The Weekly Rewind: Week of April 14th

*** 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. **

H. 4679 “South Carolina Drone Regulation And Public Safety Act”

The House has passed, and sent to the Senate, H. 4679, the “South Carolina Drone Reg-ulation and Public Safety Act.” This pending legislation was referred to the Senate Transportation Committee. It would establish guidelines for unmanned aircraft system (i.e., drone) operations within FAA regulations under 14 CFR Part 107, as well as any related or successor provisions, statewide. Among other things, it sets out proposed definitions for critical infrastructure fenced facilities, unmanned aircraft vehicles, drones, commercial drone operators, recreational drone operators, controlled airspace, emergency response sites, correctional facilities, large live events, military installa-tions, operating a drone, takeoff and landing sites, weaponize, and other relevant terms for setting out the duties of these drone operators as well as a range of penalties violators would suffer for failing to properly operate these devices on the Statehouse grounds, at other specified sites, and at these events.

Violators would be subject to penalties ranging from up to thirty days in jail, or $1,000 in fines, to up to fifteen years in jail or fines of up to $50,000 depending upon whether the nature of their unlawful drone use was a misdemeanor or felony offense. Law en-forcement seizures of these devices would also be allowed in this current version.

However, any drone operator complying with applicable federal law—but not at criti-cal infrastructure sites without authority to do so–, as well as law enforcement offi-cials, emergency responders, military personnel, government employees using these devices on official government business, utility providers and their agents providing essential services, FAA-authorized commercial drone operations, and state-approved research and agricultural uses would be exempt from these prohibitions.

H. 4706 Legally Noisy Racing Facilities

H. 4706, relating to permitted racing facility noises, has gone to the Senate after pass-ing the House this week. The Senate referred this bill to its Judiciary Committee. In its current version, specified racing facilities could not be sued or reported by surround-ing landowners who purchased their property after the facility was built, or it has made reasonable progress on construction after appropriate permits have been issued. This protection would be limited to a three-mile radius.

As amended in committee, these facilities would have to make reasonable progress toward being built within two years after being permitted. In addition, as amended this current version would still allow law enforcement or government entities to be able to commence nuisance actions against facilities engaging in prohibited activities unrelated to the lawful construction and operation of the racing facility.

H. 5401 Certified Electronic Monitoring Companies

The last Judiciary Committee bill passed by the House this week and sent to the Senate was H. 5401. In its current version, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division would be empowered to pass any necessary regulations to underpin a new offense of failing to be a certified electronic or mobile phone applications provider of electronic monitoring devices. It also sets out that anyone misrepresenting the certification of their devises or applications to courts, bondsmen, government agencies, would face up to $3,000 in fines, or up to three years in jail. In addition, violations would be reported to the SC Department of Insurance to then determine how that violation affects a vio-lating entity’s licensing status.

H. 4248 Shrimp or Shrimp Products

The House gave third reading to H. 4248 and sent it to the Senate. The bill requires all commercial establishments serving shrimp or shrimp products to clearly label the country of origin. Violations of this requirement will be enforced by the South Caroli-na Department of Agriculture.

H. 5217 Deer Tags

The House gave third reading and sent to the Senate H. 5217, legislation dealing with the purchase of deer tags, was given a favorable recommendation by the committee. In an effort to reduce the deer population, the legislation increases, from two to three, the number of antlerless deer tags and decreases, from three to two, the number of antlered deer tags given with the purchase of a hunting license and a big game permit. This provision does not affect the ability to purchase additional tags.

S. 463 Safety of Public Boat Landings on Lakes Owned by SC Public Service Author-ity

The House gave third reading and enrolled for ratification S. 463, relating to the safety of public boat landings on lakes owned by South Carolina Public Service Authority, specifically Lakes Moultrie and Marion. The Public Service Authority owned lakes were added to the current law that states it is unlawful for a person to swim within fifty feet of a public boat landing or ramp, if the landing or ramp is clearly marked with signage prohibiting swimming.

H. 5111 Public Water System Connections

The House approved the Committee’s amendment, gave third reading and sent to the Senate H. 5111, a bill addressing public water system connections. The bill provides that a political subdivision may not adopt, enforce, or maintain an ordinance, resolu-tion, regulation, or rule that prohibits or unreasonably restricts the drilling, servicing, repair, installation, operation, or maintenance of a private water well on agricultural or single-family residential property of at least one-half acre. Property owners who use a private well while also connected to a public water system must install appropri-ate backflow prevention devices, which must be inspected and approved by the water provider. In addition, property owners are required to register the well with the polit-ical subdivision. The bill does not apply to public or community wells and it does not permit disconnection from an existing public water system.

H. 5473 Fishing Prohibited on Certain Bridges

The House gave third reading and sent to the Senate H. 5473, a bill which prohibits fishing on certain bridges, specifically named the J. Foster Jeffords Causeway in Flor-ence County. The bill outlines penalties for violation.

S. 337 Blue Catfish Limits

The House approved the committee’s amendment, gave third reading and returned to Senate with amendments S. 337, legislation dealing with blue catfish limits. The legis-lation outlines that it is unlawful to possess more than twenty-five blue catfish a day in Lake Marion, Lake Moultrie, the section of the Pee Dee River from the state border with North Carolina to the Highway 301 bridge, and the upper reach of the Santee River, and it is unlawful to possess more than one-hundred-fifty blue catfish a day in all other state waterways. It further states that it is unlawful to possess more than two blue catfish greater than thirty-two inches in length in any one day in Lake Marion, Lake Moultrie, the upper reach of the Santee River, the section of the Pee Dee River from the state border with North Carolina to the Highway 301 bridge, and the Con-garee and Wateree rivers.

H. 5069 Long-Term Land Protection

The House gave third reading and sent to the Senate H. 5069, a bill that creates priority for a long-term land protection goal for the state beyond the current 3.4 million acres to seven million acres by 2050 under the “South Carolina Protected Lands and Conser-vation Coordination Act.” The bill continues the coordination of land protection ef-forts and requires annual reporting to the General Assembly. It also codifies practices already being carried out by certain state agencies.

S. 32 “Pregnancy Resource Act”

The House approved S. 32, the “Pregnancy Resource Act,” and enrolled the bill for rat-ification. The legislation establishes an income tax credit, not to exceed fifty percent of total tax liability, for those who make voluntary cash contributions to an eligible chari-table organization that is a pregnancy resource center, crisis pregnancy center, mater-nity home, or residential program for human trafficking victims which provides ser-vices for: the prevention and diversion of children from custody with the Department of Social Services; the safety, care, and well-being of children in custody of the De-partment of Social Services; the express purpose of creating permanency for children through adoption; the prevention of abuse, neglect, abandonment, exploitation, or trafficking of children; or the provision of assistance related to carrying a pregnancy to term, preventing abortion, and promoting healthy childbirth. The legislation is sched-uled to sunset at the end of 2030.

H. 4611 State Employee Paid Parental Leave for Stillbirths

The House approved and sent the Senate H. 4611, a bill addressing state employee paid parental leave for stillbirths. The legislation revises state employee paid parental leave provisions to specify that paid parental leave applies to stillbirths.

H. 5173 Rural Emergency Hospitals

The House approved and sent the Senate H. 5173, a bill addressing Rural Emergency Hospitals. The legislation revises state law provisions to accommodate federal provi-sions establishing Rural Emergency Hospitals as a new Medicare provider type desig-nation created to respond to rural hospital closures and give rural communities greater access to healthcare.

H. 3771 Marine Survey Requirements

The House amended, approved, and sent the Senate H. 3771, a bill establishing marine survey requirements. The legislation requires an owner of a boat that is anchored in the waters of this state for more than fourteen days to obtain a marine survey on his watercraft indicating that it is seaworthy and functions as intended. Penalties are es-tablished for noncompliance. After twenty-one days of noncompliance, a watercraft is considered abandoned.

S. 585 Safeguarding American Families Everywhere (SAFE) Act

S. 585, after a report of favorable with amendments, was given second reading, with third reading on Friday April 17, 2026. The bill would provide applications for motor vehicle registrations must include language allowing applicants to voluntarily indicate they or their family members have been diagnosed with certain disabilities or disor-ders, and to require the Department of Motor Vehicles to include the designation “SAFE” (Safeguarding American Families Everywhere) in the motor vehicle’s records. The application form for motor vehicle registration must include language allowing an applicant to voluntarily indicate that he has been diagnosed with, or is the parent or legal guardian of a child or ward who has been diagnosed with, any of the following disabilities or disorders by a licensed physician: autism; attention deficit hyperactivity disorder; down syndrome; Alzheimer’s disease; traumatic brain injury; posttraumatic stress disorder; diabetes; an autoimmune disorder; deafness; blindness; or any other mentally or physically limiting disorder. The Department must allow a motor vehicle owner or co-owner to update a motor vehicle registration to include or remove the “SAFE” designation at any time. Amendments added autism and that “no cause of ac-tion may arise, nor may liability be imposed against any person, government entity, or government entity officer, agent, or employee arising from any action taken by any person in reliance upon information indicated on a person’s driver’s license” — lan-guage to protect law enforcement.

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