The Weekly Rewind: Week of February 10th

*** This week’s Floor Actions of the SC House of Representatives, prepared by staff. Should you have any questions about my votes on these bills, or would like additional information, please contact my office at (803) 734-2969. **

House Floor Actions

H. 5006 State of South Carolina Small Business Tax Cut of 2026

The House of Representatives amended, approved, and sent the Senate H. 5006, the “State of South Carolina Small Business Tax Cut of 2026.” This bill establishes a property tax exemption for the first $10,000 of net depreciated value of business personal property owned by a small business. The property tax exemption applies to each of the state’s independently owned and operated small businesses that employs fewer than one hundred full-time employees or has gross annual sales of less than ten million dollars. A taxpayer who submits a form, on an annual basis, to the Department of Revenue certifying that he has less than ten thousand dollars of net depreciated value of business personal property is not required to pay business personal property taxes or file the pertinent tax returns. The legislation provides that all business personal property required to be returned for ad valorem taxation must be returned to the Department of Revenue, and that the property is subject to the tax imposed by the taxing jurisdiction in which the property is situated. The legislation revises provisions governing the license tax on corporations to provide that a corporation whose corporate headquarters is in South Carolina may exclude the first fifty million dollars of equity contributions from a qualifying source from its paid-in or capital surplus subject to the annual license fee. To qualify for this exclusion, the corporation must obtain certification from the South Carolina Research Authority that the exclusions result from equity contributions from a qualifying source, such as a venture capital fund, an angel investor, and a private investment firm that does not solicit capital from investors, excluding another qualifying entity or the general public, and meets one of the exemptions outlined in the Investment Company Act of 1940. Reporting and record keeping requirements are included for a corporation claiming this exclusion. The legislation also revises provisions establishing standards of conduct of a corporate officer to provide an exception that relates to refraining from competing.

H. 4511 Online Service by Publication in Real Estate and Probate Court Cases

The House has passed, and sent to the Senate, H. 4511, pending legislation to revise service by publication in real estate litigation as well as for providing notice to creditors in Probate Court estate filings. The Senate has assigned this bill to its Judiciary Committee.

In mortgage foreclosure, quiet title, and partition lawsuits, service by publication on unidentified or unlocated parties could be conducted in either the print or online editions of local newspapers. In probate court cases, notice to creditors would have to be published in a print newspaper of general circulation in that county and included in its online edition, if one is available. An additional venue for publishing these creditors notices could be on a centralized South Carolina Probate Court website. No extra costs would be charged for placing these notices in any online editions or on specified websites.

H. 4755 Judicial Merit Selection Commission Membership Appointments and Operations.

The House has passed H. 4755 a proposal to revamp Judicial Merit Selection Commission Membership Appointments and Operations. It has been delivered to the Senate, which has assigned this bill to its Judiciary Committee for more review and deliberation.

Under the provisions contained in its current version, Judicial Merit Selection Commission [JMSC] staffing, and the appointment process for commission members, would be performed by the Governor. General Assembly members, as well as their specified family members, would not be able to serve on it. However, former members who have been out of office for two years could qualify to serve.

At least eight commission members would have to be lawyers in good standing with the South Carolina Bar. Up to four members could have connections to law enforcement. Also, Commission membership qualifications could not consider race, sex, gender, sexual preference, color, religion, national origin, diversity, equity, and inclusion criteria when selecting commission members.

Commission findings that a candidate is unqualified would have to be supported by clear and convincing evidence, supported by verifiable evidence or sworn testimony. Any Commission reports would have to set out a detailed basis for finding any candidate unqualified.

Anyone wanting to testify at JMSC public hearings about candidates would have to file a notice of their intention to do so seventy-two hours before the hearing. Current law requires two-week notices. Hearing transcripts would be provided at no cost.

If the JMSC fails to meet or otherwise perform its duties, then all candidates who have filed timely notices of candidacy and completed an initial background investigation would be deemed qualified to serve. When JMSC does perform its role, it would no longer be limited as to how many candidates for a specific seat it finds to be qualified, and nominates, to serve. Under its current version, it would become effective July 1, 2027.

The House gave third reading and sent to the Senate H. 4586, a bill that adds the newest branch, United States Space Force, to the military armed forces definition list. As a result, the Space Force members and families receive the same treatment as the members of other military branches.

The House gave third reading and sent to the Senate H. 4188, legislation dealing with coroners and the disposition of unidentified or unclaimed remains. The bill states that unclaimed or unidentified remains may be cremated based on the date of death or the date the remains are discovered. It also authorizes the coroner to release the remains to another family member when the legal next of kin is charged in connection with the death or is otherwise uncooperative in claiming the remains.

The House gave third reading to H. 4635 and sent it to the Senate. H. 4635 allows fitness service providers to use electronic notification as an approved method to inform customers about the automatic renewal of their fitness service contracts.

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Source: https://nathansnews.com/2026/02/the-weekly-rewind-week-of-february-10th/