© 2026 WSSB
Donate
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

The State House Gavel: House GOP grows after party switch, gov signs income and boat tax bills

South Carolina Public Radio | By Maayan Schechter,
Gavin Jackson
Published March 31, 2026 at 6:01 AM EDT
Irises in bloom outside of the Statehouse on March 11, 2026.
GAVIN JACKSON
Irises in bloom outside of the Statehouse on March 11, 2026.

It's Tuesday, March 31.

The House and Senate gavel in at noon.

Welcome to Week 12 of the South Carolina legislative session.

Because we're all counting (don't lie), if you include this week there are seven weeks and 21 legislative days until sine die on May 14. Of course, that does not include any additional days when the General Assembly may return post-sine die to deal with governor vetoes, conference committees and finalizing the state budget.

Scheduling reminder: The Senate will hold a perfunctory session on Thursday, meaning no floor work. And they're expected to do the same post-Easter for the week of April 6, while the House is out entirely for a furlough week, or as we call it: "legislative spring break."

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.

South Carolina holds the title of the fastest-growing state in the country. With it comes its share of growing pains, from infrastructure to health care.

Over two episodes of This Week in South Carolina, host Gavin Jackson looks at the growing demand for electricity in our state as residential, commercial and industrial demands have utilities in a major build cycle for new gas-fired plants to produce thousands of megawatts of electricity, along with solar and battery storage.

Jackson spoke with the heads of the three major energy utilities in the state: Kellar Kissam at Dominion Energy, Tim Pearson at Duke Energy and Jimmy Staton at state-owned Santee Cooper.

You can check out the interviews below.

Notebook highlights:

  • Takeaways from South Carolina's candidate filing as the deadline closes for hopefuls vying for statewide, congressional, Statehouse and several local races
  • Legislative pay raises, insurance policy and data centers: What else is on tap in the legislature as Week 12 of session gets underway
  • Gov. Henry McMaster signs more bills into law and vetoes another

Hundreds file to compete in June 9 primaries

South Carolina's deadline to run in the statewide June 9 primaries has officially closed.

Filing closed Monday, and the most overarching 30,000-foot takeaway?

We've got some majorly contested races on our hands for the next two-plus months.

All but three statewide offices are open this year (incumbents are running for secretary of state, treasurer and education superintendent) and every race has a Democrat and Republican running.

The three wide open statewide races we're watching this cycle are the governor's race — Gov. Henry McMaster is term limited — the attorney general's race — the incumbent Alan Wilson is running for governor — and the agriculture commissioner contest after longtime incumbent Hugh Weathers announced he would retire his seat that has already garnered the attention of President Donald Trump.

Who is running for governor?

  • Michael Addison (United Citizens Party)
  • Jacqueline Hicks DuBose (Republican Party)
  • Pamela Evette (Republican Party)
  • Walid Hakim (Green Party)
  • Jermaine Johnson (Democratic Party)
  • Josh Kimbrell (Republican Party)
  • Nancy Mace (Republican Party)
  • Mullins McLeod (Democratic Party)
  • Ralph Norman (Republican Party)
  • Rom Reddy (Republican Party)
  • Gary Votour (Works Party)
  • Billy Webster (Democratic Party)
  • Alan Wilson (Republican Party)

The first Republican Party debate is Wednesday at the Newberry Opera House.

Last week, the state GOP announced it is waiving fundraising requirements to participate, opening up debate slots to more candidates. So far, only four candidates have confirmed they'll attend: Kimbrell, Mace, Norman and Wilson.

The debate will start at 7 p.m. and broadcast on Gray Media platforms.

Who is running for attorney general?

  • Stephen Goldfinch (Republican Party)
  • Richard Hricik (Democratic Party)
  • David Pascoe (Republican Party)
  • David Stumbo (Republican Party)

Who is running for agriculture commissioner?

  • DeShawn Blanding (Democratic Party)
  • Jeremy Cannon (Republican Party)
  • Danny Ford (Republican Party)
  • Chris Nelums (United Citizens Party)
  • Cody Simpson (Republican Party)
  • Michael Sullens (Libertarian Party)
  • Fred West (Republican Party)

Every one of the state's seven congressional seats are also up for reelection.

That includes the coastal 1st District, represented currently by Mace, which has attracted 11 Republicans — they now include former Gov. Mark Sanford — seven Democrats and one member each from the Alliance and Libertarian parties.

And then there's the Statehouse, where every one of the 124 seats is up for grabs.

A few takeaways:

  • South Carolina Democrats have a candidate running for every single seat, the highest number in the party's modern history, they said
  • More than a dozen Democrats do not have a Republican challenger in the general
  • At least five Republican incumbents do not have a Republican primary challenger
  • At least nine Democratic incumbents have a Democratic challenger on June 9
  • One Democratic incumbent, state Rep. Lucas Atkinson of Marion, has filed to run as a Republican in this year's election

There are now 89 Republicans to 35 Democrats after Atkinson abruptly switched parties.

Atkinson, whose House district also includes portions of Horry and Williamsburg counties, told SC Public Radio he will start caucusing today with the House GOP majority. Atkinson told us his party switch came after thought and prayer, and said his commitment to his district is "stronger than it's ever been."

Step back: The 44-year-old legislator has served in the House since 2017, considered one of the most conservative Democrats who regularly votes with Republicans on socially conservative bills, like abortion. Similar to other rural South Carolina districts, his district has become more red over the years, particularly given the fast-growing growth in Horry County. At one point during redistricting conversations, lawmakers considered merging his district with another's to stave off population loss. Atkinson in November will again face Democratic challenger Cynthia Ford, whom he beat in the primary two years ago.

The S.C. House of Representatives chamber on March 10, 2026, in Columbia, S.C.
MAAYAN SCHECHTER
/
SCETV
The S.C. House of Representatives chamber on March 10, 2026, in Columbia, S.C.

What's on the Week 12 agenda?

The legislative session is more than halfway through, with sine die on the horizon.

As a reminder, there is no longer the much-despised April "crossover" deadline, when bills would sort of have to hit a certain date of passage in one chamber for the other chamber to even consider them. The only deadline that matters now is the finish line, when two massive gavels bang down on desks as the clock strikes 5 p.m. on Thursday, May 14, the official final day of session.

But, still yes, with seven nominal weeks — six weeks of session — left on the calendar, not every bill mentioned in a hearing or even on the floor may see the light of day, forcing lawmakers to file it once again next year.

Let's start with the Senate this week.

The Senate is expected to debate S. 76, sponsored by former solicitor and Sen. Greg Hembree, R-Horry, that tackles criminal gang activity and offenses, while also creating new penalties under a new anti-racketeering act, or RICO.

And, still in question, what the upper chamber does about:

  • Tax conformity: The bill would conform the state's tax code to the federal changes made under the so-called "one big beautiful bill" signed into law last year. The legislation already crossed the House — it's a $288.5 million is the one-time cost — but has been contested by Senate Minority Leader Brad Hutto, D-Orangeburg. The state revenue department has extended this year's tax filing deadline to Oct. 15.
  • NIL revenue-sharing: As expected, the House overrode Gov. Henry McMaster's veto of the name, image and likeness legislation — H. 4902 — that restricts public view of revenue-sharing contracts between colleges and universities and their student-athletes. To override, the rules require a two-thirds majority vote of total members present and voting. There are 46 senators in the upper chamber.

What else is on the Senate meeting agenda? Highlights:

Tuesday

  • The chamber's Agriculture and Natural Resources subcommittee will meet at 10 a.m. and return to S. 867, sponsored by Sen. Tom Davis, R-Beaufort, that seeks to regulate data centers in South Carolina
  • Senate budget hearings continue into the week as the Senate Finance Committee prepares to draft its version of the more than $15 billion state spending plan. The requests will kick off at 10 a.m. from the Rural Infrastructure Authority and the Department of Commerce. The subcommittee will also discuss H. 3876, sponsored by Rep. Lee Hewitt, R-Georgetown, that aims to outline the process by which accommodations tax revenue is collected by online travel platforms.
  • The Senate Finance Committee will get an afternoon revenue update from Frank Rainwater, the director of the state Revenue and Fiscal Affair's Office. If you missed last week's budget forecast release, you can find it here via The Gavel.
  • Speaking of data centers, a Senate judiciary subcommittee will meet again on two data center-related legislation: S. 902, sponsored by Judiciary Chairman Luke Rankin, R-Horry, and S. 724, sponsored by Sen. Allen Blackmon, R-Lancaster, which seeks to monitor how much water data centers collect per year.
  • A subcommittee of the Senate Finance Committee will meet in the afternoon to decide whether to advance two bills. They include S. 436, sponsored by Sen. Larry Grooms, R-Berkeley, that would in part change how airlines are taxed and cut property taxes for aircraft, reducing tax revenue in the first year by about $3.6 million.
  • In an attempt to raise state legislative pay — $10,400 per lawmaker, not including per diem and other costs — a special Senate Finance subcommittee will meet on S. 933, a bipartisan-backed bill sponsored by Sen. Shane Martin, R-Spartanburg, to raise legislative pay to $47,500.

Wednesday

  • A Senate Family and Veterans’ Services subcommittee will meet at 9 a.m. on two bills — H. 3949, sponsored by Rep. John King, D-York, and S. 913 — to designate Dum Spiro Spero (While I breath I hope) and "Carolina When I Die" by Patrick Davis as the state's official choral anthem and one of the state's songs, respectively.
  • Budget hearings will continue Wednesday, with a number of hearings over provisos (one-year budget laws), and requests from the Charter Institute at Erskine and the Lottery Commission.
  • Micah Mallace, the president and CEO of the State Ports Authority will give a presentation to the Senate Transportation Committee at 11 a.m.
  • Senate Legislative Oversight Committee hearings will begin for the Commission for Community Advancement and Engagement (what was formerly the Commission for Minority Affairs) and the Human Affairs Commission.

Now onto the House, back before another weeklong break.

We do expect the lower chamber to return to H. 4817, insurance legislation sponsored by Rep. Gary Brewer, R-Charleston, that was passed over last week to make way for a couple of medical malpractice tort bills.

Brewer's bill partly seeks to increase oversight over insurance fraud, creates penalties for violations of policyholder protections and tweaks particular sales and income tax measures.

A few other bills on the uncontested (for now) calendar:

  • H. 3034: Sponsored by Rep. Neal Colins, R-Pickens, the bill adds certain unlawful acts and increases penalties for anyone who assaults an animal under the responsibility of a law enforcement agency
  • H. 4292: Sponsored by Rep. David Martin, R-York, the bill makes it illegal to participate or be a part of a deliberate obstruction of a public roadway
  • H. 4764: Sponsored by Rep. Travis Moore, R-Spartanburg, the bill requires correctional facilities to enter into agreements with federal immigration enforcement agencies, allowing the departments to enforce federal immigration law

What else is on the House's hearing agenda? Highlights:

Tuesday

  • A Judiciary subcommittee will debate whether to advance four bills that include H. 3408, sponsored by Rep. Patrick Haddon, R-Greenville that restricts certain countries from owning or leasing real estate in South Carolina, including China, Russia, Iran and North Korea. The subcommittee will also discuss H. 4754, sponsored by Rep. Richie Yow, R-Chesterfield, which allows a local church to hold ownership of property when it splits off from an organization conference under any circumstance.
  • A House Ways and Means subcommittee is scheduled to meet at 10:30 a.m. to discuss, in part, S. 11, sponsored by Sen. Darrell Jackson, D-Richland, that would 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.
  • Another Ways and Means subcommittee will meet in the morning to discuss two bills that include H. 4061, sponsored by Rep. Stephen Frank, R-Greenville, which would allow South Carolina request to restrict candy and soda purchases using the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP.
  • The full House Judiciary Committee will meet in the morning on three bills that range from drone regulations to the number of circuit court judges to nuisance issues concerning racing facilities.

Wednesday

  • A House Judiciary subcommittee will return to S. 52, sponsored by Sen. Tom Davis, R-Beaufort, legislation seeking to toughen the state's driving under the influence laws.
  • The full Ways and Means Committee will meet at 9 a.m. to decide whether to advance a handful of legislation that includes two infrastructure proposals — H. 5071 and S. 831 — that are now the same bills with the same goals: to quicken road infrastructure fixes, ease congestion in the fast-growing state and root out bureaucratic road blocks that can slow down construction as labor and inflation costs rise.

Thursday

LCI Committee Chairman Bill Herbkersman, R-Beaufort, talks with Rep. Gary Brewer, R-Charleston, in the House chamber at the South Carolina Statehouse on March 25, 2026.
GAVIN JACKSON
LCI Committee Chairman Bill Herbkersman, R-Beaufort, talks with Rep. Gary Brewer, R-Charleston, in the House chamber at the South Carolina Statehouse on March 25, 2026.

Gov signs tax bills into law

Two highly anticipated tax bills are now law in South Carolina.

The governor's office confirmed Gov. Henry McMaster on Monday signed legislation to further lower the state's top income tax rate and a bill to slash boat property taxes.

  • H. 4216: The new law lowers the state's top income tax rate of 6% down to 5.21%, and requires that anyone with taxable income of up to $30,000 pay a 1.99% income tax on their taxes filed next year. Taking years or even decades, the bill would phase out the income tax, which makes up a healthy portion of the state general fund, completely. A fiscal impact statement says the legislation will cost nearly $309 million. Nearly 23% of returns will see an increase in their liability, while almost 35% of returns are not expected to see a change.
  • H. 3858: The law nearly cuts in half property taxes on boats that are registered in the state, phasing in the exemption over three years, and eliminating the requirement for owners to title an outboard boat motor. A fiscal impact statement reports the cut could reduce county property tax revenue by nearly $40 million by the time the tax cut is fully phased in.

Among his signings, the governor also issued his second veto of the year, declining to sign H. 5182, sponsored by Rep. Bill Hager, R-Hampton, which allows Jasper's County Council to spend local dollars on charter schools.

McMaster, who is known to veto local legislation, said the state Constitution prohibits the legislature from passing bills for "a specific county," and "where a general law can be made applicable."

"Yet H. 5182 would apply to only a single county," he said. "Although our courts have held that greater deference is warranted in the context of public education, 'legislation regarding education is not exempt from the requirements.'"

South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster smiles after being recognized at the 56th annual Silver Elephant Gala on Saturday, Aug. 5, 2023, in Columbia, S.C. (AP Photo/Meg Kinnard)
Meg Kinnard/AP
/
AP
South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster smiles after being recognized at the 56th annual Silver Elephant Gala on Saturday, Aug. 5, 2023, in Columbia, S.C.

Statehouse daily planner (3/31)

SC House

SC Senate

SC governor

  • 9:30 a.m. — Gov. Henry McMaster to oversee the State Fiscal Accountability Authority meeting in Columbia
  • 2 p.m. — McMaster to participate in the annual Month of Military Child proclamation presentation at the Statehouse

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