This week at the State House

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This week House committees will be considering S.954 (which prohibits the Public Service Commission from approving the SCANA/Dominion merger and V.C. Summer abandonment before the end of the year) and S.955 (a joint resolution instructing PURC to resume PSC candidate screening). Click here to read our analysis of these bills. Also in a Senate committee this week is S.516 – a gun regulatory bill lengthening the waiting period for background checks from three days to five (among other things). On Wednesday, South Carolina Supreme Court Justice Donald Beatty will address the House and Senate on the state of the Judiciary. This will be at 12:00pm (click here to stream). A number of bills and issues covered in our annual publication Best & Worst of the General Assembly 2017 are on the House and Senate floor calendars. Those bills are color-coded according to their status in Best & Worst and linked to the appropriate page. To view this week's calendar online, click here. Who's feeding your lawmakers this week? •Clemson University and the Clemson University Foundation •South Carolina Baptist Convention •SC State Alumni Association On the House and Senate Floor: House: •H.4795 – Special exemption from certain regulations for auction at annual Hilton Head Island Concours D’Elegance (recalled from committee) •H.3064 – Regulations for dispensing hormonal contraceptives without prescription •H.3722 – Bond bill (SCPC analysis here and here) •S.105 – Automatic stay on agency decisions in administrative law court •H.4380 – Ratepayer refund for V.C. Summer costs (SCPC analysis) •H.4376 – Santee Cooper “reform” (SCPC analysis) •H.4618 – Reduces number of car sales a dealer must make before he’s issued a dealer plate (SCPC analysis) •H.4596 – “Competency-based schools” may apply for certain regulatory exemptions •H.3622 – Expanding scope of practice for podiatrists (SCPC analysis) •H.3565 – Removes automatic stay for a permitting decision if contested •H.3867 – Nonprofit property tax exemptions if it houses low-income residents Senate: •H.3929 – DHEC permitting of agricultural facilities – SPECIAL ORDER •H.4977 – Enabling legislation for joint ticket for governor and lt. governor candidates •S.534 – Creating pilot district accountability models (standards for kids to meet Profile of the SC Graduate) •Five remaining budget vetoes – (SCPC analysis) •S.137 – Making superintendent of education appointed by governor (SCPC analysis) •S.324 – Retired officials can carry concealed anywhere (similar to H.3025 – SCPC analysis) •H.3886 – Additional regulations for homeowners associations •S.148 – Additional fee for magistrate court civil filings •S.866 – Repeals tax credits for geothermal machinery •S. 805 – Creates the Department of Children’s Advocacy •S. 889 – Capital Project Sales Tax Act (SCPC analysis) •S.934 – Procurement exemption for Medical University of South Carolina •H.3427 – Computer Science Education Initiative Tuesday - 2/27/18 House committee meetings •Judiciary Committee ◦S.954 – Prohibits PSC from approving the SCANA/Dominion merger and V.C. Summer abandonment before the end of the year (SCPC analysis) Senate committee meetings •Senate budget hearings •Finance Committee ◦S. 412 – Community Development Corporations and Financial Institutions ◦S.1038 – Capital Projects Sales Tax Act ◦S. 725 – Salaries of S.C. Constitutional Officers •Judiciary subcommittee ◦S.516 – Expands background check laws for firearm purchases Wednesday - 2/28/18 State of the Judiciary – joint session, 12pm (click here to stream) Joint Bond Review Committee •University of South Carolina proposed lease •Permanent improvement project requests House committee meetings •Labor, Commerce and Industry subcommittee ◦S.955 – Joint resolution instructing PURC to resume PSC candidate screening (SCPC analysis) •Education and Public Works subcommittee ◦H.4511 – Increases fines for trains blocking road Senate committee meetings •Education Committee ◦Appointment to SC Public Charter School District Board of Trustees ◦H.3513 – Retired Educator Teaching Certificates •Judiciary subcommittee ◦S. 928 – Special purpose districts can give art to non-profits Thursday - 3/1/18 House committee meetings •Medical, Military, Public and Municipal Affairs subcommittee ◦H.4495 – Hospitals can’t charge uninsured patients higher fees than those charged to insured patients Senate committee meetings •Budget hearings •Medical Affairs Committee ◦S.891 – Hospitals must show video about safe sleep practices to new parents ◦S.345 – Amending what may be done by nurse practitioners and registered nurses