The Weekly Rewind: Week of April 21st

*** 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. 5201 Safe Schools Act Of 2026

H. 5201 was given second reading, with third reading the next legislative day Friday April 24, 2026. The bill would establish a multi-jurisdictional school safety task force, to require school districts to develop multi-hazard emergency operation plans, to provide for certified school safety assessments and required live drills, and to provide oversight and technical assistance by S.L.E.D.

S. 454 Charter Schools

The Senate version of S. 454 amends charter school law by redefining key terms, including replacing “sponsor” with “authorizer,” and enhancing accountability measures. It requires disclosure of audits and management contracts, expands application content requirements, and mandates governance standards for authorizers. The bill establishes procedures for public hearings, removal of board members under specified conditions, and appeals to the administrative law court. It also permits termination of authorizer contracts, assigns oversight responsibilities to the Department of Education, and clarifies that applicable regulations extend to new authorizers and charter schools.
The House struck and inserted new language:

Administration & Governance
The definition of authorizer are further defined specifically and to include “higher education authorizer” “statewide authorizer” and “local authorizer.” Voting procedures for charter committee elections are clarified. Information specific to school sponsored by traditional districts is included. This includes leadership and financial information. In addition to declining applications for schools who applicant is on the district board of trustees authorizers must also decline applications if a member serves on the state board of education or the education oversight committee. In addition to prohibitions on serving on multiple boards, individuals may not serve as an employee or board member of a charter school or charter school foundation if they or an immediate family member are a board member of a charter schools authorizer. Members of the general assembly in immediate families may not serve on the board of either an authorizer or school and may not have any ownership in any entity that is established to operate or lease property to a school. Actions to be taken prior to charter contract renewal are specified. The ability of local school districts to appeal the granting of a charter is removed.

Operations & Process
The failure to timely hold charter committee elections will result in charter revocation. The school leader or a certified substitute must be physically present on the school premises each school day. Operations governance and finance authorizers are specifically required to review school’s enrollment procedures and ensure compliance. SDE is to establish transfer protocols if an authorizer closes. Regarding replications, existing schools wanting to expand beyond their current location must apply for replication. Unsatisfactory schools may not become alternative education campuses (AEC) authorizers must review the performance of existing AECs may revoke charters of certain conditions are not met.

Finance & Contracts
A charter school must obtain approval from his authorizer before entering into an agreement to borrow funds. Authorizers may not contract with schools for services other over which the authorizer has direct oversight and may not influence the selection of vendors. They may not base the approval of a contract on the purchase of services and may not receive compensation from a school they authorize. Local authorizers are to review their schools annual budgets and financial statements. Management contracts cannot allow profit sharing with authorizer.

Transparency & Accountability
The transaction register identical to that of traditional schools must be posted online – this includes checks and credit card activity. They are specifically subject to the freedom of information act. SDE is to establish a process for receiving and reviewing complaints regarding schools and authorizers.

Personnel & Compliance
DSS child abuse and neglect and criminal history record checks must be performed for all school personnel board members and individuals who interact with students.

Applications & Requirements
Charter applications must include outcome expectations regarding academics. Additional items are to be included in the charter school application including proposed management organizations and the location of the school. For virtual schools, additional information in the application is required to include student and parent expectations and consequences for failing to follow school policies. SDE is to develop the charter school application, compliance guideline, and evaluations. Specific items for the authorizer applications are included.

Existing authorizers must ensure they are compliant with SDE requirements.

Virtual Schools
Definitions regarding virtual charter schools are added and they may not provide more than 20% of instruction by asynchronous means.

S. 895 Rural Emergency Hospitals

The House gave second reading, with unanimous consent for third reading on the next legislative day, to S. 895. This legislation addresses rural hospital closures and expands access to healthcare by revising the definition of “hospital” under the State Health Facility Licensure Act to include facilities that convert to rural emergency hospitals for purposes of state licensure and Medicare reimbursement.

H. 3924 Hemp-Derived Ingestibles

The House has further amended H. 3924 and returned it to the Senate for its deliberations and action.
In its current version, this bill proposes banning the sale of consumable hemp products as defined in its current version as having a total THC level above 0.4 milligrams per container, and that produces intoxicating or psychoactive reactions when people consume them. Hemp and hemp products are defined as plants and products with delta-9 tetrahydrocannaboid [THC] concentrations of no more than three-tenths of one percent [0.3%] on a dry weight basis.

It also contains an extensive list chemicals in various forms that would be considered to be intoxicating hemp products when they are in the mix. They would be considered to be contraband items, and subject to confiscation by law enforcement. Penalties for manufacturing, distributing, selling, possessing with an intent to distribute them would be the same as for other Schedule I controlled substances. Attempted online sellers of these items would face fines of up to three thousand dollars and/or up to three years in jail.

CBD products could continue to be sold, however, so long as they are not intoxicating or cause psychoactive reactions when consumed.
The State Attorney General, Department of Education, and SLED would work with school districts to notify students, parents, guardians, school personnel, and the public about these changes to state law.

As further amended and sent back to the Senate, this pending legislation would make it unlawful for anyone under the age of twenty-one to possess or ingest– nor could anyone sell or distribute to anyone under twenty-one– any consumable hemp products. Law enforcement could still use anyone under twenty-one to assist with their criminal investigations as it has done for years with underaged alcohol purchase investigations. Sales to underaged customers at licensed premises would bring penalties ranging from two hundred dollars to five hundred dollars and/or thirty days in jail.

In addition, samples could not be handed out in a public right of way, nor displayed without signage, shelf talkers, or stickers on cooler doors telling customers these products contain hemp-derived cannabinoids. In addition, no business manufacturing or selling anything with hemp-derived cannabinoids could be located within one thousand feet of any school, daycare, or similar type location.

These licensed locations also would have to post signage with this warning:

“The possession of a consumable hemp product by a person under twenty-one of age is a criminal offense under the laws of this State, and it is also unlawful for a person to knowingly give false information concerning his age for the purpose of purchasing a consumable hemp product.”

If enacted, law enforcement could only issues warning citations for the first one hundred eighty days it is in effect.

H. 3556 Reforming Primary Protest Procedures

Senate amendments to H. 3556, which would update primary protest procedures, were also deliberated. The House then amended this bill and returned it to the Senate for further action. In this bill’s current version, state executive committees would hear protests and contests in the case of partisan county officers, less than partisan county officers, and partisan municipal officers, and as amended by the House within two weeks of being filed.

Also as amended by the House, municipal general elections would be held in odd-numbered years on designated dates in April or November, with some exceptions. As amended, this bill also applies its provisions to municipal party primaries, conventions, and petition nominations. Municipal election contests would have to be filed by noon on the Monday following the certification of election results. County board of voter registration and elections would conduct and certify election results in municipal elections for populations less than ten thousand citizens.

State executive committees could adopt a resolution to require election protest or contest filers to post a bond with surety for up to $750 to cover the costs of reviewing and hearing any protests. Successful election disputers would be refunded this payment if they are successful. An appeals process for state executive committee decisions would be directly to the South Carolina Supreme Court.

H. 3408 No Foreign Adversary Land Ownership

The House has passed, and sent to the Senate, H. 3408. Under the provisions in its current version, companies owned, in whole or in part, by any federally-determined foreign adversary could not own, lease, possess, or exercise any control over any South Carolina agricultural lands should this bill wind up being enacted.

H. 4270 Erasing Eviction Records

Headed to the Senate, after passing the House this week, is pending legislation to remove past evictions, or actions seeking evictions, of tenants H. 4270. This bill would require all eviction cases five years or older to be purged from public view of any kind. If signed by our governor, it would be effective January 1, 2027.

H. 3047 Illegal Balloon Releases

Also headed to the Senate for its deliberations is pending legislation covering any illegal balloon releases, H. 3047. Adults intentionally releasing, organizing the release of, or intentionally causing the release of balloons –who then fail to retrieve them–could be considered dumping litter on private or public property should this bill be enacted. Violators would face civil citations of fifty dollars, or community service hours picking up litter, or other work. For the first one hundred eight days it is in effect, law enforcement and other citation writers, could only issue written warnings.

H. 5538 “Guarantee Banking Act”

The House approved and sent the Senate H. 5538, the “Guarantee Banking Act.” This bill prohibits financial institutions from discriminating against someone based on: their speech, expression, opinions, association, or exercise of religion that is protected by the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, federal law, or the Constitution or laws of the state of South Carolina; their participation in a lawful economic activity; or, any animus towards a person based on these protected beliefs or activities. Should a financial institution decline to provide someone with full and equal access in the provision of covered financial services, the legislation establishes a protocol for the affected individual to request and obtain an explanatory statement from the financial institution that includes a description of the principal reason for the adverse action. A violation of the legislation is considered an unfair or deceptive act or practice, and the State Attorney General or other competent official may pursue remedies as provided for by law.

H. 5018 Salaries Of The Governor And Lieutenant Governor

The House approved and sent the Senate H. 5018, a bill addressing the salaries of the Governor and Lieutenant Governor. The legislation provides that, beginning January 20, 2027, salaries for the Governor and Lieutenant Governor must be based on recommendations by the Agency Head Salary Commission to the General Assembly. The legislation directs the commission to authorize a study to be conducted every four years to recommend a salary range for the Governor and Lieutenant Governor based on their job duties and responsibilities as well as the pay of governors and lieutenant governors in other states.

H. 4477 “Heirs’ Property Tax Relief Act”

The House amended, approved, and sent the Senate H. 4477, the “Heirs’ Property Tax Relief Act.” The legislation revises property tax provisions for determining when an assessable transfer of interest occurs to exclude transfers made among family members to clear the title of heirs’ property.

H. 5208 Sales Tax Exemption On Groceries

The House approved and sent the Senate H. 5208, a bill addressing the application of the sales tax exemption on groceries. The legislation revises provisions for the sales tax exemption on unprepared food that lawfully may be purchased with United States Department of Agriculture food coupons to specify that the exemption applies without regard to any demonstration project pursuant to United States Department of Agriculture regulations that would limit the use of food coupons on otherwise eligible items for a limited period of time.

H. 4576 Optional Retirement Program Provisions

The House amended, approved, and sent the Senate H. 4576, a bill addressing optional retirement program provisions. The legislation expands eligibility in the State Optional Retirement Program by including special purpose districts and commissions of public works. Retirement system provisions are revised to afford employers the option of picking up all or a portion of their employees’ required contributions to individual annuity savings fund accounts without a reduction or offset from the employees’ compensation.

H. 4589 Education Capital Improvements Sales And Use Tax Criteria

The House amended, approved, and sent the Senate H. 4589, a bill addressing Education Capital Improvements Sales and Use Tax criteria. The legislation revises Education Capital Improvements Sales and Use Tax authority to allow the tax to be imposed by certain counties that do not meet the collection requirements.

H. 4476 “South Carolina-Bahamas Trade Commission”

The House approved and sent the Senate H. 4476, a bill establishing the “South Carolina-Bahamas Trade Commission” to advance bilateral trade and investment between South Carolina and The Bahamas.

H. 5506 Pee Dee Regional Airport Authority

The House approved and sent the Senate H. 5506, a bill that provides for the members of the Pee Dee Regional Airport Authority to be appointed by the Governor upon the recommendations of their respective county legislative delegations.

H. 5537 Transfer Of The National Guard Armory In Dillon County

The House approved and sent the Senate H. 5537, legislation addressing the transfer of the National Guard Armory in Dillon County. This joint resolution directs the Department of Administration, the State Fiscal Accountability Authority, or the appropriate agency, to transfer ownership of the National Guard Armory located at 1119 SC‑34 in Dillon, South Carolina, to Dillon County.

H. 3974 Evaluate Public School Students For Health, Behavioral Health, Or Therapeutic Needs

H. 3974 will authorize evaluators to evaluate public school students for health, behavioral health, or therapeutic needs, to authorize private providers to provide related services at schools during the school day, to specify these evaluations and services only may occur upon request of the parent or guardian of the student, to provide school districts may not prohibit such evaluations or services in schools during the school day, to provide the state Department of Education shall adopt a related model policy. The bill is amended to provide that initial coverage entails autism diagnosis, is medically necessary treatment and remediation. A Senate amendment clarified that a “request made pursuant to this section does not automatically entitle a student to receive services in the school setting from a private provider absent a determination made by the school district on a case-by-case basis through the review process.”

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