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As the final week of the regular 2026 legislative session unfolded, SCAC staff remained hard at work advancing policy positions and fighting multiple efforts to attach harmful amendments to other bills ahead of the General Assembly’s sine die adjournment May 14.
Several bills of interest to counties have passed the Senate and House, including legislation to modernize the South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT), increase poll workers’ take-home pay, and allow creation of joint residential improvement districts between counties and municipalities.
The 2025-2026 session will continue beyond the May 14 sine die date by Gov. Henry McMaster’s executive order. This means any bills can be debated in either chamber until November.
In the coming weeks, both chambers also will meet for conference committees on the state budget and numerous other bills.
Bills of interest to counties are discussed below in order of their status as the 2025-2026 regular legislative session closed.
SCAC will keep you updated throughout the extra session including redistricting discussions and conference committees.
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Congressional Redistricting | | |
Following recent U.S. Supreme Court rulings, several state legislatures in Republican-leaning states started the process of congressional redistricting. Members of the House began moving on redistricting plans and included this provision as part of the Sine Die Resolution (S. 883), which ultimately was rejected by the Senate in a vote on the issue earlier this week. Although redistricting is not included in S. 883, Gov. McMaster called members of the General Assembly back to Columbia for a special session to address the issue.
The House introduced two bills last week that would allow the congressional redistricting process to move forward. H. 5683 would redraw South Carolina’s seven U.S. House districts and is pending second reading on the House calendar. H. 5684 would move the 2026 U.S. House primaries from June 9 to a special primary that would take place the second Tuesday in August and provide for any primary runoffs to occur Aug. 25. H. 5684 remains pending for further discussion in the House Judiciary Committee. The House Judiciary Committee took up the bills this week, combined the provisions of H. 5684 into H. 5683, and changed the special primary date to Aug. 18 and the runoff date to Sept. 1.
Status: H. 5683 as amended, which now includes H.5684, was advanced to the House floor and will be taken up Friday, May 15, when the House reconvenes at Gov. McMaster’s request.
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Bills That Passed the General Assembly | Revenue, Finance and Economic Development | | |
SCDOT Modernization
The conference committee met on S. 831 this week, and both chambers adopted the conference report. After hearing concerns from numerous counties and municipalities, language regarding the optional transfer of roads from SCDOT to local governments was removed from the bill. S. 831 now will head to Gov. McMaster’s desk for signature. The bill, as passed by both chambers:
- Has the county legislative delegation appoint members to the County Transportation Committee (CTC) and allows the delegation, by resolution, to abolish the CTC and devolve its powers and duties to the county governing body;
- Adds ethics and residency requirements for CTC members, officials, and employees, under the provisions of the State Ethics Act;
- Creates a pothole mitigation remediation program funded by the Infrastructure Maintenance Trust Fund;
- Exempts certain purchases for road construction projects from the procurement code; and
- States that if local money is used to fund a project to improve the state highway system that is on the SCDOT priority list, then SCDOT must reprioritize the next project within that county that is also on the priority list.
Unemployment Insurance Tax Code → Business Personal Property Tax
S. 688, as originally introduced, would impact the South Carolina Department Employment and Workforce (DEW) Unemployment Insurance tax code.
Status: The House struck all the language in S. 688 and inserted the language of H. 5006, a bill dealing with business personal property tax that would exempt the first $10,000 of business personal property tax for small businesses in South Carolina. The language also would streamline the filing process by requiring that all returns for business personal property be filed with the South Carolina Department of Revenue (DOR). This language is an SCAC policy position.
S. 688 is now enrolled for ratification after the House and Senate adopted the conference report that includes both the business personal property tax language and the DEW language.
Property Tax After Death
H. 3841, R. 183 would allow a property receiving the owner-occupied ratio to continue to do so after the property owner’s death until the decedent’s estate is closed, upon recording or deed of distribution, or after Dec. 31 of the year following the date of death, whichever occurs first. This provision applies only if the property is not rented.
Status: The bill is now enrolled for ratification after the House agreed with the Senate’s technical amendment updating the effective date.
Heirs’ Property
H. 4477, R. 197 would allow a one-time transfer of property to qualified family members to clear the title of heirs’ property without it counting as a taxable transfer of interest.
Status: The bill is now enrolled for ratification after the House agreed with the Senate’s technical amendment.
Municipal Capital Project Sales Tax
S. 866 would authorize cities in Greenville, Oconee and Beaufort counties to impose a 1% municipal sales tax, subject to a referendum. At least 20% of the revenue must be used for property tax relief with the remaining revenue available to be used for transportation, infrastructure, parking lots or garages, core local government services, administration buildings, civic centers, police stations, fire stations, or any combination of the above projects. The tax could be imposed for up to eight years and could be reimposed for up to an additional seven years.
Cities in Beaufort County could hold a sales tax referendum in 2028 if a county-wide referendum fails this year. The authority is not extended to any city in the other 43 counties. SCAC worked with several senators this session to limit this authority to the cities in the above three counties.
Status: The bill is now enrolled for ratification after the House gave S. 866 second and third readings this week.
Investment Funds
S. 420 would allow a qualified retiree post-employment benefit trust to invest in notes, bonds, debentures, or other debt instruments issued by a U.S. corporation, if the instruments are rated in general categories by no fewer than two nationally recognized credit rating organizations. The House adopted a committee amendment to change how investment instruments are rated and to require political subdivisions to take reasonable steps if the investments are downgraded in the future. The amendment also requires that assets invested pursuant to this must be separately accounted for and shall not be commingled with other funds of the political subdivision for the purpose of investment authority.
Status: The bill is now enrolled for ratification after the Senate agreed with the House amendment.
Abandoned Buildings Tax Credit
S. 853 was filed in response to a revenue ruling by DOR requiring that buildings eligible for the tax credit be income-producing.
Status: The House amended the bill to prohibit DOR from granting final approval of applications for the low-income housing exemption provided for in Section 12-37-220(B)(11)(e). DOR must hold any application filed after June 30, 2026, in abeyance. This prohibition does not apply to an application with respect to property owned entirely by a nonprofit housing corporation or instrumentality that satisfies the safe harbor provisions of Revenue Procedure 96-32. This prohibition expires June 30, 2027, and gives the General Assembly time to fix the current loophole in the law regarding the low-income housing property tax exemption, which is an SCAC policy position.
The bill now is enrolled for ratification after the Senate agreed with the above House amendment.
Communication Service Providers
H. 5122 would exempt from sales tax certain items sold to or used by internet access service providers and communications service providers. The Senate amended the bill to clarify that the exemption does not apply to data centers whose energy usage exceeds 50 megawatts. The Senate also removed a provision to change the definition of “taxpayer” to include a person who bears a relationship to the taxpayer as described in Section 267(b) of the Internal Revenue Code and gave the bill third reading.
Status: The bill now is enrolled for ratification after the House agreed with the Senate amendments.
| | Land Use, Natural Resources and Transportation | | |
Mobile Home Zoning
H. 5113 would prohibit local governments from preventing the continued lawful but nonconforming use of property when a pre-existing manufactured or mobile home is replaced with a new one. The replacement home must be no more than five years old. The county may prevent such use under limited circumstances.
Status: The Senate amended the bill to require the replacement home for one destroyed by a weather occurrence to meet federal and local flood elevation standards and building codes.
At SCAC’s request, the Senate also amended H. 5113 to include the language of H. 4246, which would allow the creation of joint residential improvement districts between counties and municipalities upon the consent of both governing bodies, an SCAC policy position.
The bill now is enrolled for ratification after the House agreed with the Senate amendments.
Utility Relocation During Transportation Projects
H. 3768 would extend the sunset provisions relating to transportation improvement projects in Act 36 of 2019 from July 1, 2026, to July 1, 2032. This act sets forth a system of cost-sharing for relocating utilities during transportation projects.
Status: The House amended the bill this week to clean-up language contained in S. 831, relating to the National Environmental Policy Act process.
The Senate subsequently agreed with the House amendments, and H. 3768 is enrolled for ratification.
Utility Terrain Vehicles (UTVs)
S. 222, R. 133 would provide parameters regarding operation of UTVs on roadways within the state. The Senate amended the bill last week to require a person operating a UTV to be at least 17 years old with a valid driver’s license, increased the maximum speed limit of roads on which UTVs can be operated to up to 55 mph, increased the range of operation to within 10 miles of the address on the registration, and prohibited a modified exhaust system that is louder than its manufactured design. Although a county would be prohibited from imposing any tax or fee on UTVs, counties could require proof of residency for an operation permit sticker. Counties would be allowed to regulate operation of UTVs in unincorporated areas by ordinance.
Status: The House amended S. 222 to require golf cart passengers younger than 12 to wear a fastened safety belt when riding on public streets or highways, except on golf course-owned carts used while playing golf. The amendment also would allow golf carts to operate within one-half mile of certain Division I collegiate athletic events or events at venues holding at least 19,000 people, from three hours before the event until one hour after it ends, if law enforcement is controlling traffic and the golf cart complies with existing requirements. Golf carts operated at night under this provision must have working headlights and taillights.
The bill now is enrolled for ratification after the Senate agreed with the House amendment.
Drone Regulations
H. 4679, R. 198 would establish statewide regulation of drone operation, create criminal penalties, and authorize law enforcement to detain individuals, investigate violations, and confiscate violating drones. Operating a drone in restricted areas would be a misdemeanor, while more serious offenses such as weaponizing a drone, unlawfully surveilling, or smuggling contraband to correctional facilities including county detention centers would be a felony. Exemptions for law enforcement, emergency medical services, military, and agricultural operations are included. The legislation would not apply to employees of any state, county, municipal, or local government agency or department acting withing the scope of their employment or official duties. The Senate adopted a strike and insert amendment, but the language relating to county detention centers mentioned above remains in the bill.
Status: The bill now is enrolled for ratification after the House agreed with the above Senate amendment.
University Campus Events Zoning
S. 832 would prevent a county or municipality from interfering with land use approvals for events held on the campus of a state-supported institution of higher learning based on zoning ordinances or land use classifications. However, the bill would not limit a county or municipality’s authority to enforce safety laws and would make sure nothing could be construed as limiting the authority of a county or municipality to apply and enforce generally applicable regulations. The House amended the bill to add a public comment and appeal process from neighborhood associations and municipalities for these events for college boards.
Status: The bill now is enrolled for ratification after the Senate agreed with the House amendment.
| | Public Safety, Judicial and Corrections | | |
Coroners’ Disposition of Remains
H. 4188, R. 191 would allow coroners to release unclaimed remains to another family member of the deceased when the next of kin of the deceased is charged in connection with the death or is otherwise uncooperative in claiming the remains. The bill also would allow the coroner to cremate unidentified remains 30 days after the date of death or date of discovery and allow the remains to be buried or interred in a cemetery in the county where the remains were found.
Status: The bill now is enrolled for ratification after the House agreed with a Senate amendment that would define when a body is unidentified versus unclaimed.
Evictions
H. 4270, R. 194 would require that personal information in filings and records on a defendant—who was subject to eviction or ejection, when the case was resolved by settlement or subsequent payment that satisfied any debt—must be removed from the public records five years after the final disposition if no additional filing is recorded. The Senate amended the bill to increase the time frame from five years to seven years and added that if there are no additional eviction filings during the seven-year period, filings and records must be removed from public records.
Status: The bill now is enrolled for ratification after the House agreed with the above Senate amendment.
Magistrates Court Representation
H. 3335 would authorize a housing authority to designate a non-attorney to represent them in magistrate court.
Status: The bill now is enrolled for ratification after the House agreed with the Senate’s technical amendment.
Juvenile Fingerprints
H. 5120 would require the Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) to fingerprint and photograph juveniles admitted to any secure facility operated by the agency and send these to the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division. The fingerprints must be kept separate from adults’ fingerprint records. Additionally, DJJ is required to provide reports of assaults on school employees or volunteers to the principal of the school where the student is currently enrolled.
Status: The bill now is enrolled for ratification after the House agreed with the Senate amendment to include volunteers.
Seizure First Aid Pamphlets
S. 935 would require state agencies, counties, and other political subdivisions to post a pamphlet on rendering seizure first aid to those who have suffered a seizure in the workplace. The Department of Public Health must create this informational pamphlet and post it on its website for use by the above entities.
Status: The House recalled S. 935 out of committee, gave the bill second and third readings, and the bill is enrolled for ratification.
| | County Government and Intergovernmental Relations | | |
Poll Workers’ Pay
H. 3551, R. 176 would exempt certain compensation paid to poll managers and clerks of elections from gross income for income tax purposes and for purposes of the South Carolina Retirement System, an SCAC policy position. The Senate amended the bill to apply the provisions to tax years beginning after 2025.
Status: The bill is now enrolled for ratification after the House agreed with the above Senate amendment.
Protection of Monuments and Memorials
S. 508 would prohibit local governments from relocating, removing, or disturbing certain monuments and memorials. The bill requires, among other things, plaques and markers to be removed prior to the demolition of a government structure and exempts a government entity that temporarily relocates or removes a monument or memorial, including road dedication signs, for construction projects as long as it is returned to its original location or close to its original location on project completion. Violations of prohibited actions, such as removing or altering certain monuments, are limited to “reasonable costs.”
Additionally, amending monuments or memorials to a dedicated class of people, such as the names of fallen soldiers, police, and first responders, are not required to come before the General Assembly for approval and QR codes can be used only for living memorials to update such items as deaths in the line of duty. Any transportation-related project that changes a historical name or provision protected under the bill will not count as a renaming or rededication and does not require legislative approval if the change is incidental to the project and not primarily intended to remove a protected name. Affinity organizations also are required to give notice of at least 90 days before filing any civil actions for violations to allow local governments to fix a damaged or destroyed monument. Damages in a civil action are limited to only the reasonable amount necessary to restore, repair, or replace any damaged or destroyed monument or memorial. A prevailing plaintiff under any cause of action may recover reasonable attorney's fees and court costs.
Status: The House and Senate disagreed with the language in the bill, and S. 508 was referred to a conference committee. The conference committee removed the provision related to transportation projects, and the bill is enrolled for ratification.
Joint System Governance
S. 829 would allow joint water and wastewater systems to use weighted voting, create member- or governor-appointed commissions with county legislative delegation recommendations, and add a governor-appointed tie-breaking commissioner when needed. The bill also would establish eligibility and conflict of interest rules, require automatic forfeiture for disqualifications or certain convictions, and allow commissions to adjust as new members join. The bill also would permit system reconstitution while protecting existing contracts and strengthening bond security by extending member payment obligations to match the term of issued debt. A Senate Judiciary subcommittee adopted an amendment to centralize financial authority at the commission level to make it easier for a governor-appointed board to issue bonds without local government approval.
Status: The House gave S. 829 second and third readings, and the bill is enrolled for ratification.
Veterans Benefits
S. 695, R. 146 would enact the “South Carolina Safeguarding American Veterans’ Benefits Act” to prohibit claim sharks who are not federally accredited by the Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) from charging veterans for helping file their benefit claims. The bill, as amended, would clarify what constitutes excessive or unreasonable fees from those accredited by the DVA and what should be included in agreements between veterans and those offering to help them receive their benefits. The House amended the bill to increase the cap on compensation from $9,500 to $12,500.
Status: The bill now is enrolled for ratification after the Senate agreed with the above House amendments.
Hospital Beds
H. 5164 and S. 958 would create building and fire code exceptions for the placement of hospital beds in hallways during emergencies. A designated member of the hospital’s leadership team must make the decision to authorize hallway beds in justified emergencies.
Status: The Senate amended H. 5164 to add the language from S. 170, which adopts and implements policies for licensed facilities to prevent exposure to surgical smoke and to put tighter regulations on hospitals, before giving H. 5164 second and third readings. The Senate receded from its language to include the language from S. 170.
The House adopted a strike and insert amendment to add the original language from H. 5164 into S. 958 before giving S. 958 second and third readings. The House then agreed with the Senate amendment, and the bill is enrolled for ratification.
| | Other Statewide Bills of Interest | | |
Sales Tax Exemption for Emergency Services IP Network
H. 5093 would exempt service contracts for Emergency Services IP Network from sales tax in support of “Next Generation 911” in South Carolina. The Senate amended the bill to add the definition of “taxpayer” to include a person who bears a relationship to the taxpayer as described in Section 267(b) of the Internal Revenue Code, giving the bill third reading and returning it to the House for consideration of the amendments. The House amended the bill to take out the language the Senate added to H. 5093, but the Senate voted to nonconcur with the House amendments.
Status: The conference committee removed provisions regarding charging sales tax on credit insurance and provisions of H. 4303 relating to the tax rates on heated cigarettes previously added by the House. The bill is enrolled for ratification following the adoption of the conference report.
Codification of Sine Die
S. 238, R. 127 would codify circumstances under which the General Assembly may reconvene after adjourning sine die on the second Thursday in May each year. If the House fails to give third reading to the general appropriations bill by March 31, the sine die date would be extended by one day for each day of delay. For the purposes of the Administrative Procedures Act, the time period that the legislature has to review state regulations would be from the second Friday in May through the second Monday in January.
The House passed S. 238 on Thursday, sending the bill to the Senate. The Senate further amended the bill to clarify that if the general appropriations bill is not completed by sine die, the president of the Senate or the speaker of the House may call their respective chambers back into session at any time through the last day in June. The General Assembly also may complete matters relating to any conference committees appointed on or before the date of sine die adjournment during this time.
Status: The bill is now enrolled for ratification after the House agreed with the Senate amendment.
Legislative Pay Increase
S. 933 would give legislators a legislative compensation and an in-district legislative service allowance totaling $47,500. Every member’s salary would be adjusted every two years for inflation, and the earnable compensation for purposes of calculating benefits within the General Assembly Retirement System is limited to only the members’ salaries.
Status: The House amended the bill to give current members of the General Assembly the opportunity to either opt-in to the pay raise or keep their current salary. The bill now is enrolled for ratification after the Senate agreed with the House amendment.
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Bills That Haven't Yet Passed
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Accommodations Tax Collections
H. 3876 would update the process of collecting and remitting accommodations taxes, with an emphasis on providing guidance when third-party platforms or other online booking services are involved to ensure that all accommodations taxes are remitted to local governments, an SCAC policy position. The Senate Finance Committee amended the bill to allow property owners to determine the merchant of record.
Status: H. 3876 remains on the Senate contested calendar.
County Veterans Affairs Officers
H. 3510 would require the secretary of the DVA to appoint a veterans affairs officer for each county. The bill also requires the General Assembly to provide funding for two full-time employees in each office and ensures that the bill does not create an unfunded mandate. This is an SCAC policy position.
Status: H. 3510 remains on the Senate contested calendar.
Tort Reform
H. 4544 would amend the definition of “occurrence” to add, “for purposes of this chapter, where multiple acts or omissions constituting negligence occur without a break in the causal chain, and result in substantially the same injury, harm, or damages, such acts or omissions shall be deemed a single occurrence, regardless of whether committed by one or more individuals or entities.”
The bill as amended also would raise the existing caps on damages found in the Tort Claims Act from $300,000 per individual to $600,000 per individual arising from a single occurrence and from $600,000 per occurrence to $1.2 million per occurrence.
S. 922, as originally introduced, would create more oversight for gubernatorial appointment vacancies when the Senate is not in session.
Status: The House amended S. 922 by striking the appointment language and inserting the language from H. 4544. The House then gave S. 922, with the tort reform language, second and third readings. The Senate amended the bill removing the provisions of H. 4544 and changing the bill’s effective date to January 13, 2027, before sending the bill back to the House. The House objected to immediate consideration of S. 922, and the bill was placed on the House calendar.
Business Personal Property Tax → Homestead Exemption → Low-Income Housing Exemption Reporting
As discussed in the passed bills section above, the provisions of H. 5006 to exempt the first $10,000 of business personal property tax for small businesses were included as a part of S. 688. Last week, the Senate amended H. 5066 to add the language from S. 125—the low-income housing tax exemption reporting bill and S. 768—the bill to increase the homestead exemption, both SCAC policy positions.
Status: The original H. 5006, with the amendments above, was recommitted back to the House Judiciary Committee this week.
| Bills In Conference Committee | | |
DUI Reform
S. 52, the omnibus DUI reform bill, would overhaul the penalties for people convicted of driving under the influence. As passed by the Senate, the bill would create a centralized magistrate court and establish new jury areas within each county. Under the House version of the bill, many structural reform components were removed such as the establishment of a centralized prosecution system under the control of solicitors, new jury areas within each county, and the requirement that clerks of court forward arrest warrants or charging documents to their respective circuit solicitor.
Status: This week, the House voted to nonconcur with the Senate amendments to the bill, sending S.52 to a conference committee. The conferees are Reps. Jeff Johnson, Robby Robbins, and Seth Rose and Sens. Greg Hembree, Brian Adams and Deon Tedder.
HALO Act
H. 4763 would create the Helping Alleviate Lawful Obstruction (HALO) Act, which would make it a misdemeanor offense to obstruct a first responder or emergency medical care provider performing their official duties, an SCAC policy position. The first responder or emergency medical care provider must first warn the obstructer to remove themselves at least 25 feet away. The offense would be punishable by a fine of no more than $500 and imprisonment for no more than 60 days. The Senate adopted an amendment striking changes made by the House and restoring language previously passed by the Senate. It adopted additional amendments that add health care workers to the list of workers that may not be interfered with while performing their official duties; adds certified emergency medical service workers to the defined list of first responders; replaces the 25-foot distance requirement to “a reasonable distance;” and removes harassment from the list of potential violations.
Status: The House voted to nonconcur in the Senate amendments, and the bill will head to conference committee. The members are Reps. Case Brittain, Weston Newton and Beth Bernstein, and Sens. Brian Adams, Josh Kimbrell and Overture Walker.
Statement of Economic Interests
H. 3570 would, among other things, remove the chief administrative official or employee of each political subdivision including, but not limited to, school districts, libraries, regional planning councils, airport commissions, hospitals, community action agencies, water and sewer districts, and development commissions from the list of people required to file a statement of economic interest. County managers, county administrators, county supervisors, and chief county administrative officials or employees are still required to file a statement of economic interest.
Status: The Senate amended the bill, and the House voted to nonconcur with the Senate amendments. H. 3570 will head to conference committee. The conferees are Reps. Brandon Newton, Jeff Johnson and David Weeks and Sens. Sean Bennett, Josh Kimbrell and Jeffrey Graham.
Paid Parental Leave
S. 11 would expand the qualifications for paid parental leave for eligible South Carolina state employees and would add stillbirths as a covered event. The bill also would increase leave for non-birthing parents or adoption caregivers from two weeks to four weeks and would take effect for all events occurring after Oct. 1, 2026.
Status: The House and Senate disagreed with the language between the two versions of the bill, and S. 11 will head to a conference committee. The conferees are Reps. Nathan Ballentine, Neal Collins and Gilda Cobb-Hunter and Sens. Tom Davis, Mike Gambrell and Margie Bright-Matthews.
Sine Die Resolution
S. 883 would allow the House and Senate to meet after adjourning on sine die if necessary to consider specific matters, including the budget. This week, the Senate insisted on their amendments to S. 883 after the House had amended the bill last week (see the May 8 Friday Report). The bill will head to conference committee. The members are Reps. Micah Caskey, Weston Newton and Todd Rutherford. The Senate did not appoint conferees before adjourning sine die.
U.S.-Produced Iron and Steel
H. 4709 would require a public entity entering a contract or purchasing materials for a public works project to include a requirement that any iron or steel product permanently incorporated in the project be produced in the United States. The Senate amended the bill to clarify that the requirement does not apply to repairs undertaken in response to an emergency affecting public health, safety, or property and would exempt bonds administered or awarded by the State Housing Finance and Development Authority or state tax credits from the legislation.
The Senate further amended the bill to allow the head of a public procurement unit to file an investigative report with the State Fiscal Accountability Authority seeking a waiver from the bill’s requirements if documentation shows that the price of steel produced in the United States is greater than steel procured from a foreign origin.
Status: The House voted to nonconcur with the Senate amendments, and the bill will head to a conference committee.
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