JUNE 30, 2025; TO ELECT A SUCCESSOR TO A CERTAIN JUDGE OF THE FAMILY COURT, ELEVENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, SEAT 2, WHICH WILL EXPIRE ON JUNE 30, 2025; TO ELECT A SUCCESSOR TO A CERTAIN JUDGE OF THE FAMILY COURT, ELEVENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, SEAT 3, WHICH WILL EXPIRE ON JUNE 30, 2025; TO ELECT A SUCCESSOR TO A CERTAIN JUDGE OF THE FAMILY COURT, TWELFTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, SEAT 1, WHICH WILL EXPIRE ON JUNE 30, 2025; TO ELECT A SUCCESSOR TO A CERTAIN JUDGE OF THE FAMILY COURT, TWELFTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, SEAT 2, WHICH WILL EXPIRE ON JUNE 30, 2025; TO ELECT A SUCCESSOR TO A CERTAIN JUDGE OF THE FAMILY COURT, THIRTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, SEAT 1, WHICH WILL EXPIRE ON JUNE 30, 2025; TO ELECT A SUCCESSOR TO A CERTAIN JUDGE OF THE FAMILY COURT, THIRTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, SEAT 2, WHICH WILL EXPIRE ON JUNE 30, 2025; TO ELECT A SUCCESSOR TO A CERTAIN JUDGE OF THE FAMILY COURT, THIRTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, SEAT 6, UPON HER ELECTION TO THE CIRCUIT COURT, AND THE SUCCESSOR WILL FILL THE UNEXPIRED TERM OF THAT OFFICE WHICH WILL EXPIRE ON JUNE 30, 2028; TO ELECT A SUCCESSOR TO A CERTAIN JUDGE OF THE FAMILY COURT, FOURTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, SEAT 1, WHICH WILL EXPIRE ON JUNE 30, 2025; TO ELECT A SUCCESSOR TO A CERTAIN JUDGE OF THE FAMILY COURT, FIFTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, SEAT 1, WHICH WILL EXPIRE ON JUNE 30, 2025; TO ELECT A SUCCESSOR TO A CERTAIN JUDGE OF THE FAMILY COURT, SIXTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, SEAT 2, WHICH WILL EXPIRE ON JUNE 30, 2025; TO ELECT A SUCCESSOR TO A CERTAIN JUDGE OF THE FAMILY COURT, AT-LARGE, SEAT 1, WHICH WILL EXPIRE ON JUNE 30, 2025; TO ELECT A SUCCESSOR TO A CERTAIN JUDGE OF THE FAMILY COURT, AT-LARGE, SEAT 2, WHICH WILL EXPIRE ON JUNE 30, 2025; TO ELECT A SUCCESSOR TO A CERTAIN JUDGE OF THE FAMILY COURT, AT-LARGE, SEAT 3, WHICH WILL EXPIRE ON JUNE 30, 2025; TO ELECT A SUCCESSOR TO A CERTAIN JUDGE OF THE FAMILY COURT, AT-LARGE, SEAT 4, WHICH WILL EXPIRE ON JUNE 30, 2025; TO ELECT A SUCCESSOR TO A CERTAIN JUDGE OF THE FAMILY COURT, AT-LARGE, SEAT 5, WHICH WILL EXPIRE ON JUNE 30, 2025; TO ELECT A SUCCESSOR TO A CERTAIN JUDGE OF THE FAMILY COURT, AT-LARGE, SEAT 6, WHICH WILL EXPIRE ON JUNE 30, 2025; TO ELECT A SUCCESSOR TO A CERTAIN JUDGE OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE LAW COURT, SEAT 2, UPON HIS ELECTION TO THE CIRCUIT COURT, AND THE SUCCESSOR WILL FILL THE UNEXPIRED TERM OF THAT OFFICE WHICH WILL EXPIRE ON JUNE 30, 2027; AND TO ELECT A SUCCESSOR TO A CERTAIN JUDGE OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE LAW COURT, SEAT 3, WHICH WILL EXPIRE ON JUNE 30, 2025.
The Concurrent Resolution was agreed to and ordered returned to the Senate with concurrence.
The following Bills were introduced, read the first time, and referred to appropriate committees:
H. 3829 (Word version) -- Reps. Bauer and Rose: A BILL TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ADDING SECTION 53-3-320 SO AS TO DECLARE THE TWENTY-THIRD DAY OF APRIL OF EACH YEAR AS "TABLE TENNIS DAY" IN SOUTH CAROLINA.
Referred to Committee on Judiciary
H. 3830 (Word version) -- Rep. Lawson: A BILL TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 20-4-20, RELATING TO TERMS DEFINED IN THE "PROTECTION FROM DOMESTIC ABUSE ACT," SO AS TO CHANGE THE DEFINITION FOR "HOUSEHOLD MEMBER" AND TO ADD A DEFINITION FOR "DATING RELATIONSHIP."
Referred to Committee on Judiciary
H. 3831 (Word version) -- Reps. Lawson, Hayes, Sessions, T. Moore, McCravy, Guffey, Chapman, M. M. Smith, Gagnon, Martin and Moss: A BILL TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ENACTING THE "SMART HEART ACT" BY ADDING SECTION 59-17-165 SO AS TO PROVIDE DEFINITIONS AND TO PROVIDE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A CARDIAC EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLAN IN EACH PUBLIC SCHOOL; AND BY AMENDING SECTION 59-17-155, RELATING TO THE AUTOMATED EXTERNAL DEFIBRILLATOR PROGRAM IN HIGH SCHOOLS, SO AS TO PROVIDE EACH PUBLIC SCHOOL SHALL ENSURE THE PRESENCE OF AN AUTOMATED EXTERNAL DEFIBRILLATOR ONSITE AND WITHIN CERTAIN PROXIMITY OF SCHOOL ATHLETIC VENUES, AND TO PROVIDE RELATED TESTING, MAINTENANCE, AND PERSONNEL TRAINING REQUIREMENTS.
Referred to Committee on Education and Public Works
H. 3832 (Word version) -- Reps. W. Newton and Herbkersman: A BILL TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 12-62-50, RELATING TO THE TAX REBATE FOR CERTAIN MOTION PICTURE PRODUCTION COMPANIES, SO AS TO INCREASE THE ANNUAL LIMIT, AND BY ALLOWING THE USE OF REBATES FOR CERTAIN EXPENDITURES AND EXPENSES; BY REPEALING SECTION 12-62-60 RELATING TO DISTRIBUTION OF ADMISSIONS TAXES FOR REBATES TO MOTION PICTURE PRODUCTION COMPANIES AND CERTAIN DEPARTMENTAL EXPENSES; AND BY ADDING SECTION 12-6-3830 SO AS TO PROVIDE A TAX CREDIT FOR AN ACCREDITED THEATER PRODUCTION.
Referred to Committee on Ways and Means
The roll call of the House of Representatives was taken resulting as follows:
Alexander Anderson Bailey Ballentine Bamberg Bannister Bauer Beach Bernstein Bowers Bradley Brewer Brittain Burns Bustos Calhoon Caskey Chapman Clyburn Cobb-Hunter Collins B. J. Cox B. L. Cox Crawford Cromer Davis Dillard Duncan Edgerton Erickson Forrest Frank Gagnon Garvin Gatch Gibson Gilliam Gilreath Govan Grant Guest Guffey Haddon Hager Hardee Harris Hart Hartnett Hartz Hayes Henderson-Myers Herbkersman Hewitt Hiott Hixon Holman Hosey Howard Huff J. E. Johnson J. L. Johnson Jones Jordan Kilmartin King Kirby Landing Lawson Ligon Long Lowe Luck Magnuson Martin May McCabe McCravy McDaniel McGinnis Mitchell J. Moore T. Moore Moss Murphy Neese B. Newton W. Newton Oremus Pace Pedalino Pope Rankin Reese Rivers Robbins Rose Rutherford Sanders Sessions G. M. Smith M. M. Smith Spann-Wilder Stavrinakis Taylor Teeple Terribile Vaughan Weeks Wetmore White Whitmire Wickensimer Williams Willis Wooten Yow
The SPEAKER granted Rep. CHUMLEY a leave of absence for the day due to medical reasons.
The SPEAKER granted Rep. MONTGOMERY a leave of absence for the day.
The SPEAKER granted Rep. SCHUESSLER a leave of absence for the day due to a death in the family.
The SPEAKER granted Rep. MORGAN a leave of absence for the day due to medical reasons.
Announcement was made that Dr. Shelley Janssen was the Doctor of the Day for the General Assembly.
In accordance with House Rule 5.2 below:
"5.2 Every bill before presentation shall have its title endorsed; every report, its title at length; every petition, memorial, or other paper, its prayer or substance; and, in every instance, the name of the member presenting any paper shall be endorsed and the papers shall be presented by the member to the Speaker at the desk. A member may add his name to a bill or resolution or a co-sponsor of a bill or resolution may remove his name at any time prior to the bill or resolution receiving passage on second reading. The member or co-sponsor shall notify the Clerk of the House in writing of his desire to have his name added or removed from the bill or resolution. The Clerk of the House shall print the member's or co-sponsor's written notification in the House Journal. The removal or addition of a name does not apply to a bill or resolution sponsored by a committee."
Bill Number: H. 3098 (Word version)
Date: ADD:
01/29/25 WILLIS
Bill Number: H. 3173 (Word version)
Date: ADD:
01/29/25 BERNSTEIN and WILLIS
Bill Number: H. 3202 (Word version)
Date: ADD:
01/29/25 M. M. SMITH, B. L. COX, HOLMAN and WETMORE
Bill Number: H. 3236 (Word version)
Date: ADD:
01/29/25 WETMORE and BAUER
Bill Number: H. 3276 (Word version)
Date: ADD:
01/29/25 MCGINNIS
Bill Number: H. 3346 (Word version)
Date: ADD:
01/29/25 CLYBURN
Bill Number: H. 3394 (Word version)
Date: ADD:
01/29/25 BAILEY
Bill Number: H. 3431 (Word version)
Date: ADD:
01/29/25 BERNSTEIN, GOVAN and GUFFEY
Bill Number: H. 3472 (Word version)
Date: ADD:
01/29/25 GIBSON and GAGNON
Bill Number: H. 3523 (Word version)
Date: ADD:
01/29/25 BAILEY
Bill Number: H. 3530 (Word version)
Date: ADD:
01/29/25 BERNSTEIN
Bill Number: H. 3536 (Word version)
Date: ADD:
01/29/25 BERNSTEIN
Bill Number: H. 3571 (Word version)
Date: ADD:
01/29/25 GUFFEY
Bill Number: H. 3589 (Word version)
Date: ADD:
01/29/25 WETMORE
Bill Number: H. 3602 (Word version)
Date: ADD:
01/29/25 BERNSTEIN
Bill Number: H. 3633 (Word version)
Date: ADD:
01/29/25 LAWSON
Bill Number: H. 3643 (Word version)
Date: ADD:
01/29/25 M. M. SMITH, HADDON, NEESE, TEEPLE, FORREST, WILLIS, RANKIN, HOLMAN, MCCRAVY, GIBSON, LAWSON, HAGER, CRAWFORD, BAILEY, GAGNON, MCGINNIS, HARTNETT, BRITTAIN, GUFFEY, SESSIONS and B. L. COX
Bill Number: H. 3650 (Word version)
Date: ADD:
01/29/25 BAILEY
Bill Number: H. 3752 (Word version)
Date: ADD:
01/29/25 LAWSON
Bill Number: H. 3770 (Word version)
Date: ADD:
01/29/25 BURNS, CROMER, HADDON and VAUGHAN
The following Bill was taken up:
H. 3767 (Word version) -- Reps. Mitchell and Yow: A BILL TO AMEND ACT 571 OF 1965, RELATING TO THE DARLINGTON COUNTY MILLAGE LEVY FOR THE FLORENCE-DARLINGTON TECHNICAL COLLEGE, SO AS TO REQUIRE THE BUDGET TO BE APPROVED BY THE DARLINGTON COUNTY COUNCIL INSTEAD OF THE COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION, AND TO PROVIDE LIMITATIONS ON THE MILLAGE LEVY AND THE MANNER IN WHICH TAX COLLECTIONS ARE DISTRIBUTED.
Rep. LOWE made the Point of Order that the Bill was improperly before the House for consideration since its number and title have not been printed in the House Calendar at least one statewide legislative day prior to second reading.
The SPEAKER sustained the Point of Order.
The following Bill was taken up:
H. 3792 (Word version) -- Rep. Pedalino: A BILL TO AMEND ACT 106 OF 2021, RELATING TO THE CONSOLIDATION OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN CLARENDON COUNTY INTO THE CLARENDON COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT, SO AS TO CHANGE THE METHOD OF DETERMINING THE RESULTS OF ELECTIONS FOR MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES, AND TO REQUIRE THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES TO ANNUALLY SUBMIT ITS PROPOSED BUDGET TO THE CLARENDON COUNTY COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL.
Rep. PEDALINO explained the Bill.
The yeas and nays were taken resulting as follows:
Those who voted in the affirmative are:
Alexander Bailey Ballentine Bamberg Bannister Bauer Bernstein Bowers Brewer Brittain Burns Bustos Calhoon Caskey Chapman Clyburn Cobb-Hunter Collins B. J. Cox B. L. Cox Crawford Cromer Davis Dillard Duncan Edgerton Forrest Frank Gagnon Garvin Gatch Gibson Gilreath Guest Guffey Haddon Hager Hardee Harris Hart Hartnett Hartz Henderson-Myers Herbkersman Hewitt Hiott Hixon Holman Hosey Huff J. E. Johnson Jones Jordan Kilmartin Landing Lawson Long Lowe Luck Magnuson Martin May McCabe McCravy McGinnis Mitchell J. Moore T. Moore Moss Murphy Neese B. Newton W. Newton Oremus Pace Pedalino Pope Rankin Reese Robbins Sanders Sessions G. M. Smith M. M. Smith Spann-Wilder Stavrinakis Taylor Teeple Terribile Vaughan Weeks Wetmore White Whitmire Williams Willis Wooten Yow
Those who voted in the negative are:
So, the Bill was read the second time and ordered to third reading.
I was temporarily out of the Chamber on constituent business during the vote on H. 3792 (Word version). If I had been present, I would have voted in favor of the Bill.
Rep. Beach
The following was introduced:
H. 3815 (Word version) -- Rules Committee: A HOUSE RESOLUTION TO AMEND RULES 6.3 14. AND 15., AND 8.9 OF THE RULES OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, ALL RELATING TO THE MOTION PERIOD, SO AS TO DELETE THE MOTION PERIOD AND ALL REFERENCES TO IT, AND TO FURTHER AMEND 15. TO MAKE A TECHNICAL CHANGE TO MATTERS REGARDING SETTING SPECIAL ORDER; TO AMEND RULE 4.2 10., RELATING TO STANDING COMMITTEES AND THEIR MEMBERSHIPS, SO AS TO RENAME THE COMMITTEE ON LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT THE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY AND LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT; TO AMEND RULE 5.20, RELATING TO RESOLUTIONS MEMORIALIZING CONGRESS, AN AGENCY, OR AN OFFICIAL, SO AS TO PROVIDE THESE MAY BE REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON INVITATIONS AND MEMORIAL RESOLUTIONS OR TO THE APPROPRIATE COMMITTEE WITH SUBJECT MATTER JURISDICTION CONCERNING THE RESOLUTION; TO AMEND RULE 4.13, RELATING TO INVITATIONS, SO AS TO ALLOW THE COMMITTEE ON INVITATIONS AND MEMORIAL RESOLUTIONS TO ACCEPT INVITATIONS AS EARLY AT 5:00P.M.; TO DELETE RULE 5.12 RELATING TO THE APRIL TENTH CROSSOVER DEADLINE FOR LEGISLATION; TO AMEND RULE 4.4, RELATING TO COMMITTEE OPERATIONS, SO AS TO REQUIRE STREAMING OF COMMITTEE AND SUBCOMMITTEE MEETINGS WHEN FEASIBLE AND PROVIDE A CAVEAT; TO ADD RULE 2.17 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT THE CLERK, READING CLERK, CHAPLAIN, AND SERGEANT AT ARMS MUST PERFORM THEIR DUTIES IN A FAIR AND PROFESSIONAL MANNER THAT DOES NOT OPENLY REFLECT THEIR PERSONAL POLITICAL BELIEFS OR OPINIONS CONCERNING ISSUES, CAMPAIGNS, OR OTHER MATTERS BEFORE THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY; AND TO DELETE RULES 4.9, 4.10, 4.11, AND 4.12, ALL RELATING TO THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE AND ITS OPERATION.
Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:
(1) That Rule 6.3 14. and 15. of the Rules of the House of Representatives is amended to read:
14. a. motion period;
b. consideration of local contested bills and joint resolutions on second reading;
15. consideration of statewide contested bills and joint resolutions on second reading in the order in which they appear on the Calendar;
a. Notwithstanding the order of business set forth in Rule 6.3 a matter may be set for Special Order for consideration on a particular day at a particular hour or at a particular place on the Calendar.
b. Special orders may be set for appropriations bills and local bills by majority vote of the House. Special orders on all other billsmatters placed on the Calendar shall be set only by written resolution, which has been referred to the Rules Committee or originates therein, and agreed to by two-thirds of the members of that committee and agreed to by majority of the members of the House present after the committee has made its report; provided,. Resolutions setting matters for special order may include language governing the time, date, and debate of the matters set for special order; however, that notwithstanding the provisions of Rule 9 governing the amendability of bills and resolutions, no amendments may be offered to any Special Order resolution, which amendments do not pertain to the bill which is the subject of the Special Order resolution, except as to the time and date called for in such resolution.
Provided, that for the purpose of explaining any Special Order resolution the time limit for opponents shall not exceed five minutes and the time limit for proponents shall not exceed five minutes.
c. A Special Order set for a certain day and hour, not being considered by the House at the hour named, shall be transferred by the Clerk of the House to the Special Orders of the following day until disposed of, in the chronological order of original appointment.
Any member may insist upon a Special Order of the Day, or other Special Orders, until it be discharged.
d. The motion period provided for the daily order of business under Rule 6.3 shall be limited to ten minutes only.
Provided, however, that time consumed by roll call votes shall not be construed as part of time allotted to said motions period. (Reserved.)
e. Consideration of uncontested local bills and joint resolutions on third and second readings as provided in subsection 7a and b of this rule shall be limited to a total of ten minutes only. Consideration of contested local bills and joint resolutions on second and third readings as provided in subsections 12b and 14b of this rule is limited to a total of ten minutes for second reading bills and joint resolutions and ten minutes for third reading bills and joint resolutions.
f. Consideration of uncontested statewide bills and joint resolutions on third and second readings as provided in subsection 8a and b of this rule shall be limited to a total of thirty minutes only.
g. No debate shall be allowed in the uncontested period, provided, however, the Speaker may recognize a proponent and opponent of any uncontested bill or joint resolution for a brief explanation of their position.
h. Consideration of unanimous consent requests as provided for in subsection 12 of this rule shall be limited to five minutes only. No unanimous consent requests except those unanimous consent requests dealing with the pending matter may be considered at any time other than during the time provided for in subsection 12 of this rule.
(2) That Rule 8.9 of the Rules of the House of Representatives is amended to read:
8.9 When a motion is made during a motion period, the Speaker shall entertain but one motion at a time and there shall be no substitute motions considered. The same motion may be entertained consecutively during the motion period. (Reserved.)
(3) That Rule 4.2 10. of the Rules of the House of Representatives is amended to read:
10. Committee on Government Efficiency and Legislative Oversight (Oversight and Review of Government Operations and Accountability, SC Code of Laws Section 2-2-5 et seq.) -- 20.
(4) That Rule 5.20 of the Rules of the House of Representatives is amended to read:
5.20 Notwithstanding the provisions of any other House Rule, no House or Concurrent Resolution memorializing the Congress of the United States, the President of the United States, or any state or federal department, agency, or official shall receive immediate consideration but shall be referred to the Committee on Invitations and Memorial Resolutions or the appropriate committee with subject matter jurisdiction concerning the resolution. Provided, a House or Concurrent Resolution referred to the Committee on Invitations and Memorial Resolutionsand shall remain in such committee unless three members of the committee vote to report the resolution out of committee. No such resolution may be recalled from committee.
(5) That Rule 4.13 of the Rules of the House of Representatives is amended to read:
4.13 No person shall be permitted to address the House or the Joint Assembly except by written resolution, and such resolution shall be referred to the Committee on Invitations and Memorial Resolutions before being considered by the House. The Committee shall not extend an invitation to any individual or group to address the House or the Joint Assembly unless such person or group is of significant national or state prominence at the time the invitation is extended and will bring a message of major importance to the State or such individual or group will present an artistic performance during the established hours of meeting.
Any invitations extended to the House as a whole to attend any functions shall be submitted to the Committee on Invitations and Memorial Resolutions at least 10 days in advance in order that it may determine what legislation or other pertinent matters may be pending before the House and its Committees before the invitation is accepted. The House shall accept no invitations to any functions other than a breakfast or luncheon prior to 6:005:00 p.m. Pages are not permitted to attend such functions. No invitations to functions for the House as a whole will be accepted during the week anticipated for the debate of the State Appropriations Bill.
(6) That Rule 5.12 of the Rules of the House of Representatives is amended to read:
5.12 No bill or joint resolution from the Senate shall be considered unless received by April tenth in the House. Provided, such bill or joint resolution shall be placed on the Calendar for further consideration if two thirds of those members present and voting agree to waive the rule. Any bill or joint resolution failing to receive the required vote shall be returned to the appropriate committee. Once voted on and rejected, no further vote shall be allowed to waive this rule.
The motion to waive this rule shall not be debatable, except that the mover shall have the right to make a three minute explanation of his motion.
The provisions of this rule shall apply only to regular sessions of the General Assembly as opposed to special sessions of the General Assembly.
The Speaker shall enforce the deadlines provided by this rule and shall not allow consideration without putting the question of waiver before the House. (Reserved.)
(7) That Rule 4.4 of the Rules of the House of Representatives is amended to read:
4.4 Committees shall meet regularly to consider pending legislation in the room assigned for their use by the Speaker or as otherwise authorized by this rule. Notice of date, time, and place of such meetings shall be posted on the legislative website and displayed in the lobby on each floor of the Solomon Blatt Building. A committee should give a minimum of twenty-four hour advance notice for all committee meetings. Provided, however, in case of necessity due to exigent circumstances, the Speaker, in his sole discretion, may waive the twenty-four hour advance notice requirements herein. Committee chairmen must notify the committee members of all meetings. Failure of notice of any meeting shall not invalidate committee action unless bad faith is shown. Committee and subcommittee meetings shall be streamed online whenever feasible; however, the inability to broadcast a meeting online shall not invalidate any action taken at a meeting. No committee shall meet while the House is in session without special leave by the Speaker. Provided, however, that the Committee on Rules and any committee of conference or free conference, may sit at any time and may report its message to the House at any time.
A Committee may provide, pursuant to its own rules, for the Chairmen to designate alternative meeting arrangements and procedures. Provided, however, the Chairman may only implement alternative meeting arrangements and procedures in the event that extraordinary circumstances including, but not limited to, natural disasters, severe weather, and Acts of God, render them necessary. The alternative meeting arrangements and procedures must:
(1) provide for public observation or participation as required by House Rules and the provisions of Title 30, Chapter 4 of the 1976 Code of Laws of South Carolina, as amended;
(2) provide both a video and audio component that is publicly accessible; and
(3) record the meeting, in its entirety, and make the recording available on the General Assembly website, as soon as practicable following the meeting.
No committee shall sit unless a quorum be present and all bills introduced by committees must carry the statement of the Chairman that the bill has the approval of two thirds of the membership of the committee, except that the State Appropriations Bill, the Supplemental Appropriations Bill, a Rescission Bill, and the Deficiency Appropriations Bill may be introduced by a majority vote of the Ways and Means Committee.
No committee shall introduce a bill pertaining to subject matter over which it has no jurisdiction.
Notice in writing of all committee action taken on a bill or resolution shall be given to the principal author thereof.
No statewide bill directly appropriating money shall be considered by the House until after such bill has been referred to the Ways and Means Committee, provided, however, a statewide bill which directly or by implication provides for per diem, subsistence or mileage in connection with the subject matter of the bill, but does not otherwise directly appropriate money, shall not be required to be referred to the Ways and Means Committee.
After the House sets a bill for Special Order pursuant to Rule 6.3, no point of order may be raised regarding its reference to committee, however, the House by majority vote may commit or recommit a bill or other matter under debate.
No committee action shall be taken on a bill or resolution except at a regular or called meeting, but this shall not apply to resolutions referred to the Committee on Invitations and Memorial Resolutions.
When any standing committee or subcommittee schedules a public hearing on a bill or resolution, the principal sponsor of such bill or resolution shall be notified of the time and place of such hearing not less than five calendar days prior to the hearing date.
(8) That Rule 2 of the Rules of the House of Representatives is amended by adding:
2.17 The Clerk, Reading Clerk, Chaplain, and Sergeant at Arms must perform the duties and responsibilities of their offices in a fair and professional manner that does not openly reflect their personal political beliefs or opinions concerning issues, campaigns, or other matters before the General Assembly.
(9) That Rules 4.9, 4.10, 4.11, and 4.12 of the Rules of the House of Representatives are amended to read:
4.9 In all cases the House may resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole. The motion to resolve the House into a Committee of the Whole shall specify the subject(s) to be considered in the Committee of the Whole. In the event the House resolves itself into a Committee of the Whole, the Committee of the Whole shall limit discussion to the subject(s) specified in the motion. The Speaker shall leave the Chair after appointing a Chairman to preside, who shall, in case of disturbance or disorderly conduct, have the power to cause same to be cleared. No bill or resolution may be considered by the Committee of the Whole House, except by a two thirds vote, unless same has first been considered by the appropriate Standing Committee of the House. (Reserved.)
4.10 The Committee of the Whole shall consist of the entire body of members in attendance at the particular meeting of the House. Such committee is a real committee in the parliamentary sense. During the time that a meeting of the Committee of the Whole is held, it is technically not 'the assembly'. (Reserved.)
4.11 The Rules of the House so far as they are applicable shall be observed in a Committee of the Whole, the Chairman being substituted for the Speaker. (Reserved.)
4.12 No Committee of the Whole or other committee shall deface or interline a bill or other paper, referred to it, but shall report any amendments recommended on a separate paper, noting the page and line. (Reserved.)
Rep. CASKEY explained the Resolution.
Rep. MAGNUSON raised the Point of Order that House Resolution H. 3815 (Word version) was not available for the Members to view online and Members could not access it from their computers. He stated that the House should stop debate until the resolution was available online.
Acting Speaker HIOTT overruled the Point of Order. He stated that nothing in the House Rules required the resolution be available online prior to debate by the House. He stated further that regardless of the lack of a rule requiring the Resolution to be available online that the resolution was, in fact, available online for all Members to access.
Rep. CASKEY continued speaking.
Rep. CASKEY continued speaking.
Rep. KING proposed the following Amendment No. 1 to H. 3815 (Word version) (LC-3815.DG0001H), which was tabled:
Amend the resolution, as and if amended, by adding at the end:
( ) That Rule 5.19 of the Rules of the House of Representatives is amended to read:
5.19 a. No member shall speak more than twice on the main question of a bill or resolution being considered for any reading and not longer than sixty minutes for the first speech nor longer than thirty minutes for the second speech, unless allowed to do so by the affirmative vote of a majority of the members present and voting. No member shall speak more than twice upon an amendment or a motion to reconsider that is debatable and then not longer than ten minutes each time. However, if the previous question has been invoked, no member may speak more than twice on a motion to reconsider that is debatable and then not longer than the amount of time remaining for debate of the underlying motion; provided, that proposed amendments announced and introduced by the Reading Clerk shall be considered prior to a member speaking on the bill. No member shall speak more than twice on Senate amendments to a House bill and not longer than sixty minutes for the first speech nor longer than thirty minutes for the second speech, unless allowed to do so by the affirmative vote of a majority of the members present and voting. The House may, however, by consent of a majority of the members present and voting suspend the operation of this rule during any debate on any particular question before the House.
Provided, each bill or joint resolution, prior to receiving second reading, must be explained for a minimum of ten minutes or until all questions from House members are addressed, whichever occurs first. The committee chairman of the committee to which a bill or joint resolution was referred, the committee chairman's designee, the sponsor(s) of the bill or joint resolution, and other members of the House may jointly explain the bill or joint resolution in order to provide the required explanation.
b. Subsection a. of this rule shall be applicable on a section by section basis on debate upon the General Appropriations Bill, the Supplemental Appropriations Bill, or the bond bills but shall not apply to bills on reapportionment.
c. The question of granting Free Conference Powers shall require an affirmative vote of two thirds of the membership of the House and is not debatable. No member shall speak more than twice on the question of adoption of a Conference or Free Conference Report and not longer than sixty minutes for the first speech nor longer than thirty minutes for the second speech, unless allowed to do so by the affirmative vote of a majority of the members present and voting. When the pending question is adoption of a Conference or Free Conference Report, the yeas and nays must be taken by roll call and the votes on it must be recorded by name in the Journal. Furthermore, the question of adoption of a Conference or Free Conference Report is subject to the provisions of Rule 8.6.
d. The time limits set by this rule when a member is speaking are paused and the time allotment does not continue to run during points of order, parliamentary inquires, or other similar motions or circumstances.
( ) That Rule 8.6 of the Rules of the House of Representatives is amended to read:
8.6 The previous question upon any matter may be invoked as follows:
Upon an affirmative vote on a motion for the previous question (fifty percent of those present and voting, a quorum being present, plus five, being required to interrupt debate and a simple majority vote at all other times), the amendments then upon the desk shall be considered, but no further amendments shall be allowed to be offered unless the amendment has at least two thirds of the membership of the House as its sponsor. The proponents of an amendment shall be allowed an opportunity to make a short explanation of his amendment for a period not to exceed three minutes, then opponents to the amendment shall be permitted not more than three minutes to oppose the proposed amendment. Then two hours of debate shall be allowed on the bill, the time being equally divided between opponents and proponents with no person to speak more than ten minutes. Provided, that after the previous question has been invoked, the primary sponsor of an amendment may withdraw it with unanimous consent without making a motion to table it.
Provided, the previous question may be invoked on a motion to reconsider only when the matter to be reconsidered is debatable.
Provided, a motion to adjourn debate shall be in order even though the previous question has been invoked.
Provided, further, any member who has been recognized by the Speaker and is speaking from the podium, is considered to be debating the issue and a call for the previous question, whether by the member or any other member, requires the necessary fifty percent of those present and voting plus five.
The time limits set by this rule when a member is speaking are paused and the time allotment does not continue to run during points of order, parliamentary inquires, or other similar motions or circumstances.
Renumber sections to conform.
Amend title to conform.
Rep. KING explained the amendment.
Rep. CASKEY moved to table the amendment.
Rep. KING demanded the yeas and nays which were taken, resulting as follows:
Those who voted in the affirmative are:
Bailey Ballentine Bannister Bowers Brewer Brittain Bustos Calhoon Caskey Chapman Collins B. J. Cox B. L. Cox Crawford Davis Duncan Forrest Gagnon Gatch Gibson Guest Guffey Haddon Hager Hardee Hartnett Hartz Herbkersman Hewitt Hiott Hixon Holman J. E. Johnson Jordan Landing Lawson Ligon Long Lowe Martin McCravy McGinnis Mitchell T. Moore Moss Murphy Neese B. Newton W. Newton Pedalino Pope Robbins Sanders Sessions G. M. Smith M. M. Smith Taylor Teeple Vaughan Whitmire Wickensimer Willis Wooten Yow
Those who voted in the negative are:
Alexander Anderson Bamberg Bauer Beach Bernstein Burns Clyburn Cobb-Hunter Cromer Dillard Edgerton Frank Garvin Gilliam Gilreath Govan Grant Harris Hart Hayes Henderson-Myers Hosey Howard Huff J. L. Johnson Jones Kilmartin King Kirby Luck Magnuson May McCabe McDaniel J. Moore Oremus Pace Rankin Reese Rivers Rose Rutherford Spann-Wilder Stavrinakis Terribile Weeks Wetmore White Williams
So, the amendment was tabled.
Rep. HART moved to adjourn debate on the Resolution until Tuesday, February 4.
Rep. CASKEY moved to table the motion.
Rep. KING demanded the yeas and nays which were taken, resulting as follows:
Those who voted in the affirmative are:
Bailey Ballentine Bannister Bowers Brewer Brittain Bustos Calhoon Caskey Chapman Collins B. J. Cox B. L. Cox Crawford Davis Forrest Gagnon Gatch Gibson Gilliam Guest Guffey Haddon Hager Hardee Hartnett Hartz Herbkersman Hewitt Hiott Hixon Holman J. E. Johnson Jordan Landing Lawson Ligon Long Lowe Martin McGinnis Mitchell T. Moore Moss Murphy Neese B. Newton W. Newton Pedalino Pope Rankin Robbins Sanders Sessions G. M. Smith M. M. Smith Taylor Teeple Vaughan Whitmire Wickensimer Willis Wooten Yow
Those who voted in the negative are:
Alexander Anderson Bamberg Bauer Beach Bernstein Burns Clyburn Cobb-Hunter Cromer Dillard Duncan Edgerton Frank Garvin Gilreath Govan Grant Harris Hart Hayes Henderson-Myers Hosey Howard Huff J. L. Johnson Jones Kilmartin King Kirby Luck Magnuson May McCabe McCravy McDaniel J. Moore Oremus Pace Reese Rivers Rose Rutherford Spann-Wilder Stavrinakis Terribile Weeks Wetmore White Williams
So, the motion to adjourn debate was tabled.
Rep. KING moved that the House do now adjourn.
Rep. CASKEY demanded the yeas and nays which were taken, resulting as follows:
Those who voted in the affirmative are:
Alexander Anderson Bamberg Bauer Beach Burns Cromer Dillard Edgerton Frank Garvin Gilreath Govan Grant Harris Hart Hayes Henderson-Myers Hosey Howard Huff J. L. Johnson Jones Kilmartin King Kirby Luck Magnuson May McCabe McDaniel J. Moore Pace Reese Rivers Rose Rutherford Spann-Wilder Stavrinakis Terribile Weeks Wetmore White Williams
Those who voted in the negative are:
Bailey Ballentine Bannister Bowers Bradley Brewer Brittain Bustos Calhoon Caskey Chapman Collins B. J. Cox B. L. Cox Crawford Davis Duncan Erickson Forrest Gagnon Gatch Gibson Gilliam Guest Guffey Haddon Hager Hardee Hartnett Hartz Herbkersman Hewitt Hiott Hixon Holman J. E. Johnson Jordan Landing Lawson Ligon Long Lowe Martin McCravy McGinnis Mitchell T. Moore Moss Murphy Neese B. Newton W. Newton Oremus Pedalino Pope Rankin Robbins Sanders Sessions G. M. Smith M. M. Smith Taylor Teeple Vaughan Whitmire Wickensimer Willis Wooten Yow
So, the House refused to adjourn.
Rep. J. L. JOHNSON moved that the House recede until 5:15 p.m.
Rep. B. NEWTON demanded the yeas and nays which were taken, resulting as follows:
Those who voted in the affirmative are:
Alexander Anderson Bamberg Bauer Beach Burns Cromer Dillard Edgerton Frank Garvin Gilreath Govan Grant Harris Hayes Henderson-Myers Hosey Howard Huff J. L. Johnson Jones Kilmartin King Kirby Luck Magnuson McCabe McDaniel J. Moore Pace Reese Rivers Rose Rutherford Spann-Wilder Stavrinakis Terribile Weeks Wetmore White Williams
Those who voted in the negative are:
Bailey Ballentine Bannister Bowers Bradley Brewer Brittain Bustos Calhoon Caskey Chapman Collins B. J. Cox B. L. Cox Crawford Davis Duncan Erickson Forrest Gagnon Gatch Gibson Gilliam Guest Guffey Haddon Hager Hardee Hartnett Hartz Herbkersman Hewitt Hiott Hixon Holman Jordan Landing Lawson Ligon Long Lowe Martin May McCravy McGinnis Mitchell T. Moore Moss Murphy Neese B. Newton W. Newton Pedalino Pope Rankin Robbins Sanders Sessions G. M. Smith M. M. Smith Taylor Teeple Vaughan Whitmire Wickensimer Willis Wooten Yow
So, the House refused to recede.
Reps. HARRIS, CROMER, MAGNUSON, PACE and WHITE proposed the following Amendment No. 2 to H. 3815 (Word version) (LC-3518.AHB0002H), which was tabled:
Amend the bill, as and if amended, by adding an item at the end to read:
( ) That Rule 5.1 of the Rules of the House of Representatives is amended to read:
5.1 a. No notice shall be required of a member of his intention to introduce a bill or resolution. Bills and resolutions shall be referred by the Speaker of the House to the appropriate committee or committees which may then consider them at such times as the committee meets. Provided, however, the Speaker may delay referral of a bill or resolution for one statewide legislative day in order to review the legislation's subject matter content. Any matter acted upon favorably by any committee may be reported out by the committee when the House reconvenes and need not thereafter be sent to any committee but shall then be ready, upon compliance with other Rules of the House, for second reading consideration; provided, however, that bills appropriating revenue shall be referred to the Ways and Means Committee. Provided, further, that bills and resolutions creating study committees shall first be referred to the appropriate standing committee having jurisdiction of the subject matter of the bill or resolution.
b. Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection a., a bill or resolution sponsored by a majority of the House must be placed on the House calendar for consideration and not referred first to a committee.
c. The Speaker may establish procedures and dates for prefiling legislation prior to the first day of the convening or reconvening of the General Assembly. All bills received prior to the first day of the convening or reconvening of the General Assembly shall receive first reading on the first day of the session.
d. In those years in which all seats of the House are up for election, no bill shall be received for prefiling between the dates of adjournment sine die and the date of completion of the Organizational Session of the House.
e. When the House of Representatives is not in session and bills are being prefiled and assigned to committees, any member who wishes to have their name added as a sponsor of a bill may do so by notifying the Clerk of the House in writing. The Clerk shall then notify the Chairman of the committee to which the bill has been assigned and their name shall be added. If a member wishes to sponsor a bill individually then they shall so indicate on the face of the bill and no additional sponsors shall be allowed.
Renumber sections to conform.
Amend title to conform.
Rep. HARRIS explained the amendment.
Rep. HARRIS spoke in favor of the amendment.
Rep. CASKEY moved to table the amendment.
Rep. MAGNUSON demanded the yeas and nays which were taken, resulting as follows:
Those who voted in the affirmative are:
Ballentine Bannister Bowers Bradley Brewer Brittain Bustos Calhoon Caskey Chapman Collins B. J. Cox B. L. Cox Crawford Davis Erickson Forrest Gagnon Gatch Gibson Gilliam Guest Guffey Haddon Hager Hardee Hart Hartnett Hartz Herbkersman Hewitt Hiott Hixon Holman J. E. Johnson Jordan Landing Lawson Ligon Long Martin McGinnis Mitchell T. Moore Moss Murphy Neese B. Newton W. Newton Pedalino Pope Rankin Robbins Sanders Sessions G. M. Smith M. M. Smith Taylor Teeple Vaughan Whitmire Wickensimer Willis Wooten Yow
Those who voted in the negative are:
Alexander Anderson Bamberg Bauer Beach Burns Cromer Dillard Edgerton Frank Garvin Gilreath Grant Harris Hayes Henderson-Myers Hosey Howard Huff J. L. Johnson Kilmartin King Kirby Luck Magnuson May McCabe McCravy J. Moore Oremus Pace Reese Rivers Rose Rutherford Spann-Wilder Stavrinakis Terribile Weeks Wetmore White Williams
So, the amendment was tabled.
Rep. KILMARTIN moved to recommit the Resolution to the Committee on Rules.
Rep. CASKEY moved to table the motion.
Rep. BEACH demanded the yeas and nays which were taken, resulting as follows:
Those who voted in the affirmative are:
Ballentine Bannister Bowers Bradley Brewer Brittain Bustos Calhoon Caskey Chapman Collins B. J. Cox B. L. Cox Crawford Davis Erickson Forrest Gagnon Gatch Gibson Gilliam Guest Guffey Haddon Hager Hardee Hartnett Hartz Herbkersman Hewitt Hiott Hixon Holman J. E. Johnson Jordan Landing Lawson Ligon Long Martin McGinnis Mitchell T. Moore Moss Murphy Neese B. Newton W. Newton Pedalino Pope Rankin Robbins Sanders Sessions G. M. Smith M. M. Smith Taylor Teeple Vaughan Whitmire Wickensimer Willis Wooten Yow
Those who voted in the negative are:
Alexander Anderson Bamberg Bauer Beach Burns Cromer Dillard Duncan Edgerton Frank Garvin Gilreath Govan Grant Harris Hart Hayes Henderson-Myers Hosey Huff J. L. Johnson Jones Kilmartin King Kirby Luck Magnuson May McCabe McCravy McDaniel J. Moore Oremus Pace Reese Rivers Rose Rutherford Spann-Wilder Stavrinakis Terribile Weeks Wetmore White Williams
So, the House refused to recommit the Resolution.
Rep. HARRIS, CROMER, MAGNUSON, PACE AND WHITE proposed the following Amendment No. 3 to H. 3815 (Word version) (LC-3815.AHB0004H), which was ruled out of order:
Amend the resolution, as and if amended, by adding an item at the end to read:
( ) That Rule 5.1 of the Rules of the House of Representatives is amended to read:
5.1 a. No notice shall be required of a member of his intention to introduce a bill or resolution. Bills and resolutions shall be referred by the Speaker of the House to the appropriate committee or committees which may then consider them at such times as the committee meets. Provided, however, the Speaker may delay referral of a bill or resolution for one statewide legislative day in order to review the legislation's subject matter content. Any matter acted upon favorably by any committee may be reported out by the committee when the House reconvenes and need not thereafter be sent to any committee but shall then be ready, upon compliance with other Rules of the House, for second reading consideration; provided, however, that bills appropriating revenue shall be referred to the Ways and Means Committee. Provided, further, that bills and resolutions creating study committees shall first be referred to the appropriate standing committee having jurisdiction of the subject matter of the bill or resolution.
b. Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection a., a bill or resolution sponsored by a majority of the House must be placed on the House calendar for consideration and not referred first to a committee.
c. The Speaker may establish procedures and dates for prefiling legislation prior to the first day of the convening or reconvening of the General Assembly. All bills received prior to the first day of the convening or reconvening of the General Assembly shall receive first reading on the first day of the session.
d. In those years in which all seats of the House are up for election, no bill shall be received for prefiling between the dates of adjournment sine die and the date of completion of the Organizational Session of the House.
e. When the House of Representatives is not in session and bills are being prefiled and assigned to committees, any member who wishes to have their name added as a sponsor of a bill may do so by notifying the Clerk of the House in writing. The Clerk shall then notify the Chairman of the committee to which the bill has been assigned and their name shall be added. If a member wishes to sponsor a bill individually then they shall so indicate on the face of the bill and no additional sponsors shall be allowed.
Renumber sections to conform.
Amend title to conform.
Rep CASKEY raised the Point of Order that Amendment No. 3 was not germane to H. 3815 (Word version).
Rep. MAGNUSON spoke against the Point of Order.
The SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE stated that Rule 9.3 governs the germaneness of amendments. He stated that the amendment must concern the same specific subject matter referenced within the resolution and may not expand the scope of the resolution. He stated that Amendment No. 3 addressed a House Rule that was not referenced or affected by the resolution and went beyond the resolution's subject matter. He sustained the Point of Order.
Reps. CROMER, HARRIS, MAGNUSON, PACE and WHITE proposed the following Amendment No. 5 to H. 3815 (Word version) (LC-3815.AHB0006H), which was ruled out of order:
Amend the resolution, as and if amended, by adding an item at the end to read:
( ) That Rule 1.9 of the Rules of the House of Representatives is amended to read:
1.9 All committees shall be appointed by the Speaker, unless otherwise provided for by rule or by law, except Senatorial and Gubernatorial appointees and ex officio members of the House. The Speaker shall name the members constituting each committee in alphabetical order. The Chairman of a committee or subcommittee, who must be a member of the Majority Party, shall be elected by the respective committees during the organizational session. If any subsequent vacancy shall occur in a committee's chairmanship, the election of a new committee chairman shall take place at the time and date to be set by the presiding officer of the respective committee. The committees may at their discretion elect a Vice-Chairman and such other officers as they may choose.
Provided, when appointing members to a Committee on Conference or Free Conference, the Speaker shall consult with the majority and minority political party leaders and appoint at least one member of the minority political party represented in the House.
Renumber sections to conform.
Amend title to conform.
Rep. CASKEY raised the Point of Order that Amendment No. 5 was not germane to H. 3815 (Word version).
Rep. PACE spoke against the Point of Order.
The SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE cited the earlier ruling and stated that the amendment dealt with House Rules not referenced in the resolution, and he sustained the Point of Order.
Rep. MCDANIEL moved that the House do now adjourn.
Rep. HIOTT demanded the yeas and nays which were taken, resulting as follows:
Those who voted in the affirmative are:
Alexander Anderson Bamberg Bauer Burns Cromer Dillard Edgerton Frank Garvin Gibson Gilreath Grant Harris Hart Hayes Henderson-Myers Hosey Howard Huff J. L. Johnson Jones Kilmartin King Kirby Luck Magnuson May McCabe McDaniel J. Moore Pace Reese Rivers Rose Rutherford Spann-Wilder Stavrinakis Terribile Weeks Wetmore White Williams
Those who voted in the negative are:
Bailey Ballentine Bannister Beach Bowers Bradley Brewer Brittain Bustos Calhoon Caskey Chapman Collins B. J. Cox B. L. Cox Crawford Davis Duncan Erickson Forrest Gagnon Gatch Guest Guffey Haddon Hager Hardee Hartnett Hartz Herbkersman Hewitt Hiott Hixon Holman J. E. Johnson Jordan Landing Lawson Ligon Long Lowe Martin McCravy McGinnis Mitchell T. Moore Moss Murphy Neese B. Newton W. Newton Oremus Pedalino Pope Rankin Robbins Sanders Sessions G. M. Smith M. M. Smith Taylor Teeple Vaughan Whitmire Wickensimer Willis Wooten Yow
So, the House refused to adjourn.
Reps. HARRIS, CROMER, MAGNUSON, PACE and WHITE proposed the following Amendment No. 6 to H. 3815 (Word version) (LC-3815.AHB0008H), which was tabled:
Amend the resolution, as and if amended, by deleting items (1), (2), and (9) in their entirety.
Renumber sections to conform.
Amend title to conform.
Rep. MAGNUSON explained the amendment.
The SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE granted Rep. HAYES a leave of absence for the remainder of the day due to family medical reasons.
Rep. MAGNUSON continued speaking.
Rep. MAGNUSON spoke in favor of the amendment.
Rep. CASKEY moved to table the amendment.
Rep. MAGNUSON demanded the yeas and nays which were taken, resulting as follows:
Those who voted in the affirmative are:
Bailey Ballentine Bannister Bowers Bradley Brewer Brittain Bustos Calhoon Caskey Chapman Collins B. J. Cox B. L. Cox Crawford Davis Duncan Erickson Forrest Gagnon Gatch Gibson Gilliam Guest Guffey Haddon Hager Hardee Hartnett Hartz Herbkersman Hewitt Hiott Holman J. E. Johnson Jordan Landing Lawson Long Lowe Martin McGinnis Mitchell T. Moore Moss Murphy Neese B. Newton W. Newton Pedalino Pope Rankin Robbins Sanders G. M. Smith M. M. Smith Taylor Teeple Vaughan Whitmire Wickensimer Willis Wooten Yow
Those who voted in the negative are:
Anderson Bamberg Bauer Beach Burns Cromer Dillard Edgerton Frank Garvin Gilreath Govan Grant Harris Henderson-Myers Hosey Howard Huff J. L. Johnson Jones Kilmartin King Kirby Luck Magnuson May McCabe McCravy McDaniel J. Moore Oremus Pace Reese Rivers Rose Rutherford Spann-Wilder Stavrinakis Terribile Weeks Wetmore White Williams
So, the amendment was tabled.
Rep. J. L. JOHNSON moved that the House resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole.
Rep. CASKEY moved to table the motion.
Rep. J. L. JOHNSON demanded the yeas and nays which were taken, resulting as follows:
Those who voted in the affirmative are:
Bailey Ballentine Bannister Bowers Bradley Brewer Brittain Bustos Calhoon Caskey Chapman Collins B. J. Cox B. L. Cox Crawford Davis Duncan Erickson Forrest Gagnon Gatch Gibson Gilliam Guest Guffey Haddon Hager Hardee Hartnett Hartz Herbkersman Hewitt Hiott Hixon Holman J. E. Johnson Jordan Landing Lawson Ligon Long Lowe Martin McGinnis Mitchell T. Moore Moss Murphy Neese B. Newton W. Newton Oremus Pedalino Pope Rankin Robbins Sanders Sessions G. M. Smith M. M. Smith Stavrinakis Taylor Teeple Vaughan Weeks Whitmire Wickensimer Willis Wooten Yow
Those who voted in the negative are:
Anderson Bamberg Bauer Burns Cromer Dillard Edgerton Frank Garvin Gilreath Govan Grant Harris Henderson-Myers Hosey Howard Huff J. L. Johnson Jones Kilmartin King Luck Magnuson May McCabe McCravy McDaniel J. Moore Pace Reese Rivers Rose Rutherford Spann-Wilder Terribile Wetmore White Williams
So, the House refused to resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole.
I was temporarily out of the Chamber on constituent business during the vote to table the motion to resolve the House into a Committee of the Whole. If I had been present, I would have voted against the tabling motion.
Rep. Beach
Reps. HARRIS, CROMER, MAGNUSON, PACE and WHITE proposed the following Amendment No. 7 to H. 3815 (Word version) (LC-3815.AHB0007H), which was ruled out of order:
Amend the resolution, as and if amended, by striking all after the resolving clause and inserting:
1.1 The Speaker shall take the chair on every legislative day precisely at the hour to which the House adjourned at the last sitting, immediately call the members to order, cause prayer to be said, the Journal of the previous proceedings to be corrected, and if a quorum be present, proceed to other business.
1.2 The Speaker shall preserve order and decorum pursuant to the rules of the House of Representatives, and, in case of disturbance or disorderly conduct in the galleries, or in the lobby, may cause the same to be cleared. The Speaker shall take measures to strictly enforce the provisions of House Rule 3.6 and will ensure that every member takes his seat, acts with decorum at all times, refrains from disrespect to the institution of the House or the Senate and to all personalities, observes decency of speech, and confines himself to the question under consideration when the House is in session. Any person guilty of contempt of the House may be ordered into custody by the House and dealt with as it deems proper.
1.3 If any member, in speaking or otherwise, transgresses the Rules of the House, the Speaker shall call him to order, or any member may call such transgressions to the attention of the Speaker who shall call the transgressor to order. If repeated cries of order are ineffective, the Speaker may call a member by name, and if the Speaker deems it necessary, he shall state the offense committed. The member may be heard in his exculpation and shall withdraw, and the House shall consider his punishment or any further proceedings to be had.
1.4 The Speaker shall sign all acts, joint resolutions, memorials, writs, warrants, and authorizations for payment or other papers authorized by the House.
1.5 The Speaker shall decide all points of order, subject to an appeal by any member, and he may require the member raising a point of order to cite the rule or other authority in support of the question. A member may withdraw a point of order the member has raised. Upon appeal, no member shall speak more than once and for no longer than twenty minutes each, except by permission of the House.
1.6 The Speaker may vote in all cases (except when he may be personally or pecuniarily interested). If the House be equally divided, the question shall be decided in the negative. The presiding officer may give information or explain any matter before the House; he may speak on points of order in preference to other members, and as often as he may deem necessary, but he shall not enter into any debate or endeavor to influence any question before the House while presiding. Provided, the Speaker, in his discretion, may address the body concerning matters of importance to the House.
1.7 The Speaker shall be elected on the opening day of the organizational session by the membership of the House. Pursuant to this rule a person elected Speaker may not serve more than five consecutive terms in that office.
1.8 The Speaker Pro Tempore shall be elected on the opening day of the organizational session and shall preside in the absence of the Speaker. If a conflict of interest arises involving the Speaker and the performance of his duties the Speaker Pro Tempore shall perform the duties of the Speaker to the extent that the conflict of interest exists. Provided, the Speaker or the Speaker Pro Tempore, whoever may be presiding at the time, may name a member to preside, but such substitution shall not extend beyond an adjournment. In the absence of the Speaker and the Speaker Pro Tempore for more than one day, the House may elect a Speaker Pro Tempore to serve until the return of the Speaker or Speaker Pro Tempore. When the Speaker Pro Tempore is absent for more than three consecutive statewide legislative days, the House of Representatives may elect an acting Speaker Pro Tempore who shall serve until the return of the Speaker Pro Tempore. The acting Speaker Pro Tempore may continue to serve on any committee to which he has been appointed.
1.9 All committees shall be appointed by the Speaker, unless otherwise provided for by rule or by law, except Senatorial and Gubernatorial appointees and ex officio members of the House. The Speaker shall name the members constituting each committee in alphabetical order. The Chairman shall be elected by the respective committees during the organizational session. If any subsequent vacancy shall occur in a committee's chairmanship, the election of a new committee chairman shall take place at the time and date to be set by the presiding officer of the respective committee. The committees may at their discretion elect a Vice-Chairman and such other officers as they may choose.
Provided, when appointing members to a Committee on Conference or Free Conference, the Speaker shall consult with the majority and minority political party leaders and appoint at least one member of the minority political party represented in the House.
1.10 The Speaker is responsible that all amendments ordered by the House be correctly made and that the attention of the House be called to all amendments made by the Senate since the matter was before the House. All Senate amendments to matters previously considered by the House and all House amendments to matters previously considered by the Senate shall, after adoption, be printed by use of distinctive type interlineation in such a manner as to reflect in one text the original version and the language of the amendment.
1.11 If the Speaker or Speaker Pro Tempore resigns from such position, he shall submit his resignation to the Clerk of the House in writing. This procedure shall be followed in the case of the resignation of any elected officer of the House.
1.12 In case of emergency, the Speaker has the authority, when, in his opinion, it is impractical or dangerous to hold a regularly scheduled session(s) of the House of Representatives, to declare the body adjourned to some other time. Such actions are to be taken only in times of great emergency including, but not limited to, natural disasters, severe weather, and Acts of God.
When, due to great emergency or through inadvertence, the House is adjourned without provision for the next meeting, the Speaker may issue a call specifying the time for the next meeting.
1.13 Section 2-3-110 of the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, designates the Speaker of the House as the Chief Administrative Officer of the House of Representatives, and as such, the Speaker is authorized to initiate or otherwise participate in litigation on behalf of the House. The Speaker shall comply with the applicable rules of civil procedure in the relevant jurisdiction when taking action on behalf of the House.
2.1 The Clerk shall be elected by the membership of the House for a term of two years. This election will take place on the opening day of the organizational session.
2.2 The Clerk of the preceding session shall, at the beginning of the organizational session of the House, call the members to order, proceed to call the roll of members in alphabetical order, and pending election of a Speaker, Speaker Pro Tempore, or temporary officers, preserve order and decorum, and decide all questions of order subject to appeal by any member. The duties of this section may be delegated by the Clerk to any member of the House.
2.3 The Clerk shall cause to be kept a correct Journal of the proceedings of the House, and this Journal shall be numbered serially from the first day of each session of the Legislature. He shall not permit any books or papers belonging to the House to be taken out of his custody other than in the regular course of business and then upon receipt when he deems necessary. He shall report any missing papers to the Speaker.
2.4 The Clerk of the House shall cause to be prepared and laid on the desks of the members every morning an itinerary of the day's business to be called the Calendar. This Calendar shall include the orders of the preceding day and all continued matters arranged according to priority, and numbered from the commencement of the session, every matter being introduced and newly numbered after every new order upon it.
2.5 The Clerk shall assist, under the direction of the Speaker, in taking roll call or division votes.
2.6 The Clerk shall issue all pay certificates for per diem and mileage and incidental expenses upon the order of the Speaker, the signature of the Speaker being attested by the Clerk. The Clerk shall also attest to all writs and warrants and to the passage of all bills, resolutions, and memorials.
2.7 The Clerk shall prepare in writing and send all messages to the Senate and elsewhere as ordered by the House.
2.8 The Clerk shall also be charged with the duty of having executed, in a prompt and accurate manner, all the printing required by the Rules or orders of the House.
2.9 The Reading Clerk shall be elected by the membership of the House for a term of two years. This election will take place on the opening day of the organizational session.
2.10 The Reading Clerk shall read all papers to be read at the desk, which the Speaker may direct him to read and shall assist in taking any roll call votes at the Speaker's direction. Upon ordering of a roll call vote, or upon a quorum call, the electronic roll call system is to be used following the procedure of Rule 7.3. When the electronic roll call system is not operating in any manner, the Reading Clerk shall call the roll and take the names of all who vote 'aye' and all who vote 'nay' which shall be entered in the Journal and the provisions of Rule 7.3 shall not apply. If, during the course of an ordered electronic roll call, the electronic roll system malfunctions, in such a manner that the number of aye votes and the number of nay votes are recorded but the names of the members so voting are not recorded, the vote shall stand, and any member desiring to publish a record of his individual vote may submit a statement which shall be printed in the House Journal. If, during the course of an ordered electronic roll call, the electronic roll call system malfunctions in such a manner as to record no accurate information as to the vote totals, the question shall be resubmitted and the Reading Clerk shall call the roll of the members as hereinabove specified.
Provided, however, in the case of a malfunction in the electronic roll call where the roll call to be taken is mandated by the Constitution or Statutes, any malfunction will void the roll call and it will be retaken.
Provided, that whether the ayes and nays are taken by electronic roll or otherwise, they shall be recorded by the Clerk in the Journal.
2.11 The Chaplain shall be elected by the membership of the House for a term of two years. This election will take place on the opening day of the organizational session.
2.12 The Chaplain shall provide spiritual guidance for the membership of the House.
2.13 The Sergeant at Arms shall be elected by the membership of the House for a term of two years and shall be under the direct supervision of the Speaker of the House. This election will take place on the opening day of the organizational session.
2.14 The Sergeant at Arms shall assist the Speaker in maintaining order and decorum.
2.15 The duties of the Sergeant at Arms, shall be as provided for in Chapter 3 of Title 2, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, as amended.
2.16 The Sergeant at Arms may designate, subject to the approval of the Speaker, other staff members of the House to assist the Speaker and the Sergeant in performing such duties as they may direct, in accordance with Chapter 3 of Title 2, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976.
3.1 Every member shall be within the House Chamber during its sittings unless excused or necessarily prevented, and may vote on each question put, except that no member shall be permitted to vote on any question immediately concerning his private rights as distinct from the public interest.
3.2 The Speaker may excuse any member from attendance on the House and its committees for any stated period upon reason shown, and such excused absence shall be noted in the Journal.
3.3 Any member absenting himself from attendance on the House or its committees and having in his possession any original papers relating to the business before the House, shall leave such original papers with the Clerk before departing from the Capitol.
3.4 Any member who enters after the roll call at the opening of the daily session and notifies the Clerk in writing shall thereafter be shown as present for such day. Provided, that no person except those recorded present shall be eligible for subsistence for that day.
3.5 In cases of contest for a seat in the House, notice setting forth the grounds of such contest shall be given by the contestant to the House within three calendar days after the House first convenes, and in such case, the contest shall be determined by majority vote as speedily as reasonably possible.
3.6 When the House is called to order, every member shall take his seat and shall act with decorum at all times when the House is in session. Every member, when about to speak, shall rise from his seat and respectfully address himself to 'Mr. Speaker' and shall avoid disrespect to the House or the Senate and all personalities, observe decency of speech, and shall confine himself to the question under consideration.
The Speaker, when duly addressed by a member, shall hear from the member who, in the Speaker's opinion, shall arise first, by identifying the member. The Reading Clerk shall not turn on any member's microphone until the Speaker has recognized that person.
3.7 (Reserved)
3.8 No member shall speak more than twice on the same question without leave of the House, except merely to explain his meaning, even if the debate on the question should be continued for many days. In the case of a matter requiring more than one reading, this limitation applies separately to each reading, provided, however, notwithstanding that a matter may move from the uncontested to contested Calendar or vice versa within the same reading, the limitation applies to the entire reading. If a member has the floor and is addressing the body, he shall not lose the floor by asking a question of any member of the body.
3.9 If any member shall be absent without leave and a quorum is not present, the Speaker shall instruct the Sergeant at Arms or appoint other authorized persons to send for such member or members and take them into custody. The outer doors to the Chamber shall be closed. The Speaker shall order that security personnel shall be posted at the outer doors of the Chamber and no member shall be permitted to leave the second floor of the State House without written leave of the Speaker. The Speaker may also order that security personnel be posted at all entrances to the State House to prevent members from leaving without authorization. An absent member who is taken into custody after the invocation of this rule shall pay for all reasonable expenses incurred which shall include mileage at the prevailing rate for state employees. In addition, such absent member who is taken into custody shall forfeit his entitlement to subsistence and mileage for that legislative day and shall be subject to any additional penalties the Speaker deems necessary. Should a quorum be present and ten members request, such absent member or members shall be sent for as herein provided and subjected to the same penalties. The Speaker shall strictly enforce the provisions of this rule. Provided, however, in the case of a member not being present when Rule 3.9 is invoked and such member voluntarily returns without being taken into custody, he shall not be subject to the penalties of this section. The invocation of this rule may be rescinded by a majority vote of those present and voting.
3.10 As soon as practicable, after the House has been organized, the seats of the members shall be allotted as follows:
The Clerk shall prepare a ballot for each county with only its name printed on it. These shall be put in a closed box. The Speaker shall then direct a person or persons to draw them out, one by one. As each ballot is drawn, the delegation from that county shall select their seats, in accordance with the county in which the member resides. In the event a member's district consists of more than one county, the member may elect to be seated with the delegation the member desires, provided the member indicates the preference to the Clerk of the House prior to balloting. No delegation may select more than one seat on the main aisle.
3.11 As soon as practicable, after the House has been organized, office space of members must be allotted as follows:
Each member shall be assigned an office in the Blatt Building on the basis of their seniority in the House. A member who has served in the immediately preceding session shall have first preference on retention of his previously assigned office. The House Operations and Management Committee is authorized to make necessary adjustments in the assignment of office space with the consent of the Speaker when necessary.
The provisions of this rule do not apply to office space for the Speaker, Speaker Pro Tempore, Chairman of the Rules Committee, Chairman of the Invitations and Memorial Resolutions Committee, Chairman of the Interstate Cooperation Committee and Chairmen of any other standing committees or any other caucus having assigned space in the Blatt Building.
Provided, further, each member shall be assigned a parking space in the parking facility on the basis of their seniority in the House. A member who has served in the immediately preceding session shall have first preference on retention of his previously assigned parking space.
3.12 (Reserved)
3.13 Each legislative caucus occupying office space in the Blatt Office Building may pay to the Clerk of the House of Representatives an amount, determined by the Clerk, for the use of office space by each caucus. Each caucus may also pay an amount for use of state-owned office related equipment including, but not limited to, copying services, computer equipment, and software and related connection charges for internet access and telephone equipment and service. Each legislative caucus may make payment for equipment and services in the manner to be determined by the Clerk.
4.1 Committee appointments: see Rule 1.9.
4.2 As soon as practicable after the members have been sworn in and have taken their seats, the following Standing Committees, except the House of Representatives Legislative Ethics Committee, and the House of Representatives Committee on Operations and Management, shall be appointed with the indicated number of members appointed thereto:
1. Committee on Ways and Means - 25.
2. Committee on the Judiciary (Privileges and Elections) - 25.
3. Committee on Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs (Fish, Game, Forestry, State Parks, Rural Development, Environmental Affairs) - 18.
4. Committee on Education and Public Works (Education, Highways, State House and Grounds, Railroads, Aviation) - 18.
5. Committee on Medical, Military, Public and Municipal Affairs (Medical Affairs, Social Security, Penitentiary, State Hospital, Police Regulations, Military Affairs, Veteran's Affairs) - 18.
6. Committee on Labor, Commerce and Industry (Labor, Commerce and Manufacturing, Banking and Insurance, Merchants and Mercantile Affairs) - 18.
7. Committee on Rules - 15.
8. Committee on Interstate Cooperation (membership limited to 5, under 1976 Code, Sec. 1 - 17 - 30) - 5.
9. Committee on Regulations, Administrative Procedures, Artificial Intelligence and Cybersecurity - 13.
10. Committee on Legislative Oversight (Oversight and Review of Government Operations and Accountability, SC Code of Laws Section 2-2-5 et seq.) - 20.
11. House of Representatives Legislative Ethics Committee - 10.
12. Committee on Invitations and Memorial Resolutions (Invitations, Resolutions memorializing the Federal or State Government or any official or agency thereof, sympathy, and congratulatory Resolutions) - 5.
13. Committee on Operations and Management of the House of Representatives (Advisory to the Speaker on personnel, administration and management of facilities, including management of the Blatt Building) - 8.
Each member shall serve on one and only one of the first six Standing Committees listed above. However, a member of these Committees may also serve on any one of the following Committees: Committee on Regulations, Administrative Procedures, Artificial Intelligence and Cybersecurity, Committee on Legislative Oversight, Committee on Rules, Committee on Interstate Cooperation, Committee on Ethics, Committee on Invitations, or Committee on Operations and Management of the House of Representatives. The Speaker, Speaker Pro Tempore, and Clerk shall serve as ex officio members of the Committee on Operations and Management of the House of Representatives but no chairman of any other standing committee shall serve as a member of such committee.
Provided, that a minimum of two members from each of the first six Standing Committees listed above shall be appointed to the Committee on Regulations, Administrative Procedures, Artificial Intelligence and Cybersecurity.
Provided, that the members of the Committee on Operations and Management of the House of Representatives (advisory to the Speaker on personnel, administration and management of facilities), and the members of the House of Representatives Legislative Ethics Committee, shall be elected by the members of the South Carolina House of Representatives, their terms to be coterminous with their respective term of office. The Committee on Operations and Management of the House of Representatives shall consist of eight members. Four members of the committee shall be members of the majority party represented in the House of Representatives and four members shall be members of the minority party represented in the House of Representatives or be nonaffiliated with any party or another party not in the majority. The Chairman of the Committee on Operations and Management of the House shall be one of the four members of the committee from the majority party represented in the House to be elected by the members of the committee. Other officers of the committee are not required to be affiliated with a particular party.
Provided, that the Committee on Education and Public Works shall be deemed to be the Committee on Education, and the Committee on Medical, Military, Public and Municipal Affairs shall be deemed to be the Committee on Military Affairs and the Committee on Medical Affairs, in all cases where the statutes provide for the Chairman of these committees to perform ex officio duties.
Provided, that the Committee on Operations and Management of the House of Representatives with the consent of the Speaker may formulate such policies as it deems advisable relating to House personnel. Such policies shall be distributed to the members and must be adopted by majority vote of the House by House Resolution.
Provided, that except as herein provided neither the Speaker nor Speaker Pro Tempore shall be a member of any of the foregoing Standing Committees.
No member shall be appointed on a committee before he has been sworn in and has taken his seat. Any member who is sworn in after the general announcement of the committee shall, within a few days afterward, be placed by the Speaker on a Standing Committee whose number of members will not thereby be extended beyond the number provided in these rules.
After a committee has been appointed, no addition to it or change shall be made, except to fill a vacancy or to remove a member for conduct unbecoming a member.
Provided, that in filling a vacancy, the assignment of any member may be changed from another committee to fill such vacancy.
4.3 Unless otherwise ordered, committees shall have jurisdiction only over matters pertaining to the subjects indicated by the names of the respective committees, and to the subject matter indicated in parenthesis following the names.
4.4 Committees shall meet regularly to consider pending legislation in the room assigned for their use by the Speaker or as otherwise authorized by this rule. Notice of date, time, and place of such meetings shall be posted on the legislative website and displayed in the lobby on each floor of the Solomon Blatt Building. A committee should give a minimum of twenty-four hour advance notice for all committee meetings. Provided, however, in case of necessity due to exigent circumstances, the Speaker, in his sole discretion, may waive the twenty-four hour advance notice requirements herein. Committee chairmen must notify the committee members of all meetings. Failure of notice of any meeting shall not invalidate committee action unless bad faith is shown. No committee shall meet while the House is in session without special leave by the Speaker. Provided, however, that the Committee on Rules and any committee of conference or free conference, may sit at any time and may report its message to the House at any time.
A Committee may provide, pursuant to its own rules, for the Chairmen to designate alternative meeting arrangements and procedures. Provided, however, the Chairman may only implement alternative meeting arrangements and procedures in the event that extraordinary circumstances including, but not limited to, natural disasters, severe weather, and Acts of God, render them necessary. The alternative meeting arrangements and procedures must:
(1) provide for public observation or participation as required by House Rules and the provisions of Title 30, Chapter 4 of the 1976 Code of Laws of South Carolina, as amended;
(2) provide both a video and audio component that is publicly accessible; and
(3) record the meeting, in its entirety, and make the recording available on the General Assembly website, as soon as practicable following the meeting.
No committee shall sit unless a quorum be present and all bills introduced by committees must carry the statement of the Chairman that the bill has the approval of two-thirds of the membership of the committee, except that the State Appropriations Bill, the Supplemental Appropriations Bill, a Rescission Bill, and the Deficiency Appropriations Bill may be introduced by a majority vote of the Ways and Means Committee.
No committee shall introduce a bill pertaining to subject matter over which it has no jurisdiction.
Notice in writing of all committee action taken on a bill or resolution shall be given to the principal author thereof.
No statewide bill directly appropriating money shall be considered by the House until after such bill has been referred to the Ways and Means Committee, provided, however, a statewide bill which directly or by implication provides for per diem, subsistence or mileage in connection with the subject matter of the bill, but does not otherwise directly appropriate money, shall not be required to be referred to the Ways and Means Committee.
After the House sets a bill for Special Order pursuant to Rule 6.3, no point of order may be raised regarding its reference to committee, however, the House by majority vote may commit or recommit a bill or other matter under debate.
No committee action shall be taken on a bill or resolution except at a regular or called meeting, but this shall not apply to resolutions referred to the Committee on Invitations and Memorial Resolutions.
When any standing committee or subcommittee schedules a public hearing on a bill or resolution, the principal sponsor of such bill or resolution shall be notified of the time and place of such hearing not less than five calendar days prior to the hearing date.
4.5 All meetings of all committees shall be open to the public at all times, subject always to the power and authority of the Chairman to maintain order and decorum with the right to go into Executive Session as provided for in the South Carolina Freedom of Information Act, Title 30, Chapter 4 of the 1976 Code of Laws of South Carolina, as amended. Provided, a legislative caucus as defined by Section 2-17-10 of the 1976 Code of Laws of South Carolina, as amended, and its meetings are not subject to the provisions of Title 30, Chapter 4 of the 1976 Code of Laws of South Carolina, as amended.
No committee shall file a report unless the committee has met formally at an authorized time and place with a quorum present. All standing committees of the House shall prepare and make available for public inspection, in compliance with Section 30-4-90 of the 1976 Code of Laws of South Carolina, as amended, the minutes of full committee meetings. Such minutes need not be verbatim accounts of such meetings but shall include those matters required by the above mentioned Freedom of Information Act.
4.6 After twenty days from the date of reference, the Chairman of the Committee in possession of a measure shall, upon written request of a sponsor or, in the case of a Senate measure, a House member, set a time for consideration of the measure by the full committee or subcommittee which shall be no later than seven legislative working days thereafter. Provided, however, that a member may request consideration of a bill or resolution pursuant to this rule only one time per bill or resolution during a legislative session.
4.7 a. Each report of a committee shall contain the action of the committee on the bill or other measure being transmitted. Such report shall certify the action by the committee and shall be signed by an officer of the committee.
b. When reporting a Senate bill as favorable, the committee may include in its report an amendment identical to the final version of any House bill that has been referred to that committee and passed by the House during the current two-year session. If the amendment is identical to a previously passed House bill, the amendment must be considered germane to the bill.
4.8 Any bill, report, petition, or other paper except an amendment which may come before the House, may be committed or recommitted before a final decision thereon. Provided, further that the Speaker shall commit to a committee any bill, joint resolution, or concurrent resolution returned from the Senate with an amendment that has so materially changed the bill that the bill's contents, as amended by the Senate, are no longer substantially germane to the bill, joint resolution, or concurrent resolution as it passed the House. Such bill, joint resolution, or concurrent resolution may be reported out of the committee with its recommendation and shall be placed on the Calendar under the heading of Senate Amendments. If not amended, it shall be enrolled as an act and ratified. If said bill, joint resolution, or concurrent resolution shall be amended, it shall be returned to the Senate at the conclusion of the process as a House amendment. Provided, the provisions of this rule may be dispensed with by a two-thirds vote of the membership present and voting of the House, a quorum being present.
4.9 In all cases the House may resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole. The motion to resolve the House into a Committee of the Whole shall specify the subject(s) to be considered in the Committee of the Whole. In the event the House resolves itself into a Committee of the Whole, the Committee of the Whole shall limit discussion to the subject(s) specified in the motion. The Speaker shall leave the Chair after appointing a Chairman to preside, who shall, in case of disturbance or disorderly conduct, have the power to cause same to be cleared. No bill or resolution may be considered by the Committee of the Whole House, except by a two-thirds vote, unless same has first been considered by the appropriate Standing Committee of the House.
4.10 The Committee of the Whole shall consist of the entire body of members in attendance at the particular meeting of the House. Such committee is a real committee in the parliamentary sense. During the time that a meeting of the Committee of the Whole is held, it is technically not 'the assembly'.
4.11 The Rules of the House so far as they are applicable shall be observed in a Committee of the Whole, the Chairman being substituted for the Speaker.
4.12 No Committee of the Whole or other committee shall deface or interline a bill or other paper, referred to it, but shall report any amendments recommended on a separate paper, noting the page and line.
4.13 No person shall be permitted to address the House or the Joint Assembly except by written resolution, and such resolution shall be referred to the Committee on Invitations and Memorial Resolutions before being considered by the House. The Committee shall not extend an invitation to any individual or group to address the House or the Joint Assembly unless such person or group is of significant national or state prominence at the time the invitation is extended and will bring a message of major importance to the State or such individual or group will present an artistic performance during the established hours of meeting.
Any invitations extended to the House as a whole to attend any functions shall be submitted to the Committee on Invitations and Memorial Resolutions at least 10 days in advance in order that it may determine what legislation or other pertinent matters may be pending before the House and its Committees before the invitation is accepted. The House shall accept no invitations to any functions other than a breakfast or luncheon prior to 6:00 p.m. Pages are not permitted to attend such functions. No invitations to functions for the House as a whole will be accepted during the week anticipated for the debate of the State Appropriations Bill.
4.14 No member of a committee shall be allowed under any circumstances to vote by proxy.
4.15 None of the House Rules shall be rescinded, suspended, or altered, except by written resolution which has been referred to the Rules Committee, or originates therein, and agreed to by two-thirds of the members of the House present after the committee has made its report. Provided, that any rule may be amended by a simple majority of the House during the month of January of each year.
4.16 A. The House of Representatives Legislative Ethics Committee (Committee) consists of ten (10) members. The ten members of the House of Representatives Legislative Ethics Committee shall be elected by the members of the House. Five members of the committee shall be members of the majority party represented in the House of Representatives and five members shall be members of the minority party represented in the House of Representatives or be nonaffiliated with any party or another party not in the majority. The Chairman of the Ethics Committee shall be one of the five members of the committee from the majority party represented in the House to be elected by the members of the committee. Other officers of the committee are not required to be affiliated with a particular party and shall be elected by members of the committee as well.
B. Jurisdiction
(1) The committee shall have jurisdiction over individuals and entities pursuant to Chapter 13, Title 8.
(2) No matter shall be considered later than four years after the violation allegedly occurred.
(3) No complaint may be accepted by the Ethics Committee concerning a member of or candidate for the House during the fifty-day period before an election in which the member or candidate is participating.
C. Duties
The committee shall:
(1) ascertain whether a person has failed to comply fully and accurately with the disclosure requirements of this Chapter 13, Title 8, which may include, but are not limited to, an audit of filed reports and applicable campaign bank statements, and to promptly notify the person to file the necessary notices and reports to satisfy the requirements of this Chapter 13, Title 8;
(2) receive complaints or allegations concerning any person under the jurisdiction of the committee alleging a violation of Chapter 13, Title 8 or Chapter 17, Title 2 and refer any complaint except for a complaint regarding a violation of the rules of the House of Representatives to the State Ethics Commission (commission) for investigation in compliance with Sections 8-13-530 through 8-13-550;
(3) upon a majority vote of the members of the committee initiate a complaint concerning any person under the jurisdiction of the committee alleging a violation of Chapter 13, Title 8 or Chapter 17, Title 2 and refer the complaint for investigation to the commission except for a complaint concerning a violation of the rules of the House of Representatives;
(4) cause to be investigated any complaints or allegations regarding a violation of the rules of the House of Representatives or technical violation;
(5) upon request of any member, officer, or employee of the House render committee advisory opinions with regard to legislative ethics when, in its judgment, these opinions would serve the public interest. Such advisory opinions shall serve as binding precedent for the committee until specifically altered or withdrawn;
(6) act as an advisory body to the House and to individual members of or candidates for the House on questions pertaining to Chapter 13, Title 8 or Chapter 17, Title 2;
(7) issue through its staff a written informal advisory opinion, based on real or hypothetical sets of circumstances, to a person or entity within the committee's jurisdiction upon that person's or entity's request. If an informal advisory opinion is raised as a defense in response to a complaint, the committee shall consider whether the respondent is the person who requested the informal advisory opinion or is a member of the entity that requested the informal opinion. The committee also shall consider the accuracy of the facts presented in the informal advisory opinion and determine whether the respondent relied in good faith upon the written informal advisory opinion. The committee shall consider this information prior to making a probable cause determination;
(8) administer or recommend appropriate sanctions or dismiss charges as the result of a properly filed complaint including a complaint which has been investigated by the commission;
(9) ascertain whether a person has failed to comply fully and accurately with the disclosure requirements of Chapter 13, Title 8 and promptly notify the person to file the necessary disclosures to satisfy the requirements and assess and collect any fines or fees authorized by state law for the failure to timely file a disclosure statement; and
(10) recommend a rule or statutory change relating to ethics as the committee deems appropriate.
D. Complaints and Investigations
(1) Complaints must be verified in writing and state the name of the person alleged to have committed the violation and the particulars of the violation.
(2) When a complaint is filed with or by the committee, a copy must be sent to the person alleged to have committed the violation, the respondent, and to the commission for investigation, except for a complaint alleging a violation of the rules of the House of Representatives, within thirty days from the date the complaint was filed.
(3) If the committee determines that the complaint regarding a violation of the rules of the House of Representatives alleges facts sufficient to constitute a violation, an investigation shall be conducted into the alleged violation.
(4) Upon the initiation of an investigation by the committee, pursuant to Rule 4.16D.(3) the committee shall notify the respondent of what matters it intends to investigate and the respondent shall have the opportunity to submit a written response to any complaint or allegations being investigated within thirty days of being notified by the committee. Any complaint referred to the commission by the committee will be handled in accordance with Sections 8-13-530 through 8-13-550.
(5) After the investigation of a complaint referred to the commission and the commission subsequently provides a report to the committee with a recommendation that there is probable cause to believe a violation of Chapter 13, Title 8 or of Chapter 17, Title 2 has occurred, the committee may then concur or nonconcur with the commission's recommendation, or within forty-five days from the committee's receipt of the report, submit a request to the commission to continue the investigation in order to review information previously received or consider additional matters not considered by the commission.
(6) If, after reviewing the commission's recommendation and relevant evidence, the committee determines that there is not competent and substantial evidence of a violation of Chapter 13, Title 8 or of Chapter 17, Title 2 has occurred, the committee shall dismiss the complaint and send a written decision to the respondent and the complainant. The notice of dismissal must be made public if the commission made a recommendation that probable cause existed.
(7) If, after reviewing the commission's recommendation and relevant evidence, the committee determines that the respondent has committed only a technical violation pursuant to Section 8-13-1170 or 8-13-1372, then the provisions of the appropriate section apply.
(8) If, after reviewing the commission's recommendation and relevant evidence, the committee determines that there is competent and substantial evidence that a violation of Chapter 13, Title 8 or of Chapter 17, Title 2 has occurred, except for a technical violation of Section 8-13-1170 or 8-13-1372, the committee shall, as appropriate:
(a) render an advisory opinion to the respondent and require the respondent's compliance within a reasonable time; or
(b) convene a formal public hearing on the matter.
(9) The committee may obtain its own information, or request additional investigation by the commission, if it needs additional information to make a determination as to whether or not competent and substantial evidence of a violation exists.
(10) The committee may compel testimony and issue subpoenas for the procurement of witnesses and materials including books, papers, records, documents, or other tangible objects relevant to its investigation by approval of the chairman or a majority of the committee membership, subject to judicial enforcement as provided by law. The committee may administer oaths and affirmation for the testimony. A person to whom a subpoena has been issued may move before the committee for an order quashing a subpoena issued pursuant to this rule.
(11) If the committee determines that assistance is needed in conducting an investigation, the committee shall request the assistance of appropriate agencies.
(12) If the committee determines that there is no probable cause it shall dismiss the complaint.
(13) The committee shall refer any matters, regardless of a finding of probable cause, that are violations of law not under its jurisdiction to the appropriate law enforcement or regulatory agency.
E. Formal Public Hearings
(1) All formal public hearings of the committee must be open to the public subject to the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act (Chapter 4, Title 30).
(2) The investigator or attorney handling the investigation concerning a violation of the rules of the House of Representatives or a technical violation for the committee shall present the evidence related to the complaint at any public hearing and shall not serve as counsel to the committee during the hearing.
(3) The investigator or attorney handling the investigation for the commission shall present the evidence related to the complaint to the committee.
(4) It is the duty of the investigator or attorney to further investigate the subject of the complaint and any related matters under the jurisdiction and at the direction of the committee, to request assistance from appropriate state agencies as needed, to request authorization from the committee for funds for the hiring of auditors, investigators, or other assistance as necessary, to prepare subpoenas, and to present evidence to the committee at any public hearing.
(5) The respondent must be allowed to examine and make copies of all evidence in the committee's possession relating to the charges. At the hearing the respondent must be afforded appropriate due process protections, including the right to be represented by counsel, the right to call and examine witnesses, the right to introduce exhibits, and the right to cross-examine opposing witnesses. The committee shall issue subpoenas for the attendance of witnesses requested by the respondent pursuant to these rules.
(6) The committee may deliberate in executive session but must render its findings of fact and issue any sanctions in a public hearing.
F. Sanctions
(a) If the committee finds the respondent has committed a violation within the committee's jurisdiction it shall:
(1) administer a public reprimand;
(2) determine that a technical violation as provided for in Section 8-13-1170 or 8-13-1372 has occurred;
(3) require the respondent to pay a civil penalty not to exceed two thousand dollars for each nontechnical violation that is unrelated to the late filing of a required statement or report or failure to file a required statement or report;
(4) require the forfeiture of gifts, receipts, or profits, or the value of each, obtained in violation of Chapter 13, Title 8 or Chapter 17, Title 2;
(5) recommend expulsion of the member;
(6) provide a copy of the complaint and accompanying materials to the Attorney General if the committee finds that there is probable cause to support the existence of criminal intent on the part of the respondent when the violation occurred;
(7) require a combination of items (1) though (6) as necessary and appropriate.
(b) The committee may levy an enforcement or administrative fee on a person found in violation or who admits to a violation, pursuant to Title 2 or Title 8, to reimburse the committee for costs associated with the investigation and hearing of a violation as provided in Section 8-13-130.
(c) The committee shall report its findings in writing to the Speaker of the House of Representatives. The report must be accompanied by an order of punishment and supported and signed by a majority of the Ethics Committee members. If the committee finds the respondent has not violated a code or statutory provision, it shall dismiss the charges.
(d) The complainant or respondent has ten days from the date of the notification of the committee's action to appeal the action to the full legislative body by written notice to the Speaker of the House.
G. Confidentiality
(1) Complaints are not considered a public record until there is a recommendation of probable cause by the commission unless the Respondent, in writing, waives the right to confidentiality.
(2) Upon a recommendation of probable cause by the commission for a violation, other than a technical violation pursuant to Section 8-13-1170 or 8-13-1372, the following documents become public record: the complaint, the response by the respondent, and the commission's recommendation of probable cause.
(3) If the appropriate committee requests further investigation after receipt of the commission's report, documents only may be released if the commission's second report to the committee recommends a finding of probable cause.
(4) Upon the issuance of the final order after a public hearing, the following documents become public record: exhibits introduced at the hearing, the committee's findings, and the final order. Exhibits introduced must be redacted prior to release to exclude personal information when the public disclosure would constitute an unreasonable invasion of personal privacy.
(5) This Rule does not affect the release of confidential information pursuant to Section 8-13-725 of the Ethics Act.
H. General Provisions
(1) Unless otherwise indicated by rule or statute, all meetings, deliberations, actions, issuance of advisory opinions, debates, recommendations, and other activities of the committee are subject to the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act (Chapter 4, Title 30).
(2) In an instance when the statutory process of amending a required disclosure form cannot adequately correct an error or omission contained in the form, persons subject to the jurisdiction of the committee may request that the committee correct the original filing electronically. All requests must be made to the committee in writing, containing the specific error or omission to be corrected and an explanation as to why the statutory amendment process is not adequate. The request is considered public and must be supported by a vote of a majority of the committee to be carried out. The committee will maintain a record of requests made and changes made for no less than five years.
(3) Notwithstanding Section 8-13-1340, a member of the House shall not, directly or indirectly, establish, finance, maintain, or control any entity including, but not limited to, a noncandidate committee that receives or makes contributions as defined in Section 8-13-1300. This rule does not apply to a candidate committee or a legislative caucus committee.
(4) The Clerk of the House shall, in consultation with the Chairman of the Ethics Committee, cause to be employed by the House of Representatives, counsel exclusively for the purpose of providing legal advice and counsel to the Ethics Committee. Counsel employed for this purpose shall not be employed by or with any office within the House of Representatives other than the office of the Clerk of the House.
4.17 The Standing Committees may order to be printed for their use such papers as shall be referred to them.
4.18 The House shall not resolve itself into Executive Session except under those circumstances permitted by the laws of this State, and then only upon a vote of two-thirds of the membership present and voting, a quorum being present. Upon resolving itself into Executive Session, the Halls of the House shall be cleared of all persons except the members of the House, the Clerk of the House and the Sergeant at Arms.
No action shall be taken which violates the Statutory Law of this State and when such action is permissible it shall only be taken upon a two-thirds vote of the membership present and voting, a quorum being present.
4.19 When a bill or resolution is reported out of a standing committee of the House of Representatives, a summary of the bill or resolution prepared by the staff of that committee, if such summary is available, may be made available to the members electronically. Each summary prepared by staff shall have the following language printed in bold capital letters at the top of the summary: 'THE BELOW CONSTITUTED SUMMARY IS PREPARED BY THE STAFF OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND IS NOT THE EXPRESSION OF THE LEGISLATION'S SPONSOR(S) OR THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. IT IS STRICTLY FOR THE INTERNAL USE AND BENEFIT OF MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED BY A COURT OF LAW AS AN EXPRESSION OF LEGISLATIVE INTENT.'
4.20 All Committees and subcommittees shall order a roll call vote, with the yeas and nays recorded in the minutes, on the questions of adopting a bill or joint resolution with a favorable report.
4.21 A special Ad Hoc committee not otherwise referenced in these rules may be created by resolution or upon order of the Speaker. The resolution or Speaker's order creating the Ad Hoc committee shall specify the subject matter of the committee, the number of members to be appointed thereto, the mode in which the committee shall be appointed, and the time of its appointment. The resolution or order may specify a reporting date for the committee, dictate the contents and subject matter of the report, and may set a termination date for the committee's duties and operations. The procedure in an Ad Hoc committee is the same in all important particulars as procedure in standing committees as set forth in these rules.
Provided, further, standing committee chairmen may, upon the order of the chairman or motion of the standing committee create a special Ad Hoc committee concerning subject matter within the standing committee's jurisdiction. Such Ad Hoc committee is restricted to the membership of the standing committee.
5.1 No notice shall be required of a member of his intention to introduce a bill or resolution. Bills and resolutions shall be referred by the Speaker of the House to the appropriate committee or committees which may then consider them at such times as the committee meets. Provided, however, the Speaker may delay referral of a bill or resolution for one statewide legislative day in order to review the legislation's subject matter content. Any matter acted upon favorably by any committee may be reported out by the committee when the House reconvenes and need not thereafter be sent to any committee but shall then be ready, upon compliance with other Rules of the House, for second reading consideration; provided, however, that bills appropriating revenue shall be referred to the Ways and Means Committee. Provided, further, that bills and resolutions creating study committees shall first be referred to the appropriate standing committee having jurisdiction of the subject matter of the bill or resolution.
The Speaker may establish procedures and dates for prefiling legislation prior to the first day of the convening or reconvening of the General Assembly. All bills received prior to the first day of the convening or reconvening of the General Assembly shall receive first reading on the first day of the session.
In those years in which all seats of the House are up for election, no bill shall be received for prefiling between the dates of adjournment sine die and the date of completion of the Organizational Session of the House.
When the House of Representatives is not in session and bills are being prefiled and assigned to committees, any member who wishes to have their name added as a sponsor of a bill may do so by notifying the Clerk of the House in writing. The Clerk shall then notify the Chairman of the committee to which the bill has been assigned and their name shall be added. If a member wishes to sponsor a bill individually then they shall so indicate on the face of the bill and no additional sponsors shall be allowed.
5.2 Every bill before presentation shall have its title endorsed; every report, its title at length; every petition, memorial, or other paper, its prayer or substance; and, in every instance, the name of the member presenting any paper shall be endorsed and the papers shall be presented by the member to the Speaker at the desk. A member may add his name to a bill or resolution or a co-sponsor of a bill or resolution may remove his name at any time prior to the bill or resolution receiving passage on second reading. The member or co-sponsor shall notify the Clerk of the House in writing of his desire to have his name added or removed from the bill or resolution. The Clerk of the House shall print the member's or co-sponsor's written notification in the House Journal. The removal or addition of a name does not apply to a bill or resolution sponsored by a committee.
And every bill or joint resolution which shall propose the amendment or repeal of any Section, Chapter, or Title of the General Statutes or of any Act of Assembly or joint resolution, shall, in its title express the subject matter of such section, chapter, title, act, or joint resolution so sought to be amended or repealed. If this is not complied with, the paper shall not be received by the Speaker and objection may be raised by any member to such improper introduction at any time prior to third reading that the bill or resolution is being considered by the House.
Every bill or joint resolution proposing to amend any section or clearly identifiable subdivision or portion of a section of any chapter of the General Statutes or of any Act of Assembly or joint resolution shall give the full text of the Section or clearly identifiable subdivision or portion of a Section as it would read with such amendment inserted therein. And if this latter clause of this rule is not complied with, the bill or joint resolution shall be amended so as to conform to this rule before it be considered by the House. Any member may require such amendment at any time a bill or resolution not in conformance herewith is being considered by the House.
5.3 General Appropriations Bill and Supplemental Appropriations Bill
A. Certificate: Every General Appropriations Bill and Supplemental Appropriations Bill for the ordinary expenses of State Government before presentation shall have attached thereto a certificate from the Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Office stating that the total of the appropriations therein provided for is not in excess of the estimated total revenue of the State for such purposes, including that revenue which may be provided for in the bill, or in any other bill previously passed by the House for the fiscal year to which the bill is applicable, and an Appropriations Bill without such certificate shall not be read the first time in the House, but shall be returned to the Committee on Ways and Means by the Speaker. After passage on second reading and before its consideration on third reading, every General Appropriations Bill, and every Supplemental Appropriations Bill shall have attached thereto a certificate from the Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Office that the total of the appropriations therein provided is not in excess of the estimated total revenue of the State for such purposes, including that revenue which may be provided in the bill, or in any other bill previously passed by the House for the fiscal year to which the bill is applicable, and if the Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Office cannot give such certificate, the Speaker shall order the bill recommitted to the Ways and Means Committee.
B. Germaneness and Amendments: The General Appropriations Bill and Supplemental Appropriations Bills may include both temporary and permanent provisions of law.
1. The principal effect of all temporary provisions of law and amendments thereto must be directly germane to the appropriation of funds, affecting revenue, or be rules, regulations, directives, or procedures relative to the appropriation of funds or affecting revenue for the fiscal year referred to in the bill.
2. The principal effect of all permanent provisions of law and amendments thereto must be directly related to and expressly germane to the purpose of an appropriation being made or revenue provided and require a vote of three fifths of the House members present and voting.
3. An amendment which has the effect of appropriating or reducing funds in excess of one million dollars during the fiscal year stated within the bill shall include within the amendment the corresponding appropriation reduction(s) and/or revenue increase(s) within the same section that shall fully fund the amendment's proposed appropriation(s) or revenue reductions(s) or have attached to it in writing an explanation of the specific appropriation reduction(s) and/or revenue increase(s) from the different section(s) that shall fully fund the amendment's proposed appropriation(s) or revenue reductions. Provided, if an amendment identifies unspent projected revenue or balance as the funding source, the Speaker must consult with the Office of Revenue and Fiscal Affairs and confirm the existence of sufficient unspent revenue or balance before the House may consider the amendment.
4. No amendments thereto may temporarily or permanently add, amend, repeal, or alter a portion of the general permanent tax laws of South Carolina.
5. Nothing in this paragraph prohibits the temporary suspension of any permanent law.
The provisions of this paragraph shall be narrowly and strictly construed with regard to all provisions of and amendments to the General Appropriations Bill and Supplemental Appropriations Bills.
C. Report of Conference of Committee:
1. The following requirement applies to the report of the Conference Committee on the Annual Appropriations Bill: Any provision offered for inclusion in the Annual Appropriations Bill which increases or decreases the most recent official projection of general fund revenues of the Board of Economic Advisors may not be included in the bill or recommendation unless the revenue impact is certified by the Board of Economic Advisors. Changes to the official general fund revenue estimate as a result of such provisions may not exceed amounts certified by the Board of Economic Advisors. This requirement is in addition to other provisions of law regarding fiscal impact statements.
2. Any part, section, or division of a conference report concerning the General Appropriations Bill or Supplemental Appropriations Bills must comply with the germaneness requirements of this rule. Provided, further, any part, section, or division of a conference report concerning the General Appropriations Bill or Supplemental Appropriations Bills which amends, adds, or repeals a portion of the general permanent laws of South Carolina may only be included in any conference report or concurred in as a Senate amendment by a vote of three-fifths of the House members present and voting.
D. Format of Appropriations Bill: All State Appropriations Bills must be printed at the following stages in their passage so that:
1. The House Ways and Means Committee version of the Appropriations Bill must include the amounts recommended by the Ways and Means Committee.
2. The House version of the Appropriations Bill must include the amounts recommended by the Ways and Means Committee and the amounts passed by the House.
3. The Report of Conference or Free Conference Committee must include the amounts passed by the House, the amounts passed by the Senate, and the amounts agreed upon by the Conference Committee.
4. The Appropriations Act must include total funds approved for the next fiscal year and a listing of appropriations from the General Fund.
5. Provided, further, that:
a. the full salary of the principal officer of each department, agency, or institution shall be set forth as an item distinct and apart;
b. minor budget classifications or other descriptive terminology may be used when necessary to better express the purpose of the appropriation;
c. where the major portion of the operating funds to any department, institution, or principal operational division thereof is derived from Federal or other nonappropriated funds, the total appropriation for each major budget classification may be shown, and the relative contributions of State and nonappropriated funds therefor shall be shown as completely as possible; and
d. the appropriations must be in conformity with the program budget format as adopted by the Ways and Means Committee.
E. Any bill or resolution considered by the House of Representatives, upon second reading, that raises revenue must conform to the provisions of Article III, Section 15 of the South Carolina Constitution.
F. Earmark Projects and Programs: For purposes of this section:
1. 'Appropriations bill' means the annual general appropriations bill, a supplemental appropriations bill, the joint resolution appropriating revenues of the capital reserve fund, a bill appropriating contingency reserve fund revenues, bond bills, or any other bill appropriating state revenues while under consideration by the House Ways and Means Committee or Senate Finance Committee or any subcommittee of it and any free conference committee on an appropriations bill. For purposes of this definition, a bill includes a joint resolution.
2. 'Earmark project or program' means an appropriation for a specific program or project not originating with a written agency budget request, executive budget recommendation, or not included in an appropriations act from the prior fiscal year.
3. Each request for an earmark project or program included in an appropriations bill must be memorialized in writing on a form designed by the chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee. The form must include the member's name who requested the earmark project or program, an explanation of the earmark project or program requested, and such other information as the form may require. The form must be filed with the House Ways and Means Committee.
4. Each request for an earmark project or program included in the House Ways and Means Committee version of an appropriations bill must be listed on a separate document prepared by the appropriate committee and placed on the members' desks before beginning debate of the appropriations bill on second reading. The document must include the members' name requesting the earmark project or program, a brief description of the earmark project or program request, and such other information as the form may require and must be posted on the General Assembly's website.
5. An earmark project or program request made while an appropriations bill is in the Senate and is included in the report of a committee of conference must be listed on a separate document, similar to the form described in item 4., and placed on the members' desks before beginning debate of the report of the committee of conference. The chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee is charged with providing this form to the House membership.
6. An earmark project or program request made while an appropriations bill is in a committee of free conference must be listed on a separate document, similar to the form described in item 4., and placed on the members' desks before beginning debate of the report of the committee of free conference. The chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee is charged with providing this form to the House membership.
7. If the provisions of this subsection are not followed in reference to an individual earmark project or program, a two thirds vote of the membership present and voting is required to include the earmark project or program in the appropriations bill or the report of the committee of conference or free conference.
G. The Annual General Appropriations Bill must be considered section by section on second reading, and when the pending question is the adoption of an individual section, the yeas and nays must be taken by roll call and the votes on it must be recorded by name in the Journal except when the House agrees to a section by unanimous consent.
5.4 No bill or amendment providing an appropriation to pay a private claim against this State or a department thereof shall be introduced or considered.
5.5 No bill or joint resolution shall be introduced as a delegation bill or resolution unless such bill or resolution relates only to local matters concerning the county which such delegation represents.
5.6 Except as provided in subsection 5.1, the first reading of the bill shall be by title only. No amendments shall then be in order and the bill shall be referred to some committee, unless the House unanimously agrees, without debate, to dispense with reference. Provided, a request to dispense with reference to committee shall not be in order unless the call of the roll of the House has been taken that day and the Speaker has determined a quorum to be present.
5.7 Upon the second reading of a bill, after all amendments and motions have been disposed of, the question shall be the passage of the bill. Upon a decision in the affirmative, the order shall be made accordingly and the bill shall take its place on the Calendar for third reading.
5.8 At the third reading of a bill, the bill shall be read by its title only.
If the bill originated in the House, the question then shall be the passage of the bill. On a bill which originated in the Senate, if no amendment has been made by the House, the question shall be the passage of the bill and in the case of an affirmative vote, the title 'Bill' shall be changed to an 'Act' and the act shall be enrolled for ratification.
If the bill has been amended in the House, the question shall be the passage of the bill, as amended, and in the event of an affirmative vote, the bill, as amended, shall be returned to the Senate.
5.9 All bills and resolutions reported by a committee shall, as a matter of course, be printed, together with the report of a committee. A bill or joint resolution shall be reprinted following its second reading, if amended by the House, reflecting the substance of the bill in its amended form. Every committee report which amends the provisions of legislation referred to such committee shall give the full text of the section or clearly identifiable subdivision or portion of a section as it would read with such amendment inserted therein. If this rule is not complied with, the committee report shall be amended so as to conform to this rule before the bill or joint resolution is considered by the House. This shall be the responsibility of the committee chairman.
5.10 No local bill or joint resolution shall receive a second reading unless its number and title shall have been printed in the House Calendar at least one day prior to such reading. Provided, that no statewide bill or joint resolution shall receive a second reading unless its number and title shall have been printed in the House Calendar at least one statewide legislative day prior to such reading unless said bill or resolution has been set for Special Order consideration as provided for by Rule 6.3(15)(b). Provided, further, no General Appropriations Bill or Supplemental Appropriations Bill for the ordinary expenses of the State Government shall receive a second reading unless printed copies of such Appropriations Bill shall have been laid on the desks of members at least three legislative days prior to second reading.
5.11 Any bill, resolution, report, or other paper which has been under consideration, may, at the Speaker's discretion, be ordered to be printed for distribution to the members.
5.12 No bill or joint resolution from the Senate shall be considered unless received by April tenth in the House. Provided, such bill or joint resolution shall be placed on the Calendar for further consideration if two-thirds of those members present and voting agree to waive the rule. Any bill or joint resolution failing to receive the required vote shall be returned to the appropriate committee. Once voted on and rejected, no further vote shall be allowed to waive this rule.
The motion to waive this rule shall not be debatable, except that the mover shall have the right to make a three-minute explanation of his motion.
The provisions of this rule shall apply only to regular sessions of the General Assembly as opposed to special sessions of the General Assembly.
The Speaker shall enforce the deadlines provided by this rule and shall not allow consideration without putting the question of waiver before the House.
5.13 Each bill effecting the expenditures of money by the State or directly affecting state revenues shall, prior to receiving second reading, have attached to it in writing such comment of the appropriate state official or office as may appear appropriate regarding the bill's effect on the finances of the State. Each committee amendment that substantially changes a bill effecting expenditures of money by the State or directly affecting state revenues, prior to the bill receiving second reading, shall have attached to the committee amendment such comment of the appropriate state official or office as may appear appropriate regarding the committee amendment's effect on the finances of the State. Provided, however, this rule shall not be invoked where the amount is shown in the bill.
Committee chairmen shall satisfy these requirements of a fiscal impact statement prior to the bill receiving second reading.
5.14 No report of a Committee on Conference or Free Conference, except on a Sine Die Resolution or local matters, shall be considered until such report has been printed in the House Journal and explained by the conferees on the floor of the House.
Provided, no report of a Committee on Conference or Free Conference concerning the General Appropriations Bills, Supplemental Appropriations Bills for the ordinary expenses of State Government, or legislation appropriating the Capital Reserve Fund, shall be considered until such report has been made available online to the public for at least twenty-four hours.
The provisions of this paragraph may be specifically dispensed with by a two thirds vote of the members present and voting of the House, a quorum being present.
5.15 The printing of any document required to be printed under the Rules of the House may specifically be dispensed with by two-thirds vote of the membership present and voting of the House, a quorum being present; provided, such vote shall be by division vote; provided, however, the printing of any bill which has not been referred to committee shall not be waived.
5.16 Should any member seek immediate consideration of any House or Concurrent Resolution, the resolution shall receive immediate consideration unless five members object. If immediate consideration of such resolution is not sought, or in the event five members do object where immediate consideration is sought, the resolution shall be referred to an appropriate committee and shall not be considered by the House until after the committee has made its report and at that time shall take its place on the Calendar. Provided, however, a House or Concurrent Resolution concerning Sine Die Adjournment under Article III, Section 21 of the South Carolina Constitution and Section 2-1-180 of the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, shall receive immediate consideration, which shall include the motion to commit or recommit.
A House or Concurrent Resolution sponsored by a committee shall receive immediate consideration if so requested by a member unless five members object, in which case it shall take its place on the Calendar without the necessity of being referred to a committee. Such resolution shall be printed in the same manner as is prescribed in Rule 5.9 for the printing of bills.
Provided, however, the Clerk shall prepare forms for House Resolutions expressing the sympathy or congratulations of the members of the House. Any member wishing to sponsor such a resolution shall forward in writing on a form prepared by the Clerk information sufficient to prepare the resolution. The Speaker shall sign the resolution on behalf of the membership. Such resolutions shall not be read to the House or printed in the Journal except upon the request of ten members. The Speaker may refer any such resolution to the Committee on Invitations and Memorial Resolutions and, in such event, the resolutions must be approved by the committee or if the committee recommends, by the House.
When the roll of the House is added by unanimous consent to a House or Concurrent Resolution, the Clerk of the House shall maintain possession of such resolution until noon on the following legislative day. A member of the House who does not wish to have his name included on a House or Concurrent Resolution when the roll of the House is added by unanimous consent may request, on a form provided by the Clerk, that his name be removed from the resolution. The Clerk shall remove the member's name from such resolution if the request is received by noon on the following legislative day. After such time, a member who was not present when the roll of the House was added by unanimous consent to a House or Concurrent Resolution, shall be permitted to add a written statement, in less than two hundred words, in the appropriate journal stating that had the member been present in the chamber, he or she would not have voted in favor of the resolution.
5.17 (A) Upon the consideration of any statewide uncontested bill or joint resolution, an objection or request for debate by five (5) members at any time prevents the consideration of the statewide bill or resolution and it then must be placed upon the statewide contested Calendar and remain on it until one (1) or more objections or requests for debate are formally withdrawn from the floor, and if there are not further objections or requests for debate entered at that time so that the total number of outstanding cumulative objections or requests for debate is less than five (5) or more, the statewide bill or resolution shall then receive immediate consideration if there is any time remaining in the applicable period for that statewide day for that bill or resolution.
(B) Upon the consideration of any local uncontested bill or joint resolution, an objection or request for debate by three (3) members at any time prevents the consideration of the local bill or resolution and it then must be placed upon the local contested Calendar and remain on it until one (1) or more objections or requests for debate are formally withdrawn from the floor, and if there are not further objections or requests for debate entered at that time so that the total number of outstanding objections or requests for debate is less than three (3), the local bill or resolution shall then receive immediate consideration if there is any time remaining in the applicable period for that day for that local bill or resolution.
5.18 If any bill or resolution shall be recommitted to a committee or referred to another committee retaining its place on the Calendar, the same may be listed on the Calendar by number only until it is returned to the floor for debate or such action as may be appropriate.
Any bill, resolution, or report upon which debate has been adjourned may be listed on the Calendar by number only until the date for consideration has been reached.
5.19 a. No member shall speak more than twice on the main question of a bill or resolution being considered for any reading and not longer than sixty minutes for the first speech nor longer than thirty minutes for the second speech, unless allowed to do so by the affirmative vote of a majority of the members present and voting. No member shall speak more than twice upon an amendment or a motion to reconsider that is debatable and then not longer than ten minutes each time. However, if the previous question has been invoked, no member may speak more than twice on a motion to reconsider that is debatable and then not longer than the amount of time remaining for debate of the underlying motion; provided, that proposed amendments announced and introduced by the Reading Clerk shall be considered prior to a member speaking on the bill. No member shall speak more than twice on Senate amendments to a House bill and not longer than sixty minutes for the first speech nor longer than thirty minutes for the second speech, unless allowed to do so by the affirmative vote of a majority of the members present and voting. The House may, however, by consent of a majority of the members present and voting suspend the operation of this rule during any debate on any particular question before the House.
Provided, each bill or joint resolution, prior to receiving second reading, must be explained for a minimum of ten minutes or until all questions from House members are addressed, whichever occurs first. The committee chairman of the committee to which a bill or joint resolution was referred, the committee chairman's designee, the sponsor(s) of the bill or joint resolution, and other members of the House may jointly explain the bill or joint resolution in order to provide the required explanation.
b. Subsection a. of this rule shall be applicable on a section-by-section basis on debate upon the General Appropriations Bill, the Supplemental Appropriations Bill, or the bond bills but shall not apply to bills on reapportionment.
c. The question of granting Free Conference Powers shall require an affirmative vote of two-thirds of the membership of the House and is not debatable. No member shall speak more than twice on the question of adoption of a Conference or Free Conference Report and not longer than sixty minutes for the first speech nor longer than thirty minutes for the second speech, unless allowed to do so by the affirmative vote of a majority of the members present and voting. When the pending question is adoption of a Conference or Free Conference Report, the yeas and nays must be taken by roll call and the votes on it must be recorded by name in the Journal. Furthermore, the question of adoption of a Conference or Free Conference Report is subject to the provisions of Rule 8.6.
5.20 Notwithstanding the provisions of any other House Rule, no House or Concurrent Resolution memorializing the Congress of the United States, the President of the United States, or any state or federal department, agency, or official shall receive immediate consideration but shall be referred to the Committee on Invitations and Memorial Resolutions and shall remain in such committee unless three members of the committee vote to report the resolution out of committee. No such resolution may be recalled from committee.
5.21 (A) A member of the House may request that a bill or joint resolution under consideration for second reading be read aloud to the chamber. Provided, further, the bill or joint resolution must be read aloud before receiving a vote on the question of second reading.
(B) The member requesting that a bill or joint resolution be read aloud may withdraw the request and shall ask to be recognized in order to withdraw the request. No other request to read the bill or joint resolution may be entertained by the House. After a bill or joint resolution has been read aloud, any additional requests to read the same bill or joint resolution are out of order.
(C) A member who requests that a bill or joint resolution be read aloud must remain seated in their assigned seat in the House chamber while the bill or joint resolution is read. If the member making the request fails or refuses to remain seated in his assigned seat, the request to have the bill or joint resolution read aloud must be considered withdrawn. The Speaker shall enforce the provisions of this subsection.
(D) The Speaker will accept no motion other than the motion to adjourn while the bill or joint resolution is being read aloud, but the adoption of a motion to adjourn does not dispense with the requirement to comply with a request to read a bill or joint resolution pursuant to this rule.
6.1 a. The House shall meet each legislative day at 12:00 Noon every Tuesday, 10:00 a.m. every Wednesday, and 10:00 a.m. every Thursday and Friday unless otherwise ordered by the House. Provided, that by motion made at any time the House by majority vote may fix the day and hour at which time the House shall next meet (not to exceed constitutional limitations) and this shall be decided without debate.
Provided, further, that during the first three weeks of the legislative session, unless a majority of the House members present object, on Wednesdays the House shall meet at 2:00 p.m. to provide time in the morning hours for committees to meet and hearings to be held.
Provided, further, that unless ordered otherwise, the House shall consider only local uncontested matters and bills and resolutions that have received unanimous consent for third reading on Friday of each week.
b. The Speaker, in his sole discretion, is authorized to call the House of Representatives into statewide session for the exclusive purpose of the introduction and referral of bills and resolutions and receipt and reading of communications and committee reports and to adjourn immediately thereafter with no roll to be taken. Any such action by the Speaker shall provide the specific date of the statewide session and shall provide that the House of Representatives must convene at 10:00 a.m. and adjourn not later than 10:30 a.m. on these days. Provided, that a statewide session held pursuant to this paragraph shall not be considered in calculating the provisions of Rules 5.10 and 9.1.
6.2 All questions as to priority of business or as to the time when any matters shall be considered or ordered for consideration and as to a departure from the regular order of business shall be decided without debate.
6.3 The following order of business shall be enforced every day by the Speaker, except that Special Orders as defined in subsection 14a of this rule shall be considered at the time and place set:
1. a. prayer;
b. Pledge of Allegiance to the flag of the United States of America;
2. corrections to the Journal;
3. receipt of communications including messages from the Senate;
4. reports of committees including Conference and Free Conference;
5. first reading of House resolutions, concurrent resolutions, committee reports on resolutions, joint resolutions, and bills upon the desk;
6. call of the roll of the House;
7. a. consideration of local uncontested bills and joint resolutions on third reading;
b. consideration of local uncontested bills and joint resolutions on second reading;
8. Special introductions, recognitions, and announcements, the sum total of which may not exceed fifteen minutes with no more than eight special introductions, recognitions, or announcements, each one not exceeding ninety seconds. However, nothing contained herein limits the discretion of the Speaker to allow such special introductions, recognitions, and announcements during roll call voting as he deems appropriate;
9. a. consideration of statewide uncontested bills and joint resolutions on third reading;
b. consideration of statewide uncontested bills and joint resolutions on second reading;
10. withdrawal of objections and requests for debate;
11. consideration of pending motions to reconsider;
12. a. consideration of unanimous consent requests;
b. consideration of vetoes;
c. consideration of Senate amendments;
d. consideration of local contested bills and joint resolutions on third reading;
13. consideration of statewide contested bills and joint resolutions on third reading in the order in which they appear on the Calendar;
14. a. motion period;
b. consideration of local contested bills and joint resolutions on second reading;
15. consideration of statewide contested bills and joint resolutions on second reading in the order in which they appear on the Calendar;
a. Notwithstanding the order of business set forth in Rule 6.3 a matter may be set for Special Order for consideration on a particular day at a particular hour or at a particular place on the Calendar.
b. Special orders may be set for appropriations bills and local bills by majority vote of the House. Special orders on all other bills on the Calendar shall be set only by written resolution, which has been referred to the Rules Committee or originates therein, and agreed to by two-thirds of the members of that committee and agreed to by majority of the members of the House present after the committee has made its report; provided, however, that notwithstanding the provisions of Rule 9 governing the amendability of bills and resolutions, no amendments may be offered to any Special Order resolution, which amendments do not pertain to the bill which is the subject of the Special Order resolution, except as to the time and date called for in such resolution.
Provided, that for the purpose of explaining any Special Order resolution the time limit for opponents shall not exceed five minutes and the time limit for proponents shall not exceed five minutes.
c. A Special Order set for a certain day and hour, not being considered by the House at the hour named, shall be transferred by the Clerk of the House to the Special Orders of the following day until disposed of, in the chronological order of original appointment.
Any member may insist upon a Special Order of the Day, or other Special Orders, until it be discharged.
d. The motion period provided for the daily order of business under Rule 6.3 shall be limited to ten minutes only.
Provided, however, that time consumed by roll call votes shall not be construed as part of time allotted to said motions period.
e. Consideration of uncontested local bills and joint resolutions on third and second readings as provided in subsection 7a and b of this rule shall be limited to a total of ten minutes only. Consideration of contested local bills and joint resolutions on second and third readings as provided in subsections 12b and 14b of this rule is limited to a total of ten minutes for second reading bills and joint resolutions and ten minutes for third reading bills and joint resolutions.
f. Consideration of uncontested statewide bills and joint resolutions on third and second readings as provided in subsection 8a and b of this rule shall be limited to a total of thirty minutes only.
g. No debate shall be allowed in the uncontested period, provided, however, the Speaker may recognize a proponent and opponent of any uncontested bill or joint resolution for a brief explanation of their position.
h. Consideration of unanimous consent requests as provided for in subsection 12 of this rule shall be limited to five minutes only. No unanimous consent requests except those unanimous consent requests dealing with the pending matter may be considered at any time other than during the time provided for in subsection 12 of this rule.
6.4 A debate interrupted by a simple adjournment shall afterwards be resumed at the point of interruption as if debate had been formally adjourned. A matter interrupted by a call for the Orders of the Day shall, after the Orders have been disposed of, be resumed at the point of interruption before any other question.
6.5 Messages may be received at any time while the door is open, except while a question is being put, or a ballot, or a viva voce vote is taken. A message shall be presented to the House by the Speaker when received, or afterwards, according to its nature, and the business in which the House is engaged, or its consideration may, on motion, be ordered by the House.
6.6 In all particulars not determined by these rules, or by the laws of the Constitution of this State, or of the United States, the practice of this House shall conform to its previous usage, or be guided by parliamentary law as it may be collected from the best authorities, Mason's Manual of Legislative Procedure being the preferred parliamentary authority.
7.1 If, upon a question by acclamation, the Speaker doubts, or a division be called for, the House shall proceed with a division vote by voting on the electronic roll call board. If the electronic roll call board malfunctions, the Speaker shall proceed to call the division vote by voice vote. When division votes are made by use of the electronic roll call equipment, no individual votes shall be recorded. The Speaker shall state: 'The pending question is........ (designating the matter to be voted upon)'. The Speaker shall then unlock the voting machine and announce that voting will proceed. He shall then sound the bell. Thirty seconds after the announcement of the commencement of the vote on the board, the Speaker shall then announce that voting is closed and shall lock the machine and instruct the Clerk to tabulate the vote on the electronic roll call board. The Speaker shall then announce the result of the vote.
7.2 The House of Representatives shall take a roll call vote on second and on third reading when an amendment has been made on third reading for the following matters, whereupon the yeas and nays shall be ordered and shall be entered by name in the House Journal, the electronic roll call system shall be used, and the procedure provided for in Rule 7.3 shall be followed:
(1) adoption of a Joint Resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution of South Carolina;
(2) adoption of legislation ratifying a proposed amendment to the Constitution of South Carolina;
(3) adoption of a Bill or Joint Resolution establishing a fee or tax, raising an existing fee or tax, or reducing an existing fee or tax;
(4) adoption of the Annual General Appropriations Bill and any individual section of it pursuant to Rule 5.3G;
(5) adoption of a state or congressional reapportionment plan;
(6) adoption of a Bill or Joint Resolution directly increasing or decreasing the salary, benefits, or retirement benefits of members of the General Assembly, elected officials of the Executive Branch, or members of the Judicial Branch;
(7) adoption of a Bill or Joint Resolution amending the Ethics and Accountability Act or the Campaign Finance Act; and
(8) adoption of a Conference or Free Conference Report pursuant to Rule 5.19c.
Provided, the House of Representatives shall take a roll call vote and shall enter the yeas and nays in the House Journal for the following questions:
(1) a question for which the Constitution of South Carolina requires the yeas and nays to be recorded;
(2) an election by the General Assembly or the House of Representatives except where the election is declared by unanimous consent to be by declaration;
(3) adoption of an amendment to the Annual General Appropriations Bill where the amendment directly effects the raising or spending of revenue in the amount of ten thousand dollars or more;
(4) a question of overriding or sustaining an Act returned by the Governor with objections;
(5) a question for which ten members of the House request a roll call vote; and
(6) a question of concurrence, nonconcurrence, or adoption of amendments to bills or joint resolutions returned to the House with amendments by the Senate.
7.3 a. When the House is ready to vote upon any question requiring the yeas and nays and the vote is to be taken by the electronic roll call system, the Speaker shall state: 'The pending question is...... (designating the matter to be voted upon)'. The Speaker shall then unlock the voting machine and announce: 'Roll call vote. Voting on the board'. He shall then sound the bell. Once the voting has begun, it shall not be interrupted, except for the purpose of questioning the validity of a member's vote before the result is announced.
b. Two minutes after the bell has been sounded, the Speaker shall ask the question: 'Have all members present voted?' After a pause, the Speaker shall then lock the machine and instruct the Clerk to tabulate the vote on the electronic roll call board. The Speaker shall then announce the result of the vote.
c. After the voting machine is locked, no member may change his vote and the votes of tardy members shall not be counted.
d. Subject to the provisions of Rule 2.10, the vote as electronically recorded on the roll of members shall not in any manner be altered or changed by any person.
e. No member shall vote for another member, nor shall any person not a member vote for a member. Any member who shall vote or attempt to vote for another member or a person not a member who shall vote or attempt to vote for a member may be punished in such manner as the House determines.
f. Any member or other person who wilfully tampers with or attempts to disarrange, deface, impair, or destroy in any manner whatsoever the electronic voting equipment or who destroys or changes the record of votes thereon shall be punished in such manner as the House determines.
Provided, however, the minimum penalty for violation of Rule 7.3 shall be a public reprimand.
g. The Speaker Pro Tempore or a member who has been appointed by the Speaker to preside may designate another member to cast his vote on any question while he is presiding in accordance with his instructions from the Chair.
h. A member recorded as voting while absent from the Chamber shall present to the presiding officer an affidavit attesting to this fact. Any member may also report to the presiding officer his knowledge that another member was recorded as voting while absent from the Chamber. If the affidavit of the member whose vote is in question is presented within forty-eight hours of the vote, the presiding officer shall adjust the vote totals to reflect the affidavit and order action on the question in accordance with the adjusted vote total. If the member filing the affidavit or any other member has knowledge of the identity of the person who voted for him while absent, he shall present this information to the presiding officer who shall refer it to the Ethics Committee for consideration of any recommendation of punishment in accordance with this rule.
i. Each member shall be issued one electronic card by the Sergeant at Arms to activate the voting console on his desk to operate the electronic voting system. That card may not be duplicated by the member nor may a duplicate be issued to a member. The card must not be left in the voting console at any time while the member is not within the outer doors of the Chamber. If a member loses his card, a replacement will be issued by the Sergeant at Arms at the member's expense. If a member is temporarily without his card while the House is in session, the Sergeant at Arms will provide a temporary card to that member at the member's request for that day only and that card may not be removed from the House Chamber.
7.4 If the electronic roll call machine is declared by the Speaker of the House to be inoperative, the 'Yeas' and 'Nays' shall be taken by the Reading Clerk calling each member's name in alphabetical order and each member responding by answering simply: 'Yea' or 'Nay'. Each member who may be in the House when called may give his vote.
Provided, further, that when the electronic roll call system is being used to record votes, the doors shall not be closed and members shall be permitted to vote as provided in Rule 7.3.
7.5 No member shall, under any circumstances, be permitted to vote after a decision shall have been announced by the Chair. After the decision of the question, a member absent may be permitted to record the vote he would have given if present, but such vote shall not affect the previous question.
7.6 No member shall be permitted to explain his vote during a roll call, but may reduce his explanation to writing, in not more than 200 words, and upon filing said explanation with the Clerk, it shall be entered in the Journal.
7.7 When the pending question is the passage of any bill or resolution on the contested Calendar on second reading, the yeas and nays shall be taken by roll call and the votes thereon shall be recorded in the Journal.
7.8 A member of the House of Representatives may give his proxy to vote on matters before the full body to another member of the House of Representatives if that member is deployed by military order for federal military duty or state national guard duty to a combat zone for a period of more than twenty-one days during a legislative session. However, the member holding the proxy may not cast a vote for the deployed member unless the deployed member has specifically provided the voting member with written voting instructions, including, but not limited to, instruction transmitted by facsimile or electronic mail, with regard to the deployed member's position on the issue. The proxy on a particular question may be used upon unanimous consent of the members of the House present and voting provided the proxy vote does not change the outcome of the question.
8.1 No motion shall be debated until it shall have been stated by the Speaker. Any motion, if requested by the Speaker, must be reduced to writing and delivered at the desk and read, before it shall be debated.
8.2 The mover may withdraw any question or proposition before an amendment or decision, except after a demand for the yeas and nays and except after the previous question has been ordered.
8.3 No dilatory motion or amendment shall be entertained by the Speaker, prior precedents to the contrary notwithstanding.
8.4 A question before the House shall be suspended by:
1. a message;
2. a report or resolution of the Committees on Rules, Conference, Free Conference, or Invitations;
3. a question of order;
4. a question of privilege;
5. a question of taking recess;
6. any other incidental questions, such as of reading papers, dividing a question, withdrawing a motion, excusing a member from voting, or the like. Provided, further, the five first named may suspend even a speech; provided, that the fifth, if once negatived, shall not be received during the same speech without the consent of the member speaking.
8.5 When a question is under debate only those motions herein below shall be received and notwithstanding the provisions of any other rule, none of such motions except the motion to adjourn or recede, a motion to continue, or a motion for the previous question shall be considered until the conclusion of such debate. Such motions shall require a simple majority vote unless otherwise specified herein:
1. to adjourn or recede;
2. to continue;
3. to lay on the table;
4. for the previous question (fifty percent of those present and voting, a quorum being present, plus five when a member has the floor at the time the motion is made);
5. to adjourn the debate to a certain day;
6. to commit or recommit.
These motions shall have precedence in the order in which they are hereinabove arranged.
Provided, a motion to reconsider shall be received and noted while a speech is being made but notwithstanding the provisions of Rule 8.14, shall be considered immediately after disposal of the pending matter or pursuant to Rule 6.3(11), whichever shall come first.
8.6 The previous question upon any matter may be invoked as follows:
Upon an affirmative vote on a motion for the previous question (fifty percent of those present and voting, a quorum being present, plus five, being required to interrupt debate and a simple majority vote at all other times), the amendments then upon the desk shall be considered, but no further amendments shall be allowed to be offered unless the amendment has at least two-thirds of the membership of the House as its sponsor. The proponents of an amendment shall be allowed an opportunity to make a short explanation of his amendment for a period not to exceed three minutes, then opponents to the amendment shall be permitted not more than three minutes to oppose the proposed amendment. Then two hours of debate shall be allowed on the bill, the time being equally divided between opponents and proponents with no person to speak more than ten minutes. Provided, that after the previous question has been invoked, the primary sponsor of an amendment may withdraw it with unanimous consent without making a motion to table it.
Provided, the previous question may be invoked on a motion to reconsider only when the matter to be reconsidered is debatable.
Provided, a motion to adjourn debate shall be in order even though the previous question has been invoked.
Provided, further, any member who has been recognized by the Speaker and is speaking from the podium, is considered to be debating the issue and a call for the previous question, whether by the member or any other member, requires the necessary fifty percent of those present and voting plus five.
8.7 A motion to recess may state the time for reconvening and in the absence of such time stated, reconvening shall be at the call of the Chair. The Speaker may at anytime order the House to stand at ease to be reconvened at the call of the Chair.
8.8 (Reserved)
8.9 When a motion is made during a motion period, the Speaker shall entertain but one motion at a time and there shall be no substitute motions considered. The same motion may be entertained consecutively during the motion period.
8.10 Any member may without debate, call for the division of a question and the House may divide the question if the Speaker determines the question so distinct that, one being taken away, the rest may stand entirely on its own. Provided, however, that a bill may not be divided into separate parts.
8.11 a. The following motions shall be decided by simple majority unless otherwise specified and without debate after any short remarks the Speaker permits:
to adjourn;
to recede;
to continue;
to lay on the table;
for the previous question (unless it is made when a member
has the floor and then it requires a majority plus five);
to adjourn debate;
to commit or recommit;
to resolve the House into a Committee of the Whole;
to proceed to the orders of the day;
to recur to the morning hour;
to fix the hour to which the House shall next meet;
to grant free conference powers;
to divide the question.
b. The following motions shall not be permitted at the same stage of the bill or proposition until one hour of time has elapsed since the same question was negatived:
for the previous question;
to lay on the table;
to adjourn debate;
to continue;
to commit or recommit;
to recur to the morning hour.
8.12 Motions to adjourn, to recede, and to recede subject to the call of the Chair, shall always be in order except while the House is actually engaged in deciding a question by yeas and nays or in voting viva voce or in balloting. However, if a motion to adjourn or to take a recess has been negatived, no new motion to adjourn or take a recess shall be in order until fifteen minutes shall have elapsed from the decision of the former motion, even though such motion to recede might be to recede to a different time.
8.13 (Reserved)
8.14 When a question shall have been once decided in the affirmative or negative, any member who voted with the prevailing side may on the same day or the next day of the sitting of the House move for a reconsideration thereof and the House, if in session for statewide matters, shall immediately have the question of reconsideration before it. If the House is not in session for statewide matters or have before it a matter under Special Order, it shall have the question of reconsideration before it as provided in Rule 6.3. Provided, that, if the motion to reconsider concerns an amendment to the matter under Special Order, the House shall immediately have the question of reconsideration before it. If the House shall refuse to reconsider, or, upon reconsideration, shall affirm its first decision, no further motion shall be in order except by unanimous consent; provided, that once a motion to reconsider is made it may not be withdrawn except in the same day in which it was made.
Provided, that a motion to reconsider shall not be allowed if the bill, resolution, message, report, amendment, motion, or the paper upon which the vote was taken shall have gone out of the possession of the House.
A motion to reconsider may be laid on the table. If such motion be laid on the table, it shall be deemed a final disposition of the motion.
8.15 A member may move to continue a matter when called on the Calendar to the next session, but not to a specific date in the next session; and if the House agrees thereto, the matter shall be thereupon continued to the next session, and the Clerk of the House shall make up a Calendar of all the matters so continued, placing the same thereupon, in the order in which they have been continued. At the ensuing session the continued matters shall be taken up and considered in the same stage in which they were when so continued and shall have priority according to the last order for consideration made upon them.
If a motion to continue, having received an affirmative vote, shall be reconsidered and thereupon such motion to continue shall receive a negative vote, the matter shall be taken up in its original place on the Calendar.
9.1 A bill which originated in the House, or which, having originated in the Senate and having been amended by the House, shall be returned from the Senate with amendments, such bill as amended shall be printed, placed on the House Calendar, and shall not be considered until its number and title shall have been printed in the House Calendar for at least one statewide day prior to such reading. Provided, however, that this requirement shall not apply to local bills; nor shall this requirement apply to bills returned from the Senate with amendments during any extension of the session under Section 2-1-180 of the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, or to bills returned from the Senate with amendments during an extra session pursuant to Article IV, Section 19 of the South Carolina Constitution.
The General Appropriations Bill, Supplemental Appropriations Bill for the ordinary expenses of State Government, and legislation appropriating the Capital Reserve Fund, having been returned from the Senate with amendments, shall not be considered until:
(1) their number and title shall have been printed in the House Calendar; and
(2) their contents, as amended, have been made available online to the public for at least forty-eight hours.
The consideration of amendments shall have precedence over a motion to either concur or nonconcur in the Senate amendments. Once the matter is amended and all pending amendments are considered, then said bill is returned to the Senate for consideration.
If no amendments have been adopted by the House then the question shall be: 'Will the House agree to the Senate amendment?' A decision in the negative shall be a rejection. Upon a decision in the affirmative, the title of the bill shall be changed to an act an ordered to be enrolled.
9.2 At the third reading of a bill, no amendment shall be permitted without unanimous consent, except that the Chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means may (if he shall have given notice at the second reading of his intention to offer amendments at the third) be permitted to offer amendments to any appropriations bill, as may be pertinent to the bill. The chairman of any committee may (if he has given notice at the second reading of his intention to offer amendments at the third) be permitted to offer technical amendments to any bill which has been reported from his committee; and
Provided, that the House may, in its discretion, commit or recommit any bill at its third reading and after the report of the committee any amendment which it shall recommend may be adopted.
9.3 No motion or proposition on a subject different from that under consideration shall be admitted under color of amendment unless it refers to the intent of the motion or proposition under consideration. Provided, further, that nothing shall prevent the adoption of an amendment which rewrites the bill in its entirety if the bill as rewritten remains germane to the original title of the bill. Provided, further, that in determining whether or not any amendment be germane, the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall be guided by precedents of the House of Representatives to the extent available.
9.4 A proposed amendment shall be in order regardless of the number of changes proposed therein to the matter under debate, provided such amendment is otherwise in order. Proposed amendments must be typewritten and in the proper format for the computer system except as allowed by the Speaker at his discretion.
9.5 Proposed amendments to any matter before the House shall be initially considered in the order in which received.
9.6 Proposed amendments to local bills may not impact, affect, or reference any portion of a county other than the county originally referenced in the local bill.
10.1 Only the following persons shall be admitted within the House Chamber during a session of the House unless otherwise authorized by House Resolution.
The present and former members and officers and present employees of the House of Representatives; the members of the Press as designated by the Speaker of the House of Representatives; the Governor; the Lieutenant Governor; each statewide constitutional officer; the present members, officers, and employees of the Senate; the present employees of the Legislative Council; dignitaries and the family of members designated by the Speaker, employees of the respective legislative delegations; the employees of legislative caucuses, and such persons as may be invited by resolution of the House; provided, however, that employees of legislative caucuses, legislative delegations, the Senate, state agencies, and other branches of state government that are authorized admittance must remain behind the rail in the back of the Chamber at all times when the House is in session; provided, no seat in the House shall be occupied by anyone except the members thereof. No lobbyist, including former members registered as lobbyists, shall be admitted within the Hall without special leave of the House. No former member seeking personal favors nor any former member who has filed as a candidate or is a candidate for a position which is elected by the General Assembly shall be admitted within the outer doors of the Chamber without special leave of the House. Provided, that no member of the Press may conduct interviews within the House Chamber while the House is in session.
Provided, that notwithstanding other provisions of this rule, access within the outer doors of the Chamber is denied to any former House member who has been convicted of a crime, the conviction of which would impose a maximum penalty of imprisonment of one year or more. This paragraph does not apply to a former House member who is re-elected to either House of the General Assembly after the conviction of the crime referred to in this paragraph.
10.2 Whenever the pronoun 'he' appears in any rule, it shall be deemed to designate either masculine or feminine. The words 'person' and 'party' and any other word importing the singular number used in any bill or resolution shall be held to include the plural and to include firms, companies, associations, and corporations and all words in the plural shall apply also to the singular in all cases in which the spirit and intent of the bill or resolution may require it. All words in a bill or resolution importing the masculine gender shall apply to females also and words in the feminine gender shall apply to males. And all words importing the present tense shall apply to the future also.
10.3 Definitions of measures:
1. 'Resolutions' This term includes:
a. 'House Resolution' which affects only the action of the House and the members thereof. It requires only one reading for adoption, and shall not be submitted to the Senate.
b. 'Concurrent Resolution' which affects only the action of the General Assembly and the members thereof. It requires only one reading in each House for adoption.
c. 'Joint Resolution' which shall have the same force of law as an act, but is a temporary measure, dying when its subject matter is completed. It requires the same treatment as a bill does in its passage through both Houses, but its title after passage shall not be changed to that of an act; and when used to propose an amendment to the Constitution it does not require the approval of the Governor.
2. 'Bill' A bill is the term applied to a measure introduced in either House designed to become a permanent law (or an 'act').
It must be read and adopted three times on three separate days in each House, following which its title is changed to that of an act.
3. 'Act' An act is the term applied to a bill that has passed both Houses, been ratified by the presiding officer of each House and signed by the Governor or passed over his veto. It is a permanent measure, having the force of law until repealed.
4. 'Veto' The term used for disapproval of a bill or joint resolution by the Governor. It may be overridden by a two-thirds vote of the members present and voting with at least two-thirds of a quorum voting to override. This requirement is set forth in Article IV, Section 21, of the South Carolina Constitution and defined by the decisions of the South Carolina Supreme Court.
10.4 The House shall not accept any invitations to attend functions (social or otherwise) which are to be held at a club or organization which does not admit as members persons of all races, religions, colors, sexes, or national origins. All invitations received shall be referred to the Committee on Invitations and Memorial Resolutions and the five House members on the Committee on Invitations and Memorial Resolutions shall have the duty of recommending to the House which invitations should be accepted.
10.5 Each member of the House shall be entitled to appoint one individual as a House page to perform such duties as determined by the Speaker. The provisions of this rule shall be contingent upon the General Assembly providing for at least one hundred twenty - four House pages in the annual General Appropriations Act for the fiscal year during which such session shall take place. Any additional House pages authorized shall be appointed by the Speaker in his sole discretion.
10.6 Laptop computers located in the House Chamber may not be removed from the Chamber.
10.7 No smoking or use of tobacco products is permitted in any area under the exclusive control of the House of Representatives unless the area is otherwise designated a 'smoking area' by the Speaker. Smoking for purposes of this rule includes carrying a lighted cigar, cigarette, pipe, or any other lighted smoking equipment. Provided, further, that the consumption of food is not permitted within the House Chamber.
10.8 (Reserved)
10.9 House Resolutions granting the privilege of admittance to the House Chamber to persons not otherwise granted the privilege pursuant to House Rule 10.1 are limited to the following conditions:
(a) The privilege of admittance to the House Chamber is limited to school teams or school groups that have won state or national championships or received statewide or national awards. Individual persons are not granted the privilege of admittance to the House Chamber.
(b) School teams or groups may be scheduled for the privilege of admittance to the House Chamber only on Wednesdays and Thursdays that the House is in session, and no more than two teams or groups may be scheduled in one day. Provided, further, that no school teams or groups may be granted the privilege of admittance to the House Chamber during the last week of the regularly scheduled legislative session.
(c) The House member wishing for the qualified school team or group to have privilege of admittance to the House Chamber shall introduce a House Resolution granting the privilege on a 'date and time to be determined by the Speaker of the House'. The House of Representatives shall adopt the resolution in order for the team or group to be granted the privilege. Provided, the school team or group's list of members, coaches, mascot, and other appropriate school officials must be listed on the House Calendar for the day in which they are granted the privilege of admittance to the House Chamber. The House member sponsoring the resolution shall provide the appropriate information to the Clerk five days in advance of the school team or group scheduled admittance to the House Chamber.
(d) All other teams, groups, or individuals not otherwise allowed the privilege of admittance to the House Chamber may be recognized in the balcony of the House Chamber at a 'time determined by the Speaker of the House'. Provided, no presentation either within the House Chamber or in the balcony may exceed five minutes, and no one, other than a House member, may speak or make remarks during a presentation.
10.10 The use of audible pagers, cell phones, and any other personal communication device by any person is prohibited in the House Chamber when the House is in session and when the General Assembly is meeting in Joint Session. The use of these devices by any person is also prohibited in House committee meetings and subcommittee meetings. These devices must be turned off, or placed in a silent mode, such as vibrate, prior to being carried into the House Chamber, committee meetings, or subcommittee meetings. Should a device which has been placed in a silent mode activate in the Chamber, a committee meeting, or subcommittee meeting the person possessing the device must exit the Chamber, committee room, or subcommittee room prior to responding in any fashion.
10.11 The Clerk's office shall establish procedures for providing House members with certificates commemorating birthdays, anniversaries, retirements, achievements, awards, etc. as needed. House members shall request certificates in writing and provide the Clerk's office with the information necessary to complete the certificates.
The Clerk's office also shall establish procedures whereby members may have House certificates and House and Concurrent Resolutions framed at local businesses providing framing services within the Columbia area during the legislative session. House members are responsible for paying for all framing services within a timely manner.
The Clerk's office shall establish procedures whereby staff shall deliver framing requests to local businesses no more than one time each legislative day. Provided, further, the Clerk's office shall establish procedures whereby staff shall pickup framing requests from local businesses no more than one time each legislative day. Framing requests will not be delivered or picked up on nonlegislative days. All framing requests, upon their completion and pickup, must be delivered to the House member on the State House complex. House staff may not deliver framing requests to members outside the State House complex.
10.12 The Speaker shall establish procedures for the hiring of staff for the House of Representatives. The procedures must provide that a list of the most qualified applicants shall be submitted to the appropriate supervisory authority for consideration. The appropriate supervisory authority shall select an applicant from the list. If the appropriate authority determines no applicant to be acceptable the application process will reopen and a new list of most qualified applicants shall be submitted to the appropriate supervisory authority. The appropriate supervisory authority's selected applicant then must be submitted to the Speaker of the House for final appointment as a member of the staff of the House of Representatives.
For purposes of this rule the Speaker of the House and the Speaker Pro Tempore are the supervisory authority for their respective offices. The Committee Chairmen are the supervisory authority for their respective committees, and the Sergeant at Arms is the supervisory authority for security personnel necessary for the proper performance of the Sergeant at Arms' office and security needs of the House Chamber, Solomon Blatt Building, and other areas under the Sergeant at Arms' jurisdiction. The Clerk is the appropriate supervisory authority for administrative and clerical staff of the House necessary for the proper operation of the Clerk's Office and the general administrative and clerical needs of the House.
Provided, the appropriate supervisory authority's selected applicant must be submitted to the Speaker of the House for final appointment as a member of the staff of the House of Representatives.
10.13 The Speaker shall conduct reviews of employee salaries and compensation and shall, upon consultation with the appropriate supervisory authority, set the salary and compensation of new and current employees.
10.14 (A) Gifts intended for members of the House of Representatives, whether individually or collectively as a body, may not be delivered to the chamber of the House of Representatives for distribution or placement on members' desks. A gift may be delivered to the members' offices with the presumption under penalty of perjury that the gift is not reportable on the member's Statement of Economic Interests pursuant to Section 8-13-710 of the South Carolina Code of Laws. When, however, the gift is reportable on the member's Statement of Economic Interests pursuant to Section 8-13-710, the individual or officer providing the gift must deliver correspondence to the offices of the members of the House announcing their intention to provide a gift to the members and at that time must provide a statement of value to the House Ethics Committee. A member may choose to opt in to the receipt of all or specific gifts to be delivered to the member's office by notifying the appropriate giver of the gift in writing of such desire within seven (7) days of receipt of correspondence.
(B) The Speaker of the House of Representatives shall strictly enforce the provisions of this rule.
10.15 Members, all employees of the House, and guests are expected to dress in business professional attire unless otherwise excused by the Speaker in his sole discretion. Examples of business professional attire include, but are not limited to, dress or sport coat, trousers, shirt and tie for males and dress, skirt, slacks and blouse, or suits for females.
10.16 No employee of the House shall personally interest or concern himself with the passage or consideration of any measure whatsoever. If any employee does so, it shall be grounds for summary dismissal. While within the House Chamber during session, no one may personally, or in an official or representative capacity, concern himself with the passage or consideration of any measure whatsoever, except sitting members of the General Assembly and House staff in the usual and ordinary performance of their duties as an employee of the House. The Speaker may require immediate removal from the House Chamber of any person who violates the provisions of this rule."
Renumber sections to conform. Amend title to conform.
Rep. CASKEY raised the Point of Order that Amendment No. 7 was not germane to H. 3815 (Word version).
SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE POPE cited his earlier rulings and stated that the amendment rewrote the resolution entirely and went beyond the scope of the resolution's original title. He sustained the Point of Order and ruled the amendment out of order.
Rep. PACE raised the Point of Order that H. 3815 (Word version) was out of order and in violation of House Rule 5.20. He stated that the resolution referenced officers in the House and that Rule 5.20 required such a bill to be referred to the House Committee on Invitations and Memorial Resolutions.
SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE POPE stated that the rule applied to bills "memorializing" state officials and that H. 3815 (Word version) did not memorialize anyone. He overruled the Point of Order.
Reps. HARRIS, CROMER, MAGNUSON, PACE and WHITE proposed the following Amendment No. 8 to H. 3815 (Word version) (LC-3815.AHB0009H), which was tabled:
Amend the resolution, as and if amended, by deleting item (1) in its entirety.
Amend the resolution further, by deleting item (2) and inserting:
(2) That Rule 8.9 of the Rules of the House of Representatives is amended to read:
8.9 When a motion is made during a motion period, the Speaker shall entertain but one motion at a time and there shall be no substitute motions considered. The same motion may be entertained consecutively during the motion period.
Renumber sections to conform. Amend title to conform.
Rep. PACE explained the amendment.
Rep. PACE spoke in favor of the amendment.
Rep. CASKEY moved to table the amendment.
Rep. BEACH demanded the yeas and nays which were taken, resulting as follows:
Those who voted in the affirmative are:
Anderson Bailey Bannister Bowers Bradley Brewer Brittain Bustos Calhoon Caskey Chapman Collins B. J. Cox B. L. Cox Crawford Davis Erickson Forrest Gagnon Gatch Gibson Gilliam Govan Guest Guffey Haddon Hager Hardee Hartnett Hartz Herbkersman Hewitt Hiott Hixon Holman Hosey J. E. Johnson Jordan Landing Lawson Ligon Long Lowe Martin McCravy McGinnis Mitchell T. Moore Moss Murphy Neese B. Newton W. Newton Pedalino Pope Rankin Rivers Robbins Sanders G. M. Smith M. M. Smith Taylor Vaughan Weeks Whitmire Wickensimer Willis Wooten Yow
Those who voted in the negative are:
Bauer Beach Burns Cromer Dillard Edgerton Frank Garvin Gilreath Grant Harris Henderson-Myers Huff Jones Kilmartin Kirby Luck Magnuson May McCabe J. Moore Oremus Pace Reese Rose Rutherford Spann-Wilder Terribile White Williams
So, the amendment was tabled.
Reps. CROMER, HARRIS, MAGNUSON, PACE and WHITE proposed the following Amendment No. 9 to H. 3815 (Word version) (LC-3815.AHB0014H), which was ruled out of order:
Amend the resolution, as and if amended, by deleting Rule 4.9, as contained in item (9), and inserting:
4.9 In all cases the House may resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole. The motion to resolve the House into a Committee of the Whole shall specify the subject(s) to be considered in the Committee of the Whole. In the event the House resolves itself into a Committee of the Whole, the Committee of the Whole shall limit discussion to the subject(s) specified in the motion. The Speaker shall leave the Chair after appointing a Chairman to preside, who shall, in case of disturbance or disorderly conduct, have the power to cause same to be cleared. No bill or resolution may be considered by the Committee of the Whole House, except by a two thirds vote, unless same has first been considered by the appropriate Standing Committee of the House. (Reserved.) In addition to and notwithstanding any other Rule relating to the operation of committees, the Chairman of a committee or subcommittee must be a member of the Majority Party.
Renumber sections to conform.
Amend title to conform.
Rep. CASKEY raised the Rule 9.3 Point of Order that Amendment No. 9 to H. 3815 (Word version) was not germane. He stated that the amendment attempted to introduce a separate and distinct subject to the resolution that was not included within the resolution's original subject matter.
Rep. CROMER argued contra.
SPEAKER G. M. SMITH sustained the Point of Order and stated that the amendment's effect was to try to add a subject not referenced in the original resolution.
Reps. HARRIS, CROMER, MAGNUSON, PACE and WHITE proposed the following Amendment No. 10 to H. 3815 (Word version) (LC-3815.AHB0013H), which was tabled:
Amend the resolution, as and if amended, by adding an item at the end to read:
( ) That Rule 7.2 of the Rules of the House of Representatives is amended to read:
7.2 The House of Representatives shall take a roll call vote on second and on third reading when an amendment has been made on third reading for the following matters, whereupon the yeas and nays shall be ordered and shall be entered by name in the House Journal, the electronic roll call system shall be used, and the procedure provided for in Rule 7.3 shall be followed:
(1) adoption of a Joint Resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution of South Carolina;
(2) adoption of legislation ratifying a proposed amendment to the Constitution of South Carolina;
(3) adoption of a Bill or Joint Resolution establishing a fee or tax, raising an existing fee or tax, or reducing an existing fee or tax;
(4) adoption of the Annual General Appropriations Bill and any individual section of it pursuant to Rule 5.3G;
(5) adoption of a state or congressional reapportionment plan;
(6) adoption of a Bill or Joint Resolution directly increasing or decreasing the salary, benefits, or retirement benefits of members of the General Assembly, elected officials of the Executive Branch, or members of the Judicial Branch;
(7) adoption of a Bill or Joint Resolution amending the Ethics and Accountability Act or the Campaign Finance Act; and
(8) adoption of a Conference or Free Conference Report pursuant to Rule 5.19c.
Provided, the House of Representatives shall take a roll call vote and shall enter the yeas and nays in the House Journal for the following questions:
(1) a question for which the Constitution of South Carolina requires the yeas and nays to be recorded;
(2) an election by the General Assembly or the House of Representatives except where the election is declared by unanimous consent to be by declaration. However, if the election is a judicial election, the ayes and nays must be entered in the House journal and the electronic roll system must be used regardless of whether the election is contested;
(3) adoption of an amendment to the Annual General Appropriations Bill where the amendment directly effects the raising or spending of revenue in the amount of ten thousand dollars or more;
(4) a question of overriding or sustaining an Act returned by the Governor with objections;
(5) a question for which ten members of the House request a roll call vote; and
(6) a question of concurrence, nonconcurrence, or adoption of amendments to bills or joint resolutions returned to the House with amendments by the Senate.
Renumber sections to conform.
Amend title to conform.
Rep. HARRIS moved to table the amendment, which was agreed to.
Reps. CROMER, HARRIS, MAGNUSON, PACE and WHITE proposed the following Amendment No. 11 to H. 3815 (Word version) (LC-3815.AHB0015H), which was tabled:
Amend the resolution, as and if amended, by deleting item (7) and inserting:
(7) That Rule 4.4 of the Rules of the House of Representatives is amended to read:
4.4 Committees shall meet regularly to consider pending legislation in the room assigned for their use by the Speaker or as otherwise authorized by this rule. Notice of date, time, and place of such meetings shall be posted on the legislative website and displayed in the lobby on each floor of the Solomon Blatt Building. A committee should give a minimum of twenty-four hour advance notice for all committee meetings. Provided, however, in case of necessity due to exigent circumstances, the Speaker, in his sole discretion, may waive the twenty-four hour advance notice requirements herein. Committee chairmen must notify the committee members of all meetings. Failure of notice of any meeting shall not invalidate committee action unless bad faith is shown. Committee and subcommittee meetings shall be streamed online. No committee shall meet while the House is in session without special leave by the Speaker. Provided, however, that the Committee on Rules and any committee of conference or free conference, may sit at any time and may report its message to the House at any time.
A Committee may provide, pursuant to its own rules, for the Chairmen to designate alternative meeting arrangements and procedures. Provided, however, the Chairman may only implement alternative meeting arrangements and procedures in the event that extraordinary circumstances including, but not limited to, natural disasters, severe weather, and Acts of God, render them necessary. The alternative meeting arrangements and procedures must:
(1) provide for public observation or participation as required by House Rules and the provisions of Title 30, Chapter 4 of the 1976 Code of Laws of South Carolina, as amended;
(2) provide both a video and audio component that is publicly accessible; and
(3) record the meeting, in its entirety, and make the recording available on the General Assembly website, as soon as practicable following the meeting.
No committee shall sit unless a quorum be present and all bills introduced by committees must carry the statement of the Chairman that the bill has the approval of two thirds of the membership of the committee, except that the State Appropriations Bill, the Supplemental Appropriations Bill, a Rescission Bill, and the Deficiency Appropriations Bill may be introduced by a majority vote of the Ways and Means Committee.
No committee shall introduce a bill pertaining to subject matter over which it has no jurisdiction.
Notice in writing of all committee action taken on a bill or resolution shall be given to the principal author thereof.
No statewide bill directly appropriating money shall be considered by the House until after such bill has been referred to the Ways and Means Committee, provided, however, a statewide bill which directly or by implication provides for per diem, subsistence or mileage in connection with the subject matter of the bill, but does not otherwise directly appropriate money, shall not be required to be referred to the Ways and Means Committee.
After the House sets a bill for Special Order pursuant to Rule 6.3, no point of order may be raised regarding its reference to committee, however, the House by majority vote may commit or recommit a bill or other matter under debate.
No committee action shall be taken on a bill or resolution except at a regular or called meeting, but this shall not apply to resolutions referred to the Committee on Invitations and Memorial Resolutions.
When any standing committee or subcommittee schedules a public hearing on a bill or resolution, the principal sponsor of such bill or resolution shall be notified of the time and place of such hearing not less than five calendar days prior to the hearing date.
Renumber sections to conform.
Amend title to conform.
Rep. CROMER explained the amendment.
Rep. CASKEY spoke against the amendment.
Rep. PACE spoke in favor of the amendment.
Rep. PACE moved to table the amendment, which was agreed to.
Reps. MAGNUSON, CROMER, HARRIS, PACE and WHITE proposed the following Amendment No. 12 to H. 3815 (Word version) (LC-3815.AHB0017H), which was tabled:
Amend the resolution, as and if amended, by deleting item (1) and inserting:
(1) That Rule 6.3 14. And 15. of the Rules of the House of Representatives is amended to read:
14. a. motion period;
b. consideration of local contested bills and joint resolutions on second reading;
15. consideration of statewide contested bills and joint resolutions on second reading in the order in which they appear on the Calendar;
a. Notwithstanding the order of business set forth in Rule 6.3 a matter may be set for Special Order for consideration on a particular day at a particular hour or at a particular place on the Calendar.
b. Special orders may be set for appropriations bills and local bills by majority vote of the House. Special orders on all other bills on the Calendar shall be set only by written resolution, which has been referred to the Rules Committee or originates therein, and agreed to by two-thirds of the members of that committee and agreed to by majority of the members of the House present after the committee has made its report; provided, however, that notwithstanding the provisions of Rule 9 governing the amendability of bills and resolutions, no amendments may be offered to any Special Order resolution, which amendments do not pertain to the bill which is the subject of the Special Order resolution, except as to the time and date called for in such resolution.
Provided, that for the purpose of explaining any Special Order resolution the time limit for opponents shall not exceed five minutes and the time limit for proponents shall not exceed five minutes.
c. A Special Order set for a certain day and hour, not being considered by the House at the hour named, shall be transferred by the Clerk of the House to the Special Orders of the following day until disposed of, in the chronological order of original appointment.
Any member may insist upon a Special Order of the Day, or other Special Orders, until it be discharged.
d. The motion period provided for the daily order of business under Rule 6.3 shall be limited to ten minutes only.
Provided, however, that time consumed by roll call votes shall not be construed as part of time allotted to said motions period. (Reserved.) The only motion that may be made during the motion period is a motion to require a public committee hearing on a particular piece of legislation.
e. Consideration of uncontested local bills and joint resolutions on third and second readings as provided in subsection 7a and b of this rule shall be limited to a total of ten minutes only. Consideration of contested local bills and joint resolutions on second and third readings as provided in subsections 12b and 14b of this rule is limited to a total of ten minutes for second reading bills and joint resolutions and ten minutes for third reading bills and joint resolutions.
f. Consideration of uncontested statewide bills and joint resolutions on third and second readings as provided in subsection 8a and b of this rule shall be limited to a total of thirty minutes only.
g. No debate shall be allowed in the uncontested period, provided, however, the Speaker may recognize a proponent and opponent of any uncontested bill or joint resolution for a brief explanation of their position.
h. Consideration of unanimous consent requests as provided for in subsection 12 of this rule shall be limited to five minutes only. No unanimous consent requests except those unanimous consent requests dealing with the pending matter may be considered at any time other than during the time provided for in subsection 12 of this rule.
Renumber sections to conform. Amend title to conform.
Rep. MAGNUSON explained the amendment.
Rep. CASKEY moved to table the amendment.
Rep. MAY demanded the yeas and nays which were taken, resulting as follows:
Those who voted in the affirmative are:
Bailey Bannister Bowers Bradley Brewer Brittain Bustos Calhoon Caskey Chapman Collins B. J. Cox B. L. Cox Crawford Davis Erickson Forrest Gagnon Gatch Gibson Gilliam Guest Guffey Haddon Hager Hardee Hartz Hewitt Hiott Hixon Holman Hosey J. E. Johnson Jordan Landing Lawson Ligon Long Lowe Martin McGinnis Mitchell T. Moore Moss Murphy Neese B. Newton W. Newton Oremus Pedalino Pope Rankin Robbins Sanders G. M. Smith M. M. Smith Taylor Teeple Vaughan Whitmire Wickensimer Willis Wooten Yow
Those who voted in the negative are:
Bamberg Bauer Beach Burns Cromer Duncan Edgerton Frank Gilreath Govan Grant Harris Henderson-Myers Huff J. L. Johnson Jones Kilmartin Kirby Luck Magnuson May McCabe McDaniel Pace Reese Rivers Rose Rutherford Spann-Wilder Terribile Weeks Wetmore White Williams
So, the amendment was tabled.
Rep. JORDAN moved that the House recede until 6:45 p.m., which was agreed to.
The SPEAKER granted Rep. MAY a leave of absence for the remainder of the day due to family medical leave.
The SPEAKER granted Rep. WHITE a leave of absence for the remainder of the day due to medical reasons.
The SPEAKER granted Rep. STAVRINAKIS a leave of absence for the remainder of the day.
The SPEAKER granted Rep. MCCABE a leave of absence for the remainder of the day.
Further proceedings were interrupted by the House receding, the pending question being consideration of the Resolution.
At 7:00 p.m. the Senate appeared in the Hall of the House. The President of the Senate called the Joint Assembly to order and announced that it had convened under the terms of a Concurrent Resolution adopted by both Houses.
H. 3660 (Word version) -- Rep. G.M. Smith: A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION INVITING HIS EXCELLENCY, HENRY DARGAN MCMASTER, GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA, TO ADDRESS THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY IN JOINT SESSION AT 7:00 P.M. ON WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2025, IN THE CHAMBER OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
Governor Henry McMaster and distinguished party were escorted to the rostrum by Senators Peeler, Grooms, Sabb, Devine and Leber and REPRESENTATIVES CRAWFORD, GOVAN, GRANT, HIOTT and TEEPLE. The President of the Senate introduced Governor McMaster, who then addressed the Joint Assembly as follows:
Mr. Speaker, Mr. President, ladies and gentlemen of the General Assembly, my fellow South Carolinians:
We are here tonight to address successes, challenges, and opportunities.
But first, as in prior years, I'd like to recognize those in uniform whom we lost in the line of duty in 2024.
Firefighter Michael Douglas Vinson of the Laurens County Fire Department and the Clinton Fire Department,
Officer First Class Mark Reynolds of the South Carolina State Transport Police,
Chief Chad Satcher of the Circle Fire Department,
Firefighter Landon Cale Bodie of the Circle Fire Department,
K-9 Agent Coba with the State Law Enforcement Division,
K-9 Deputy Mikka with the Lee County Sheriff's Office,
K-9 Deputy Bumi with the Richland County Sheriff's Department,
K-9 Deputy Kodak with the Richland County Sheriff's Department, and
K-9 Deputy Wick with the Richland County Sheriff's Department.
To the families and loved ones of these brave South Carolinians, we offer our condolences. We are eternally grateful for their service.
I am delighted to have with us once again tonight our First Lady, my bride Peggy, our son Henry Jr., and his wife Virginia and our two-year old granddaughter, Margot Gray. Our daughter Mary Rogers, her husband Sam Herskovitz, and our two-and-a-half-year-old grandson, James Dargan and four-month-old granddaughter, Lucille DuBose, could not be with us tonight but are watching on TV. Please stand and be recognized.
Also, our Lieutenant Governor Pamela Evette and her husband David are here tonight and our state constitutional officeholders. Please stand and be recognized.
Finally, will the members of the best cabinet in the Nation please stand and be recognized. Thank you all.
Being selected by the people who know you best to serve as governor is among the highest of honors. I thank you.
South Carolina consists of about 20 million acres, with a half a million covered by water - today. About 2.3 million acres are "developed," and about 3.1 million are "protected." We have over 22,000 farms, over 8 million acres of forest land and over 5.3 million people - of which over almost 860,000 are K-12 students - over 188,000 businesses, a major port, a temperate climate, mostly nuclear power, and occasional hurricanes. How are we doing? We have some decisions to make.
South Carolina's booming economy has once again created a large budget surplus, this year totaling over $1.8 billion in unexpected revenue. So, it was no surprise that 2024 was once again a successful year for economic growth and investment.
In fact, 2024 was the third best in state history with $8.2 billion in capital investment and 5,500 new jobs announced. This followed the second-best year in 2023, and the best year in 2022.
Because of our unmatched workforce and business-friendly policies, companies already located in South Carolina reinvested in our state with over $5.3 billion in announced capital investment through expansion projects in 2024.
The top three leading industries by capital investment in 2024 were Information Technology with $4.1 billion, Automotive with $1.3 billion and Aerospace and Aviation with $1 billion. Domestic companies made up 67% of 2024 capital investment, while international companies made up 33%.
Since 2017, we have announced over $44.7 billion in new capital investment and over 92,000 new jobs.
I would like to recognize several of the businesses which announced their confidence in our people by their substantial capital investment in 2024. If the leaders will stand as I name your company, we will respond when all are standing.
In Spartanburg County, AFL - which has called South Carolina home for 40 years - will expand its existing fiber optic facilities to create an additional 150 jobs with a $155 million investment. Welcome Mr. Jaxon Lang, Chief Executive Officer.
In Charleston County, Boeing is investing $1 billion in infrastructure upgrades and will create 500 new jobs. Welcome Ms. Erin Fisher, Head of Global Engagement.
In Greenville County, EnerSys is growing its presence in the state by investing $500 million for a lithium-ion cell gigafactory that will create 500 new jobs. Welcome Mr. Sam Shiroff, Senior Director of Global Sustainability.
In the Lowcountry, Google will grow its South Carolina footprint by establishing two new data center campuses in Dorchester County and expanding its existing data center campus in Berkeley County. This combined investment of $3.3 billion will create 200 new jobs. Welcome Mr. Eddie Walters, Data Center Operations Manager.
In Spartanburg County, Keurig Dr. Pepper, a leading producer of hot and cold beverages, will continue to grow its operations with a $141 million investment and 84 new jobs. Welcome Mr. Chuck Hollingsworth, Director of Engineering and Operations.
In Greenville County, Magna, one of the largest suppliers in the automotive space, is establishing a new satellite operation and expanding its existing operation with a combined $200 million investment and 200 new jobs. Welcome Mr. David Meier, Vice President of Operations.
In Oconee County, Meyn America is expanding with a $50 million investment, creating 172 new jobs for a state-of-the-art manufacturing equipment facility for the poultry industry and the corporate headquarters. Welcome Mr. Michael Otterbach, Vice President of Operations.
And also, our Secretary of Commerce, Harry Lightsey, and his remarkable team which worked around the clock to produce these successes. Please stand. Thank you. We boomed in 2024 and will boom again in 2025.
Every day, employers are creating new jobs, entrepreneurs are opening new businesses, and companies are deciding to locate in South Carolina. However, the competition between states, especially in the Southeast, is fierce.
Whether it is lower taxes, less regulation, plentiful power, quality education, our natural and cultural resources, a trained and healthy workforce, or unmatched livability - South Carolina's future prosperity requires that we constantly work to maintain or develop competitive advantages in the ever-accelerating race for new jobs and capital investment.
This includes our reputation of high military appreciation, solid law enforcement, low "big" labor union participation, and the friendliest people on earth.
Our state government is in superior fiscal shape. We continue to maintain our largest rainy day reserve fund balance and low amounts of general obligation debt. Again, saving money instead of spending it has served our state well - and ensures that we will always be prepared for future economic uncertainties.
Until a few years ago, South Carolina had the highest personal income tax rate in the Southeast, the 12th highest in the nation. No more. Three years ago, I signed into law the largest income tax cut in state history, to drop the personal income tax rate from 7% to 6% over a period of five years. Our booming economy has created annual budget surpluses that have allowed us to accelerate these tax cuts faster than anticipated.
This year, I am proposing that we cut the state's personal income tax rate again, from 6.2% to 6% - allowing taxpayers to keep an additional $193.5 million of their hard-earned money instead of sending it to state government.
However, we should not stop at 6%. We should keep cutting as much and as fast as we can until we can eliminate the personal income tax altogether.
Mr. Speaker, Mr. President, this is what the people want.
Our economic prosperity requires us to maintain consistency and certainty in our permitting processes. They must be thorough, reasonable, and prompt.
Uncertainty is the enemy of prosperity.
Our state's booming economy has dramatically increased the demand for permits: permits required to expand a business, construct a new facility, or deliver additional power and infrastructure - like water and sewer.
One of my first goals for the newly created cabinet agency, the Department of Environmental Services, was to eliminate any backlog of permit decisions and to establish a hard 90-day deadline for the decisions to be made.
I am recommending an appropriation of $13.7 million so the department can hire and train the employees they need to get this done.
I believe you should be able to mark your calendar - to circle that date with a bright red marker - and know when a decision will be made.
Our state's laws and regulations are designed to protect the public, and also ensure that individuals have the freedom to pursue their chosen careers without undue interference.
Over the years, the General Assembly has created over 42 different professional and occupational licensing boards, run by 350 appointed board members, who license and regulate over 500,000 South Carolinians in the workplace.
They oversee accountants, architects, barbers, builders, cosmetologists, chiropractors, contractors, doctors, dentists, engineers, morticians, nurses, optometrists, pharmacists, realtors, and social workers, just to name a few.
Each year, the licensing of these professions seems to become more complicated and burdensome.
I agree with my colleagues that it's time we pause, review the laws that created these boards along with their statutory requirements and determine whether they are necessary, effective, and balanced.
Future economic prosperity requires that our state's civil justice system allows fair and prompt enforcement of our laws and proper redress of injury. This should not stifle job creation and economic growth.
Yet the application of our current legal framework and rules are increasingly making South Carolina less competitive. The rules on joint and several liability have introduced an element of uncertainty. And uncertainty is the enemy of prosperity.
Individuals and businesses, both large and small, are becoming unduly penalized for the actions of others - too often through crippling financial judgments and skyrocketing insurance premiums.
I ask the General Assembly to find a commonsense solution. One that will provide accountability, certainty, and just compensation - without damaging our economy. And one that I can sign into law the minute it reaches my desk.
Two years ago, it became clear that we had a mental health crisis in South Carolina. What wasn't clear was how bad it was.
As a result - I proposed that we initiate and fund an immediate review of our State's behavioral health funding and delivery system. The analysis confirmed what many of us had feared - and much worse.
South Carolina has the most fragmented and siloed health and human service delivery system in the nation, with the lowest ranking, causing unnecessary suffering.
Our people with physical disabilities, special needs and mental health issues seeking assistance must navigate through a confusing landscape of offices, agencies, and officials as they seek help for a loved one or dependent.
We learned that 77% of our state's young people with major depressive episodes do not receive mental health treatment. Suicides have become the routine and not the exception.
Our communities have a growing number of homeless people, many of whom have untreated mental, physical, or substance addiction problems. They fall through the cracks of a system that does not coordinate, communicate, or collaborate. We must fix this.
Immediate changes are needed at the Department of Mental Health and the Department of Disabilities and Special Needs. They are run by a board of commissioners who are accountable to no one - and it's virtually impossible for a governor to remove them. "If everyone is in charge - then no one is in charge."
South Carolinians should be able to hold one person - their governor - accountable for the actions of the Department of Mental Health and the Department of Disabilities and Special Needs. That was the notion that fueled Governor Carroll Campbell's successful effort to begin the restructuring of state government agencies in the early 1990s.
This year - let's finish this job with a stroke of a pen by making the Department of Mental Health and the Department of Disabilities and Special Needs cabinet agencies that are directly and immediately accountable to the governor.
And let this legislative session be remembered as the year we finally moved into the future.
South Carolina has been identified as part of the "stroke belt" with high stroke and dementia mortality rates. Current neurological care options in the state are limited, forcing our people to seek care outside the state. This delays early diagnosis and treatment, may extend hospital stays and creates significant financial burdens.
Today, we have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to create a world-class neurological facility for critical care procedures, rehabilitation services, and leading-edge research in the field of neurology.
I propose that the General Assembly provide funding to the Department of Health and Human Services for the construction of this new neurological hospital - which will house an 80-bed critical care unit and a 32-bed neurological rehabilitation unit, both operated by the University of South Carolina.
The State Health Plan provides medical, vision, dental, and pharmacy insurance coverage for over 543,000 South Carolinians. School district teachers and employees make up 41%, government retirees, 37%, state agency employees (including higher education) 21%, and local boards 1%.
This year will mark the fourth year in a row that the State Health Plan, administered by the Public Employee Benefit Authority, known as PEBA, has requested an additional $112 million to offset healthcare provider cost increases and to simply maintain existing insurance benefits.
That's almost a half-a-billion dollars in four years. That's not fiscally sustainable.
If the General Assembly chooses to continue appropriating these funds, I recommend they come with a new cost containment requirement. PEBA should be required to identify and propose cost savings measures for the State Health Plan in order to slow cost increases to a manageable level.
We know that future economic prosperity requires us to have abundant and affordable energy.
We know that we will need more. The questions are: how much and how will it be produced and transmitted?
Our electric generation, distribution, and transmission capacity and capabilities must be able to handle enhanced future economic development, anticipated technological advances, and population growth.
We must vigorously explore the feasibility of technological advances related to energy production. Limitations and obstacles on the state's ability to receive and utilize natural gas must be removed. We must prepare now for a future driven by nuclear power generation on scales both large and small. And we must identify any modifications or additions to existing laws, regulations, policies, or procedures that may be necessary to meet these needs.
Two years ago, we created the PowerSC working group. They began leading the effort to coordinate the state's energy stakeholders.
Next came the SC Nexus for Advanced Resilient Energy consortium developed by our Department of Commerce. This is a collaboration with our research universities, technical colleges, state agencies, the Savannah River National Laboratory, economic development non-profits, and private businesses.
Then we won the U.S. Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration's coveted designation as one of 12 Regional Technology and Innovation Hubs in the country, qualifying for federal research grant funding valued between $40-$70 million annually. Our focus: power.
Last week Santee Cooper began the process of gauging the feasibility of and the interest in restarting the construction of two abandoned nuclear reactors at the V.C. Summer Nuclear Station.
I believe that restarting these two reactors will not only help fuel our state's future power needs but will also usher in a nuclear power renaissance across the country, one that will spur nationwide investment and construction of new nuclear power generation. This will provide America with ample, clean, resilient energy for the future and deter challenges to our national security.
Last year, the General Assembly was unable to reach consensus on legislation that would have addressed many of our future energy needs. We need this legislation. We are running out of time. I ask that you send this legislation to my desk so that I may sign it into law.
Again, our state's roads, bridges, highways, and interstates are the arteries of our prosperity. They need continued investment.
The Department of Transportation has made tremendous progress in repairing and improving our transportation system. They have delivered a valuable return on our investments - with the strong help of the executive and legislative branches.
For instance, in 2017, there were just $2.7 billion in road construction projects underway across the state. Today, we have $6.5 billion in projects happening in all 46 counties, with more to be done.
Our bridges are aging. The Department of Transportation reports that around 2,400 of the state's 8,400 bridges are at the point of replacement or major repair. Without continued acceleration of investment, that number will swell to 3,900 in ten years.
To that end, I am recommending an additional $100 million be appropriated to the Department of Transportation to continue accelerating bridge construction across the state.
Before sunrise on Friday, September 27, 2024, Hurricane Helene struck South Carolina.
It is the deadliest storm to ever hit our state with 49 confirmed deaths, surpassing Hurricane Hugo, which had 35 confirmed deaths.
The damage from Helene was devastating. At least 6,300 homes were damaged. It spawned 21 tornadoes. Our agribusiness industry suffered at least $621 million in damages, 912 roads and bridges were closed, and 10 bridges must be rebuilt. All due to Helene.
At its peak, nearly 1.36 million customers were without electricity. More than Florida and Georgia combined. Trees and utility lines were snarled together, blocking roads and bridges, creating dangerous and deadly entanglements, making it impossible to quickly clear roads, repair damage to property, and get the power back on.
But we responded magnificently. Joining us here tonight are a few of the men and women who worked day and night - some for weeks - at dangerous heights - and around deadly high voltage electricity - to get the power back on. Linemen from Duke Energy, Dominion Energy, and Santee Cooper. And from the local electric cooperatives, Aiken, Broad River, Blue Ridge, Coastal, Fairfield, Laurens, Little River, Mid-Carolina, Newberry, and York. I ask that you please stand and be recognized.
Team South Carolina moved quickly to provide access to disaster relief and assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
We held seven "County Day" events, providing over 3,700 residents in 17 counties with a daylong "one-stop shop" location to apply for federal and state financial assistance, receive critical information and services, and donated goods. Volunteers distributed over 3,500 cases of bottled water, over 3,300 boxes of food, 900 bags of charcoal, 758 grills, 616 cases of diapers, and 300 tarps.
In addition, three-day long Farm and Forest Recovery Resource Days were held for hundreds of farmers, foresters and agribusiness owners impacted by Helene, providing them with access to federal and state financial relief and resources.
Over $5 million in Helene relief contributions were made to the One SC Fund at Central Carolina Community Foundation, the most that has ever been donated to the fund for a single storm, since it was created in 2015.
For some perspective on the damage from Helene consider this:
To date, South Carolinians have submitted over 441,000 applications for individual financial assistance to FEMA for Hurricane Helene damage. Compare that with the combined number of 164,000 applications submitted for the Flood of 2015, Hurricane Matthew in 2016, and Hurricane Florence in 2018.
So far, only $150 million in community disaster recovery block grants from the Department of Housing and Urban Development have been awarded to South Carolina from the $110 billion relief package approved by Congress in December. We know that there will be additional federal funds designated for our state, but we don't know if it will be enough.
And while we got FEMA to reimburse 100% of South Carolina's clean-up costs for 120 days, significant state funds will be necessary to pay for costs above and beyond federal assistance.
For example, the Department of Transportation needs an additional $50 million in this year's state budget to cover costs related to debris removal and repairs to roads and bridges - costs that were not reimbursed by the federal government.
The Office of Resilience needs an additional $40 million to replenish the two Disaster Relief and Resilience Reserve funds. Both the grant fund and revolving loan fund were utilized to provide immediate relief and resources on the ground to people impacted by Helene.
I am also recommending that $150 million be appropriated to create the South Carolina Public Assistance program to be administered by the South Carolina Emergency Management Division.
This state grant program will mirror the federal program at FEMA. It will allow local governments, public utilities, nonprofits, and charitable aid organizations to apply for state disaster recovery funds - funds that were either denied by the federal government or did not meet federal FEMA thresholds for damage reimbursement.
Educating our children is the most important thing we do. Our future prosperity requires that we continue the remarkable progress we have made in raising teacher pay.
Eight years ago, the minimum starting salary of a teacher in South Carolina was $30,113; and the average teacher salary was below the Southeastern average. I proposed that we begin raising the minimum starting teacher salary as much as possible each year, with the goal of raising it to at least $50,000 by 2026.
Today, the minimum starting salary in South Carolina is $47,000, and the average teacher salary now exceeds the Southeastern average. This represents an increase of 56.1% in eight years.
South Carolina's minimum starting teacher salary is now higher than both Georgia and North Carolina. But will that keep and attract the best and brightest teachers?
That's why I ask you to raise our minimum starting teacher salary to $50,000 this year, not next year. In this race for the future, we must be the fastest.
With us tonight is Jessica Owens, a kindergarten teacher at Rocky Creek Elementary School in Lexington County School District One.
Ms. Owens began her career in education as a classroom assistant to a wonderful kindergarten teacher who encouraged her to pursue education as a career. In 2021, she returned to Columbia College where she completed her degree in Early Childhood Education and began her career as a teacher.
Over the past several years, Ms. Owens has witnessed the impact of our state's commitment in raising the minimum starting salary for teachers.
She told me, "By having competitive pay, school districts can attract more candidates to the field, ensuring that schools are staffed with the best possible teachers, which ultimately benefits the students."
Ms. Owens joins us tonight along with her classroom assistant Britany Edrada. Please stand and be recognized.
Since the statewide expansion of the full-day four-year-old kindergarten program in school year 2021-2022, enrollment in the program in public schools, private childcare centers, and private schools has increased significantly.
Today, over 18,000 students are enrolled in the program. The Office of First Steps anticipates a 7% increase in the number of children from low-income households that will enroll in the program in the next school year.
I am proposing that we continue making additional investments in our successful 4K programs. The data has shown that a child from a low-income household enrolled in a state-funded, full-day 4K program, is more likely to possess the skills to learn than their peers who do not participate.
This week is National School Choice Week.
I ask that the General Assembly send to my desk, as soon as possible, a new Education Scholarship Trust Fund bill, one that addresses last year's State Supreme Court decision.
Parents, not school attendance lines, should determine the education that best suits their child's unique needs.
In anticipation of success, I am proposing $30 million be appropriated to the trust fund. These funds will allow low-income parents to continue choosing the type of education environment and instruction that best suits their child's unique needs.
In addition, I ask that the General Assembly consider allowing education lottery tickets to be purchased using debit cards. Only three states require cash-only purchases: South Carolina, Tennessee, and Wyoming. Many businesses no longer accept cash - and many people don't carry it.
Education lottery proceeds are down $31.9 million and expected to continue dropping. The Lottery Commission estimates debit card purchases - not credit cards - would generate an additional $52 million that could be used for the Education Scholarship Trust Fund or for LIFE, HOPE, and Palmetto Fellow college scholarships.
Placing an armed, certified full-time school resource officer in each of our state's 1,284 public schools has been one of my top priorities.
At my request, the General Assembly began funding an SRO grant program administered by the Department of Public Safety. It provides school districts with funds to hire full-time SROs for schools without one.
The program has been enormously successful. In 2018, only 406 schools had an SRO. In 2024, it grew to 1,106. Today, there are only 177 schools without an SRO.
I ask the General Assembly: Let's finish this job. Fully fund this grant program, so that every public-school student in South Carolina will have an officer on campus providing safety for students and teachers and comfort for the parents.
Our future prosperity requires that our colleges, universities, and technical colleges be accessible and affordable for all; that our institutions of higher education produce a trained and skilled workforce - one that allows us to win jobs and investment in the future.
This is the sixth consecutive year that I call for a freeze in college tuition for in-state students in exchange for a metric-based appropriation to our public colleges and universities.
For the fourth straight year, I seek $80 million so that every South Carolinian who qualifies for federal need-based financial aid - as measured by Pell Grants - has sufficient state financial assistance to attend any in-state public college, university, or technical college.
Students at private, independent, and historically black institutions will receive an additional $20 million for tuition grants and assistance.
I request $95 million in lottery funds for Workforce Industry Needs Scholarships through the South Carolina Technical College System.
In the last five years, this very successful program has paid the full tuition and fees for over 40,000 South Carolinians at our technical colleges - where they earned post-secondary or industry credentials in high-demand careers like manufacturing, nursing, computer science, information technology, transportation, logistics, or construction.
Because of our state's high demand for workforce skills, training, and knowledge, I renew my call for the General Assembly to fund and authorize a systemic review of our state's 33 public institutions of higher education. This review will be conducted by the Department of Employment and Workforce. The goal: to make sure we are preparing to meet our state's future workforce needs in two respects: 1) sustainability, accessibility, and affordability and 2) the alignment of our programs, certificates, and degrees with the jobs, skills, and innovations likely coming our way.
Our future prosperity requires that we keep our communities safe. This means "funding the police" and giving them the tools they need.
Last year, I told you that law enforcement needed help. They needed a stronger law to keep illegal guns out of the hands of criminals and juveniles, which would help "close the revolving door."
You acted and, on March 7, 2024, I signed into law graduated criminal penalties for illegal gun possession. I am pleased to report that in less than a year, according to SLED, there has been an 86% increase in the number of arrests made using the new law: 2,412 arrests up from 1,295.
A few years ago, we tasked our Department of Administration with conducting a comprehensive analysis of state law enforcement pay to ensure that salaries were competitive to attract and retain top-tier talent.
It worked. As a result, South Carolina's law enforcement officers have received substantial pay raises - some as high as 52% in the last three years. I propose that we continue investing in our safety by providing an additional $14.5 million for pay raises and the hiring of new law enforcement officers.
I am also again proposing a $2,000 state income tax credit for every active-duty law enforcement officer, firefighter, first responder, and emergency medical technician employed by a public entity. This represents $43.3 million in tax relief for those who put their lives on the line each day to protect our lives and property.
In addition, my Executive Budget recommends providing the Department of Corrections with a total of $43.2 million in new appropriations to expand cell phone and contraband interdiction, hire new corrections officers, increase medical and mental health services, and pay for deferred maintenance at our 21 prisons.
Animal fighting, especially dog fighting, is one of the cruelest criminal activities in our society. Law officers estimate that most of the people participating in this barbaric activity have long criminal records. My Executive Budget seeks additional funding to SLED to end this unforgivable savagery.
South Carolina's future prosperity requires us to enhance our efforts to respect and protect our land, our history, our culture and our environment. I do not think that it's a coincidence that previous years of economic growth have followed our efforts to conserve, preserve, and display our unique gifts of nature's abundance.
So, we should ask: What will South Carolina look like in 100 years? Which begs the question: What do we want it to look like?
In recent years, we have provided funds, time, and attention for identifying significant properties for preservation and conservation and for flood mitigation.
We now have a veritable army of people, public and private organizations dedicated to these endeavors, including the Conservation Land Bank, the Department of Natural Resources, the Office of Resilience, the Forestry Commission, the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism, the Nature Conservancy, the Open Space Institute, the Darla Moore Foundation, the Audubon Society and Francis Marion University.
In 2024, this collaborative effort has permanently protected 96 thousand acres of environmentally or culturally significant properties, investing and leveraging $143.5M in state, federal and private conservation funds.
A few notable successes:
Snow's Island is the largest conservation project in Florence County history. Its 7,600 acres and more than 60 miles of river frontage at the confluence of Lynches and Great Pee Dee Rivers will forever safeguard the legendary headquarters of Revolutionary War General Francis Marion from which he and his militia launched numerous raids on the British and Loyalist troops.
Waties Island, the only remaining pristine barrier island on the South Carolina coast without protection from future development, has 1,100 acres at the confluence of Little River and the Atlantic Ocean. Its inlet, salt marshes, and estuaries make it a vital natural buffer against ocean waves and storm surge for our rapidly growing Grand Strand region.
Tyger Oaks, called the "Central Park of Spartanburg," has approximately 942 acres located just outside Spartanburg. Its 1.2 miles of riverfront connects to land already protected, creating a nearly 1,200-acre Upstate conservation corridor.
Saluda Bluffs has 1,000 acres located in the bullseye of decades of conservation work where visitors have a birds' eye view of more than 10,000 acres of protected surrounding properties in the Upstate. Table Rock State Park, Caesars Head State Park, and Jones Gap State Park are located close by.
Once again, my Executive Budget recommends that significant funds - $15.5 million - be appropriated to continue these important and significant preservation and conservation efforts.
Finally, next year, we will celebrate the Sestercentennial - the 250th anniversary of the American Revolutionary War.
South Carolinians have a unique opportunity to celebrate the decisive role we played in the fight for American Independence. There were more than 200 battles and skirmishes fought in South Carolina, more than any other colony. Many scholars say the war was won here. So did General Cornwallis, with the defeat of Great Britian's Southern campaign.
Our state's history and culture are unsurpassed in the creation of this nation. It is well-documented in books and by the hundreds of historical markers, monuments, buildings, and homes preserved and dedicated to telling our state's story. The names of our towns, streets, institutions, rivers and families carry that history forward to this day.
We must protect and preserve our history and heritage. It is why we are who we are and why we are here. It is why we stay here and why others come here. It informs our strengths, purpose and duty.
The next hundred years? We've answered that question. For years we've invested billions of dollars in time and talent in education to prepare our children to build their lives and economy. And we've invested billions in our lands and waters to protect our health, expand our economy, preserve life in all its forms for its beauty and wonder, our education and joy and the fulfillment of our duty to nourish the Lord's Garden.
The only difference is that today we have more opportunity than ever before, and our competition is fiercer and faster than ever before. But we know exactly where we are going, and we are perfectly positioned to succeed.
Let us continue to embrace civility and comity through our thoughts, words, and deeds - and urge our people, especially our young ones, to be proud of their state.
And let us set our State on a course that will provide the opportunity for prosperity, success, and happiness for generations of South Carolinians.
The best is yet to come.
May God continue to bless America, and our Great State of South Carolina.
The purposes of the Joint Assembly having been accomplished, the PRESIDENT announced that under the terms of the Concurrent Resolution the Joint Assembly would recede from business.
The Senate accordingly retired to its Chamber.
The question of a quorum was raised.
A quorum was later present.
Debate was resumed on the following Resolution, the pending question being the consideration of the Resolution:
H. 3815 (Word version) -- Rules Committee: A HOUSE RESOLUTION TO AMEND RULES 6.3 14. AND 15., AND 8.9 OF THE RULES OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, ALL RELATING TO THE MOTION PERIOD, SO AS TO DELETE THE MOTION PERIOD AND ALL REFERENCES TO IT, AND TO FURTHER AMEND 15. TO MAKE A TECHNICAL CHANGE TO MATTERS REGARDING SETTING SPECIAL ORDER; TO AMEND RULE 4.2 10., RELATING TO STANDING COMMITTEES AND THEIR MEMBERSHIPS, SO AS TO RENAME THE COMMITTEE ON LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT THE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY AND LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT; TO AMEND RULE 5.20, RELATING TO RESOLUTIONS MEMORIALIZING CONGRESS, AN AGENCY, OR AN OFFICIAL, SO AS TO PROVIDE THESE MAY BE REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON INVITATIONS AND MEMORIAL RESOLUTIONS OR TO THE APPROPRIATE COMMITTEE WITH SUBJECT MATTER JURISDICTION CONCERNING THE RESOLUTION; TO AMEND RULE 4.13, RELATING TO INVITATIONS, SO AS TO ALLOW THE COMMITTEE ON INVITATIONS AND MEMORIAL RESOLUTIONS TO ACCEPT INVITATIONS AS EARLY AT 5:00P.M.; TO DELETE RULE 5.12 RELATING TO THE APRIL TENTH CROSSOVER DEADLINE FOR LEGISLATION; TO AMEND RULE 4.4, RELATING TO COMMITTEE OPERATIONS, SO AS TO REQUIRE STREAMING OF COMMITTEE AND SUBCOMMITTEE MEETINGS WHEN FEASIBLE AND PROVIDE A CAVEAT; TO ADD RULE 2.17 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT THE CLERK, READING CLERK, CHAPLAIN, AND SERGEANT AT ARMS MUST PERFORM THEIR DUTIES IN A FAIR AND PROFESSIONAL MANNER THAT DOES NOT OPENLY REFLECT THEIR PERSONAL POLITICAL BELIEFS OR OPINIONS CONCERNING ISSUES, CAMPAIGNS, OR OTHER MATTERS BEFORE THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY; AND TO DELETE RULES 4.9, 4.10, 4.11, AND 4.12, ALL RELATING TO THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE AND ITS OPERATION.
Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:
(1) That Rule 6.3 14. and 15. of the Rules of the House of Representatives is amended to read:
14. a. motion period;
b. consideration of local contested bills and joint resolutions on second reading;
15. consideration of statewide contested bills and joint resolutions on second reading in the order in which they appear on the Calendar;
a. Notwithstanding the order of business set forth in Rule 6.3 a matter may be set for Special Order for consideration on a particular day at a particular hour or at a particular place on the Calendar.
b. Special orders may be set for appropriations bills and local bills by majority vote of the House. Special orders on all other billsmatters placed on the Calendar shall be set only by written resolution, which has been referred to the Rules Committee or originates therein, and agreed to by two-thirds of the members of that committee and agreed to by majority of the members of the House present after the committee has made its report; provided,. Resolutions setting matters for special order may include language governing the time, date, and debate of the matters set for special order; however, that notwithstanding the provisions of Rule 9 governing the amendability of bills and resolutions, no amendments may be offered to any Special Order resolution, which amendments do not pertain to the bill which is the subject of the Special Order resolution, except as to the time and date called for in such resolution.
Provided, that for the purpose of explaining any Special Order resolution the time limit for opponents shall not exceed five minutes and the time limit for proponents shall not exceed five minutes.
c. A Special Order set for a certain day and hour, not being considered by the House at the hour named, shall be transferred by the Clerk of the House to the Special Orders of the following day until disposed of, in the chronological order of original appointment.
Any member may insist upon a Special Order of the Day, or other Special Orders, until it be discharged.
d. The motion period provided for the daily order of business under Rule 6.3 shall be limited to ten minutes only.
Provided, however, that time consumed by roll call votes shall not be construed as part of time allotted to said motions period. (Reserved.)
e. Consideration of uncontested local bills and joint resolutions on third and second readings as provided in subsection 7a and b of this rule shall be limited to a total of ten minutes only. Consideration of contested local bills and joint resolutions on second and third readings as provided in subsections 12b and 14b of this rule is limited to a total of ten minutes for second reading bills and joint resolutions and ten minutes for third reading bills and joint resolutions.
f. Consideration of uncontested statewide bills and joint resolutions on third and second readings as provided in subsection 8a and b of this rule shall be limited to a total of thirty minutes only.
g. No debate shall be allowed in the uncontested period, provided, however, the Speaker may recognize a proponent and opponent of any uncontested bill or joint resolution for a brief explanation of their position.
h. Consideration of unanimous consent requests as provided for in subsection 12 of this rule shall be limited to five minutes only. No unanimous consent requests except those unanimous consent requests dealing with the pending matter may be considered at any time other than during the time provided for in subsection 12 of this rule.
(2) That Rule 8.9 of the Rules of the House of Representatives is amended to read:
8.9 When a motion is made during a motion period, the Speaker shall entertain but one motion at a time and there shall be no substitute motions considered. The same motion may be entertained consecutively during the motion period. (Reserved.)
(3) That Rule 4.2 10. of the Rules of the House of Representatives is amended to read:
10. Committee on Government Efficiency and Legislative Oversight (Oversight and Review of Government Operations and Accountability, SC Code of Laws Section 2-2-5 et seq.) -- 20.
(4) That Rule 5.20 of the Rules of the House of Representatives is amended to read:
5.20 Notwithstanding the provisions of any other House Rule, no House or Concurrent Resolution memorializing the Congress of the United States, the President of the United States, or any state or federal department, agency, or official shall receive immediate consideration but shall be referred to the Committee on Invitations and Memorial Resolutions or the appropriate committee with subject matter jurisdiction concerning the resolution. Provided, a House or Concurrent Resolution referred to the Committee on Invitations and Memorial Resolutionsand shall remain in such committee unless three members of the committee vote to report the resolution out of committee. No such resolution may be recalled from committee.
(5) That Rule 4.13 of the Rules of the House of Representatives is amended to read:
4.13 No person shall be permitted to address the House or the Joint Assembly except by written resolution, and such resolution shall be referred to the Committee on Invitations and Memorial Resolutions before being considered by the House. The Committee shall not extend an invitation to any individual or group to address the House or the Joint Assembly unless such person or group is of significant national or state prominence at the time the invitation is extended and will bring a message of major importance to the State or such individual or group will present an artistic performance during the established hours of meeting.
Any invitations extended to the House as a whole to attend any functions shall be submitted to the Committee on Invitations and Memorial Resolutions at least 10 days in advance in order that it may determine what legislation or other pertinent matters may be pending before the House and its Committees before the invitation is accepted. The House shall accept no invitations to any functions other than a breakfast or luncheon prior to 6:005:00 p.m. Pages are not permitted to attend such functions. No invitations to functions for the House as a whole will be accepted during the week anticipated for the debate of the State Appropriations Bill.
(6) That Rule 5.12 of the Rules of the House of Representatives is amended to read:
5.12 No bill or joint resolution from the Senate shall be considered unless received by April tenth in the House. Provided, such bill or joint resolution shall be placed on the Calendar for further consideration if two thirds of those members present and voting agree to waive the rule. Any bill or joint resolution failing to receive the required vote shall be returned to the appropriate committee. Once voted on and rejected, no further vote shall be allowed to waive this rule.
The motion to waive this rule shall not be debatable, except that the mover shall have the right to make a three minute explanation of his motion.
The provisions of this rule shall apply only to regular sessions of the General Assembly as opposed to special sessions of the General Assembly.
The Speaker shall enforce the deadlines provided by this rule and shall not allow consideration without putting the question of waiver before the House. (Reserved.)
(7) That Rule 4.4 of the Rules of the House of Representatives is amended to read:
4.4 Committees shall meet regularly to consider pending legislation in the room assigned for their use by the Speaker or as otherwise authorized by this rule. Notice of date, time, and place of such meetings shall be posted on the legislative website and displayed in the lobby on each floor of the Solomon Blatt Building. A committee should give a minimum of twenty-four hour advance notice for all committee meetings. Provided, however, in case of necessity due to exigent circumstances, the Speaker, in his sole discretion, may waive the twenty-four hour advance notice requirements herein. Committee chairmen must notify the committee members of all meetings. Failure of notice of any meeting shall not invalidate committee action unless bad faith is shown. Committee and subcommittee meetings shall be streamed online whenever feasible; however, the inability to broadcast a meeting online shall not invalidate any action taken at a meeting. No committee shall meet while the House is in session without special leave by the Speaker. Provided, however, that the Committee on Rules and any committee of conference or free conference, may sit at any time and may report its message to the House at any time.
A Committee may provide, pursuant to its own rules, for the Chairmen to designate alternative meeting arrangements and procedures. Provided, however, the Chairman may only implement alternative meeting arrangements and procedures in the event that extraordinary circumstances including, but not limited to, natural disasters, severe weather, and Acts of God, render them necessary. The alternative meeting arrangements and procedures must:
(1) provide for public observation or participation as required by House Rules and the provisions of Title 30, Chapter 4 of the 1976 Code of Laws of South Carolina, as amended;
(2) provide both a video and audio component that is publicly accessible; and
(3) record the meeting, in its entirety, and make the recording available on the General Assembly website, as soon as practicable following the meeting.
No committee shall sit unless a quorum be present and all bills introduced by committees must carry the statement of the Chairman that the bill has the approval of two thirds of the membership of the committee, except that the State Appropriations Bill, the Supplemental Appropriations Bill, a Rescission Bill, and the Deficiency Appropriations Bill may be introduced by a majority vote of the Ways and Means Committee.
No committee shall introduce a bill pertaining to subject matter over which it has no jurisdiction.
Notice in writing of all committee action taken on a bill or resolution shall be given to the principal author thereof.
No statewide bill directly appropriating money shall be considered by the House until after such bill has been referred to the Ways and Means Committee, provided, however, a statewide bill which directly or by implication provides for per diem, subsistence or mileage in connection with the subject matter of the bill, but does not otherwise directly appropriate money, shall not be required to be referred to the Ways and Means Committee.
After the House sets a bill for Special Order pursuant to Rule 6.3, no point of order may be raised regarding its reference to committee, however, the House by majority vote may commit or recommit a bill or other matter under debate.
No committee action shall be taken on a bill or resolution except at a regular or called meeting, but this shall not apply to resolutions referred to the Committee on Invitations and Memorial Resolutions.
When any standing committee or subcommittee schedules a public hearing on a bill or resolution, the principal sponsor of such bill or resolution shall be notified of the time and place of such hearing not less than five calendar days prior to the hearing date.
(8) That Rule 2 of the Rules of the House of Representatives is amended by adding:
2.17 The Clerk, Reading Clerk, Chaplain, and Sergeant at Arms must perform the duties and responsibilities of their offices in a fair and professional manner that does not openly reflect their personal political beliefs or opinions concerning issues, campaigns, or other matters before the General Assembly.
(9) That Rules 4.9, 4.10, 4.11, and 4.12 of the Rules of the House of Representatives are amended to read:
4.9 In all cases the House may resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole. The motion to resolve the House into a Committee of the Whole shall specify the subject(s) to be considered in the Committee of the Whole. In the event the House resolves itself into a Committee of the Whole, the Committee of the Whole shall limit discussion to the subject(s) specified in the motion. The Speaker shall leave the Chair after appointing a Chairman to preside, who shall, in case of disturbance or disorderly conduct, have the power to cause same to be cleared. No bill or resolution may be considered by the Committee of the Whole House, except by a two thirds vote, unless same has first been considered by the appropriate Standing Committee of the House. (Reserved.)
4.10 The Committee of the Whole shall consist of the entire body of members in attendance at the particular meeting of the House. Such committee is a real committee in the parliamentary sense. During the time that a meeting of the Committee of the Whole is held, it is technically not 'the assembly'. (Reserved.)
4.11 The Rules of the House so far as they are applicable shall be observed in a Committee of the Whole, the Chairman being substituted for the Speaker. (Reserved.)
4.12 No Committee of the Whole or other committee shall deface or interline a bill or other paper, referred to it, but shall report any amendments recommended on a separate paper, noting the page and line. (Reserved.)
Rep. MAGNUSON spoke against the Resolution.
The SPEAKER granted Rep. WEEKS a leave of absence for the remainder of the day.
Rep. CROMER spoke against the Resolution.
Rep. LANDING spoke in favor of the Resolution.
The question recurred to the adoption of the Resolution.
The yeas and nays were taken resulting as follows:
Those who voted in the affirmative are:
Bailey Ballentine Bannister Bowers Bradley Brewer Brittain Bustos Calhoon Caskey Chapman Collins B. J. Cox B. L. Cox Crawford Davis Erickson Forrest Gatch Gilliam Guest Guffey Haddon Hager Hardee Hartnett Hartz Herbkersman Hewitt Hiott Hixon Holman J. E. Johnson Jordan Landing Lawson Ligon Long Lowe Martin McGinnis Mitchell T. Moore Moss Murphy Neese B. Newton W. Newton Pedalino Pope Rankin Robbins Sanders Sessions G. M. Smith M. M. Smith Taylor Vaughan Whitmire Wickensimer Willis Wooten Yow
Those who voted in the negative are:
Anderson Bamberg Bauer Beach Bernstein Burns Cromer Dillard Duncan Edgerton Frank Garvin Gibson Gilreath Govan Grant Harris Henderson-Myers Huff J. L. Johnson Jones Kilmartin King Kirby Luck Magnuson McCravy McDaniel J. Moore Pace Reese Rivers Rose Rutherford Spann-Wilder Terribile Wetmore Williams
The Resolution was adopted.
Rep. FORREST moved that the House do now adjourn, which was agreed to.
The Senate returned to the House with concurrence the following:
H. 3723 (Word version) -- Reps. M. M. Smith, G. M. Smith, Pope, Hiott, Cobb-Hunter, Alexander, Anderson, Atkinson, Bailey, Ballentine, Bamberg, Bannister, Bauer, Beach, Bernstein, Bowers, Bradley, Brewer, Brittain, Burns, Bustos, Calhoon, Caskey, Chapman, Chumley, Clyburn, Collins, B. J. Cox, B. L. Cox, Crawford, Cromer, Davis, Dillard, Duncan, Edgerton, Erickson, Forrest, Frank, Gagnon, Garvin, Gatch, Gibson, Gilliam, Gilliard, Gilreath, Govan, Grant, Guest, Guffey, Haddon, Hager, Hardee, Harris, Hart, Hartnett, Hartz, Hayes, Henderson-Myers, Herbkersman, Hewitt, Hixon, Holman, Hosey, Howard, Huff, J. E. Johnson, J. L. Johnson, Jones, Jordan, Kilmartin, King, Kirby, Landing, Lawson, Ligon, Long, Lowe, Luck, Magnuson, Martin, May, McCabe, McCravy, McDaniel, McGinnis, Mitchell, Montgomery, J. Moore, T. Moore, Morgan, Moss, Murphy, Neese, B. Newton, W. Newton, Oremus, Pace, Pedalino, Rankin, Reese, Rivers, Robbins, Rose, Rutherford, Sanders, Schuessler, Sessions, Spann-Wilder, Stavrinakis, Taylor, Teeple, Terribile, Vaughan, Weeks, Wetmore, Wheeler, White, Whitmire, Wickensimer, Williams, Willis, Wooten and Yow: A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION TO RECOGNIZE THE WEEK OF JANUARY 19-25, 2025, AS NATIONAL MEDICOLEGAL DEATH INVESTIGATION PROFESSIONALS WEEK IN THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA IN HONOR OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA CORONERS' ASSOCIATION AND THE CORONERS, DEPUTY CORONERS, AND MEDICOLEGAL DEATH INVESTIGATION PROFESSIONALS WHO SERVE OUR CITIZENS EVERY DAY.
H. 3788 (Word version) -- Reps. Hartz, Alexander, Anderson, Atkinson, Bailey, Ballentine, Bamberg, Bannister, Bauer, Beach, Bernstein, Bowers, Bradley, Brewer, Brittain, Burns, Bustos, Calhoon, Caskey, Chapman, Chumley, Clyburn, Cobb-Hunter, Collins, B. J. Cox, B. L. Cox, Crawford, Cromer, Davis, Dillard, Duncan, Edgerton, Erickson, Forrest, Frank, Gagnon, Garvin, Gatch, Gibson, Gilliam, Gilliard, Gilreath, Govan, Grant, Guest, Guffey, Haddon, Hager, Hardee, Harris, Hart, Hartnett, Hayes, Henderson-Myers, Herbkersman, Hewitt, Hiott, Hixon, Holman, Hosey, Howard, Huff, J. E. Johnson, J. L. Johnson, Jones, Jordan, Kilmartin, King, Kirby, Landing, Lawson, Ligon, Long, Lowe, Luck, Magnuson, Martin, May, McCabe, McCravy, McDaniel, McGinnis, Mitchell, Montgomery, J. Moore, T. Moore, Morgan, Moss, Murphy, Neese, B. Newton, W. Newton, Oremus, Pace, Pedalino, Pope, Rankin, Reese, Rivers, Robbins, Rose, Rutherford, Sanders, Schuessler, Sessions, G. M. Smith, M. M. Smith, Spann-Wilder, Stavrinakis, Taylor, Teeple, Terribile, Vaughan, Weeks, Wetmore, White, Whitmire, Wickensimer, Williams, Willis, Wooten and Yow: A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION TO RECOGNIZE AND HONOR DR. DOUGLAS E. "DOUG" HOLFORD, UPON THE OCCASION OF HIS RETIREMENT AFTER FORTY-TWO YEARS OF EXEMPLARY SERVICE, AND TO WISH HIM CONTINUED SUCCESS AND HAPPINESS IN ALL HIS FUTURE ENDEAVORS.
H. 3789 (Word version) -- Reps. J. E. Johnson, Alexander, Anderson, Atkinson, Bailey, Ballentine, Bamberg, Bannister, Bauer, Beach, Bernstein, Bowers, Bradley, Brewer, Brittain, Burns, Bustos, Calhoon, Caskey, Chapman, Chumley, Clyburn, Cobb-Hunter, Collins, B. J. Cox, B. L. Cox, Crawford, Cromer, Davis, Dillard, Duncan, Edgerton, Erickson, Forrest, Frank, Gagnon, Garvin, Gatch, Gibson, Gilliam, Gilliard, Gilreath, Govan, Grant, Guest, Guffey, Haddon, Hager, Hardee, Harris, Hart, Hartnett, Hartz, Hayes, Henderson-Myers, Herbkersman, Hewitt, Hiott, Hixon, Holman, Hosey, Howard, Huff, J. L. Johnson, Jones, Jordan, Kilmartin, King, Kirby, Landing, Lawson, Ligon, Long, Lowe, Luck, Magnuson, Martin, May, McCabe, McCravy, McDaniel, McGinnis, Mitchell, Montgomery, J. Moore, T. Moore, Morgan, Moss, Murphy, Neese, B. Newton, W. Newton, Oremus, Pace, Pedalino, Pope, Rankin, Reese, Rivers, Robbins, Rose, Rutherford, Sanders, Schuessler, Sessions, G. M. Smith, M. M. Smith, Spann-Wilder, Stavrinakis, Taylor, Teeple, Terribile, Vaughan, Weeks, Wetmore, White, Whitmire, Wickensimer, Williams, Willis, Wooten and Yow: A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION TO RECOGNIZE AND HONOR MS. GENEVIEVE JORDAN SMITH FOR HER SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTIONS TO AND PARTICIPATION IN THE HORRY ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE, INC., AND TO CONGRATULATE HER UPON BEING NAMED THE COOPERATIVE'S 2025 LADY OF THE YEAR.
At 8:28 p.m. the House, in accordance with the motion of Rep. ANDERSON, adjourned in memory of Leitha Mae Anderson Manigault, mother of Representative Anderson, to meet at 10:00 a.m. tomorrow.
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