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The State House Gavel: House returns from furlough, SC gov race filings stack up

South Carolina Public Radio | By Maayan Schechter,
Gavin Jackson
Published March 24, 2026 at 6:01 AM EDT
The South Carolina Statehouse in Columbia, S.C.
MAAYAN SCHECHTER
/
SCETV
The South Carolina Statehouse in Columbia, S.C.

It's Tuesday, March 24.

That means it's Week 11 of the South Carolina legislative session.

The House is back from its furlough week.

Both chambers gavel in at noon.

You're reading The State House Gavel, your daily reporter notebook by Maayan Schechter and Gavin Jackson that previews and captures what goes on at the South Carolina Statehouse.

If you're looking for a Statehouse session refresh and recap, you can check out the latest This Week in South Carolina episode, where host Gavin Jackson interviews his State House Gavel colleague Maayan Schechter, the Associated Press's Jeffrey Collins and The State's Joe Bustos about the latest happenings inside the legislature. (This was recorded before the hemp bill resolution).

Scheduling reminder: The House is expected to take its last furlough of the year, the week of April 6 after the Easter holiday. The Senate may also take a perfunctory week (meaning no floor work) that same week to give the Senate Finance Committee time to draft out its proposed budget plan, scheduled for floor debate the week of April 20.

Notebook highlights:

  • More than halfway through the legislative session, here's a bit of what we're watching in Week 11, including state revenue estimates, legislation over dog breeders and whether lawmakers overturn a governor's veto
  • State Rep. Jermaine Johnson says he's sticking with the 2026 governor's race after all. The latest in the contest for South Carolina's chief executive
Reporters Maayan Schechter and Gavin Jackson, host of This Week in South Carolina and the SC Lede podcast.
Andre Bellamy/SCETV
Reporters Maayan Schechter and Gavin Jackson, host of This Week in South Carolina and the SC Lede podcast.

What's on tap for Week 11

Since we had to lean into a week of Senate-heavy coverage last week, we'll give the spotlight first to lower chamber, presumably returning to Columbia relaxed and refreshed.

What is on the agenda for the House?

  • In the chamber, the House is expected to begin debate over H. 4817, insurance legislation sponsored by Rep. Gary Brewer, R-Charleston. The bill partly seeks to increase oversight over insurance fraud, creates penalties for violations of policyholder protections and tweaks particular sales and income tax measures.
  • The House may also take up Gov. Henry McMaster's veto of H. 4902, the name, image and likeness legislation that would shield revenue-sharing contracts between colleges and universities and student-athletes from being made public. Overriding a governor's veto requires a two-thirds vote of the total members present in each chamber at the time. The House passed the legislation 111-2, and we're told the House likely still has the votes to override. Where it becomes trickier is in the Senate, which passed the bill 30-13.
  • Earlier this month, the Senate amended and passed the so-called boat tax bill — H. 3858 — that largely would cut property taxes on boats by nearly half. The House is expected to decide this week whether to amend the bill and send it back, agree to the Senate changes, or send the bill to a conference committee to hash out differences.

Here's what we're watching in House committees:

Tuesday

  • The full Medical, Military, Public and Municipal Affairs Committee (otherwise known as "3M") will meet at 10 a.m. to decide whether to advance five bills to the floor. The agenda includes S. 146, sponsored by former Sen. Roger Nutt, R-Spartanburg, that would allow a long-term facility resident to designate someone to visit in the event of a state of emergency, whether from a disaster or public health emergency, like the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • The full House Judiciary Committee meets at 10 a.m. to debate a packed agenda that includes H. 4764, sponsored by Rep. Travis Moore, R-Spartanburg, which requires correctional facilities to enter into agreements with federal immigration enforcement agencies, allowing the departments to enforce federal immigration law.
  • A House Ways and Means subcommittee will meet in the afternoon to in part discuss H. 3832, a bill sponsored by Rep. Weston Newton, R-Beaufort, that would increase annual rebates that go toward film incentives.
  • Another House Ways and Means subcommittee will meet in the afternoon to discuss and take testimony on two parental leave bills. The first — H. 4611, sponsored by Rep. Moore — would include stillbirths under the state law that offers paid parental leave. The second — S. 11, sponsored by Sen. Darrell Jackson, D-Richland — would also expand who could get paid parental leave to anyone employed by a four-year college or university of state technical college and earns annual leave. That same subcommittee will also decide whether to advance H. 5018, sponsored by House Speaker Murrell Smith, R-Sumter, that would put salaries for governor ($98,000) and lieutenant governor ($43,000) under the responsibility of the Agency Head Salary Commission.
  • A third Ways and Means subcommittee will also meet in the afternoon on three bills that include S. 32, sponsored by Sen. Larry Grooms, R-Berkeley, which would create an income tax credit for taxpayers who make cash donations to eligible charitable organizations that are either a pregnancy resource or crisis center.
  • The full House Education and Public Works Committee meets in the afternoon to debate a packed agenda that includes bills dealing with the Commission on Higher Education, golf cart regulations and the official state song.

Wednesday

First, we will note the Joint Bond Review Committee of the House and Senate will meet at 10 a.m. Wednesday. You can find the agenda here. Exclusively in the House:

  • Beaufort Republican Sen. Tom Davis's DUI-related legislation, S. 52, will have its first House hearing before a Judiciary subcommittee at 9 a.m.
  • A House Judiciary subcommittee will meet at 9 a.m. to discuss one bill — H. 4679, sponsored by Rep. Cody Mitchell, R-Darlington — that would regulate drones.
  • A House Ways and Means subcommittee will meet at 9 a.m. to discuss four bills that include S. 439, sponsored by Senate Finance Chairman Harvey Peeler, R-Cherokee, which would increase the reimbursement cap for the manufacturing property tax exemption.

Thursday

  • A House Judiciary subcommittee will meet at 9 a.m. on two bills — H. 4711, sponsored by Rep. Micah Caskey, R-Lexington, and H. 4805, sponsored by Chairman Weston Newton, R-Beaufort — that both deal with the number of judicial circuit court judges
  • Lawmakers on a 3M subcommittee will meet at 9 a.m. to decide whether to advance three bills that include H. 4293, sponsored by Rep. David Martin, R-York, which would seek to halt permits if a local governing body determines that the current or intended use of a property is not allowed under a zoning classification.
  • Three bills are on a House Judiciary subcommittee at 9 a.m. that includes H. 4706, sponsored by Rep. Todd Rutherford, D-Richland, that deals with racing facilities being considered a nuisance by surrounding property owners.

Now to the upper chamber.

The Senate is expected to address the House's tax conformity legislation, a bill that would conform the state's tax code to the changes in the federal tax policy for one year.

In case you missed previous comments from Senate leaders President Thomas Alexander, R-Oconee, and Senate Finance Chairman Harvey Peeler, R-Cherokee, listen below:

Senate President Thomas Alexander, R-Oconee, and Senate Finance Chairman Harvey Peeler, R-Cherokee, on tax conformity 3.17.26

And the Senate may also tackle H. 4756, a bill sponsored by Rep. Tommy Pope, R-York, that restricts K-12 public school and college and university restroom usage based on biological sex at birth — often referred to as the "bathroom bill."

The legislation codifies and expands what is already state law right now but as a budget attachment. And it would require all public school and college and university buildings to have at least one single-user restroom and changing facility.

It's unclear what the cost would be. An updated fiscal impact statement has not yet been published.

The bill has been objected to by Sen. Tameika Isaac Devine, D-Richland. The Senate can, however, make procedural moves to debate the legislation.

What else is the Senate working on? Here's what we're watching:

Tuesday

  • A Senate Judiciary subcommittee will meet after the Senate adjourns to discuss two data center-related bills: S. 902, sponsored by Judiciary Chairman Luke Rankin, R-Horry, and S. 724, a bill dealing with data center water usage sponsored by Sen. Allen Blackmon, R-Lancaster.
  • Frank Rainwater, the director over the state's Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Office, will present a revenue update to the Senate Finance Committee. The presentation will come before the Board of Economic Advisors meets Thursday to release new — if there are any — revenue estimates as the Senate prepares to write its draft of the budget.

Wednesday

  • Budget hearings continue back up Wednesday, starting with South Carolina Education Television at 9 a.m. Later, at 11:30 a.m., senators will hear requests from the Department of Commerce, the Rural Infrastructure Authority and state-owned utility Santee Cooper. At noon, the transportation and regulatory panel of the Senate Finance Committee will review provisos, also known as the one-year budget attachments.
  • The full Senate Education Committee will meet at 10 a.m. to consider appointments and legislation — H. 3258, sponsored by Rep. Pope — to install mobile panic alert systems in South Carolina public schools, and a bill — H. 3195, sponsored by Rep. Patrick Haddon, R-Greenville — requiring physical education and recess for students starting in 4-year-old kindergarten to eighth grade.
  • A Senate Judiciary subcommittee will meet at 11 a.m. to consider a few bills that include S. 1030, a joint resolution sponsored by President Alexander that would, if passed, put a constitutional amendment referendum on the ballot to "clarify that every citizen has the personal, fundamental right to keep and bear arms and that right shall not be infringed by international treaties or laws that violate the United States Constitution."
  • A panel of the Labor, Commerce and Industry Committee will meet in the morning to decide whether to advance one bill — H. 4752, sponsored by Rep. Chris Wooten, R-Lexington — that would remove the apprenticeship requirement to get a barbers license. The bill will be included on the full committee's agenda Thursday if it's advanced.

Thursday

Editor's Note: These meetings, including dates and times, are subject to change. You can find the most updated Statehouse schedule here for the House and Senate.

House Spearker Murrell Smith, R-Sumter, Senate President Thomas Alexander, R-Oconee, assistant Senate Parlimentarian John Hazzard, Senate Majority Leader Shane Massey, R-Edgefield, and Senate Clerk Jeffrey Gossett, confer on the dais in the Senate at the South Carolina Statehouse on May 8, 2025, the last day of the 2025 session.
Gavin Jackson
House Spearker Murrell Smith, R-Sumter, Senate President Thomas Alexander, R-Oconee, assistant Senate Parlimentarian John Hazzard, Senate Majority Leader Shane Massey, R-Edgefield, and Senate Clerk Jeffrey Gossett, confer on the dais in the Senate at the South Carolina Statehouse on May 8, 2025, the last day of the 2025 session.

Rep. Johnson confirms he is running, gov race latest

State Rep. Jermaine Johnson says he is not bowing out of the governor's race in response to rampant rumors — and his own plan — to drop his 2026 bid.

The 40-year-old Richland County Democrat confirmed in a March 20 X video post that he did consider exiting the race, citing unspecific "outside pressure," and even had a statement prepared ready to send out to reporters.

But he tore that statement up.

"The people of South Carolina have overwhelmingly spoken up," he said. "... I'm in this for the long haul."

Johnson formally filed for the race on Monday.

Should he win the nomination in the June 9 primary, Johnson would be the first Black nominee since 1990, when former Sen. Theo Mitchell lost the race to the late Gov. Carroll Campbell.

Johnson launched his bid for governor back in October at the Statehouse.

The latest campaign fundraising filings show he has raised more than $223,000, with just under $110,000 cash on hand.

It's a significant deficit compared to his one Democratic challenger, so far, Charleston lawyer Mullins McLeod, who raised more than $2.4 million — $2.35 million from his own personal contribution. Mullins has roughly $1.9 million cash on hand, according to the latest report.

As part of his bid, Johnson announced he would not run for his House seat.

As we noted in Friday's edition of The Gavel, another Democrat may enter the race: Upstate businessman Billy Webster, who worked with former Democratic Gov. Dick Riley in South Carolina and later, in Washington for former President Bill Clinton.

The deadline to file is March 30.

Aiming to quash online rumors about party interference in the primary against Johnson, South Carolina Democratic Party Chairwoman Christale Spain posted her own video to X.

In the March 21 post, Spain said whether he runs or suspends his bid, the decision has always been left to Johnson, not the party.

Spain said she recruited Johnson for the race because she believed in him and believed he had "something unique" to offer.

"The South Carolina Democratic Party does not force candidates out of races," she said. "We don't pick nominees — voters do."

Read more:

As of March 23, here who has filed so far for the top office:

  • Michael Addison (United Citizens Party)
  • Walid Hakim (Green Party)
  • Jermaine Johnson (Democratic Party)
  • Nancy Mace (Republican Party)
  • Mullins McLeod (Democratic Party)
  • Ralph Norman (Republican Party)
  • Rom Reddy (Republican Party)
  • Gary Votour (Works Party)
  • Alan Wilson (Republican Party)

On the Republican side, 1st District Congresswoman Mace also filed Monday, as other hopefuls stumped across the state.

That included Rom Reddy, the Lowcountry millionaire who is self-funding his campaign.

Reddy kicked off a campaign rally tour in the Upstate, and Gavin Jackson was there with him.

Reddy's Greenville stop at Hotel Hartness drew around 150 people, who enjoyed an open bar, hors d'oeuvres and an hour-long speech of policy proposals.
 
"The ones that are not hurting are the donors and the elites, you know, and people like me, you know, because we're connected. We have money," Reddy told the crowd.

The political novice is also out with a new ad called "Two Lanes."

Reddy elaborated on that with Jackson.
 
“You go vote for them and you have no idea who bought and paid for them,” Reddy said. “And you can't find out because it's all blanketed. For me, I'm a business guy. I'm like, like the president. I went to the Wharton Business School. I've been in the private sector. I've built businesses, I've created jobs, never run for office. And I'm not taking money from anyone, not even small dollar donations. There’s just these two lanes: the ruling class and me.”

Jackson also spent time with Norman in the Upstate on Sunday in Anderson, where the 5th District congressman drew a crowd of a similar 150 people, who listened to his proposals on the trail that included tackling growth.

“For every person who's leaving South Carolina, we get two. Why (are) we giving away our money to companies who are going use our natural resources, further tear up our roads, further use our infrastructure,” Norman asked the crowd. “We are not ready for the for growth like we're having. We're just not. You put the brakes on it. I want quality over quantity.”

Norman has also dropped his first TV ad, titled "Crooks."

5th District Republican Congressman Ralph Norman speaks to a group of 150 supporters in downtown Anderson, South Carolina, on March 22, 2026. Norman is running for the Republican nomination for governor in the June 9 primary.
GAVIN JACKSON
5th District Republican Congressman Ralph Norman speaks to a group of 150 supporters in downtown Anderson, South Carolina, on March 22, 2026. Norman is running for the Republican nomination for governor in the June 9 primary.

Statehouse daily planner (3/24)

SC House

SC Senate

SC governor

  • 10 a.m. — Gov. Henry McMaster and Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette to participate in the South Carolina Manufacturing Madness Awards ceremony at the Statehouse
  • 11:30 a.m. — Evette to attend the South Carolina Healthy Business Coalition Launch Midlands in Columbia

Statehouse clips from around the state
News From South Carolina
Maayan Schechter
Maayan Schechter (My-yahn Schek-ter) is a news reporter with South Carolina Public Radio and ETV. She worked at South Carolina newspapers for a decade, previously working as a reporter and then editor of The State’s S.C. State House and politics team, and as a reporter at the Aiken Standard and the Greenville News. She grew up in Atlanta, Georgia, and graduated from the University of North Carolina-Asheville in 2013.
See stories by Maayan Schechter
Gavin Jackson
Gavin Jackson graduated with a visual journalism degree from Kent State University in 2008 and has been in the news industry ever since. He has worked at newspapers in Ohio, Louisiana and most recently in South Carolina at the Florence Morning News and Charleston Post and Courier.
See stories by Gavin Jackson