Bills and Ratifications - April 25, 2025
H. 4383 (Reps. Jones, Williams, J.L. Johnson, King, Gilliard, Rivers, Kirby, Bauer, Clyburn, Hosey, McDaniel, Waters and Dillard) – The "South Carolina Medicaid Protection and Expansion Act" establishes a Medicaid Stability Fund to offset federal funding cuts, fully adopts Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act, and requires an economic and health impact assessment with hospitals and health systems.
H. 4384 (Reps. Jones, Bauer, Williams, J.L. Johnson, King, Gilliard, Rivers, Kirby, Hosey, Clyburn, McDaniel, Waters and Dillard) – The "South Carolina Farm Export Relief and Resilience Act" creates the South Carolina Farm Export Trade Relief Fund. It requires the Department of Agriculture to support agricultural producers in international trade and collaborate with the Department of Insurance and Clemson University Cooperative Extension to develop state-supported crop insurance. The Department must also provide an annual report to the General Assembly.
H. 4385 (Reps. Jones, B.J. Cox, J.L. Johnson, King, Williams, Rivers, Kirby, Hosey, Clyburn, Bauer, McDaniel, Waters and Dillard) – Requires the DVA to establish criteria for admissions to and discharges from South Carolina veterans' homes, and to provide for the submission of these criteria.
H. 4386 (Reps. Bustos and Wetmore) – Requires the Public Service Commission to consider certain factors when a public utility seeks to acquire property or assets that are used for providing water, sewerage collection, or sewerage disposal, which are owned by a county, municipality, or special purpose district.
H. 4387 (Reps. Yow, B. Newton and Mitchell) – Limits prosecutorial discretion for specific law enforcement officer misconduct cases. Agencies must include additional information in reports when declining to prosecute, and agency heads must explain why allegations are no longer provable.
H. 4388 (Rep. Pace) – Requires the Department of Health and Human Services to create a form that allows Medicaid applicants to establish a revocable living will.
H. 4389 (Reps. Jones and B.J. Cox) – Requires the DVA to establish criteria for admissions to and discharges from South Carolina veterans' homes, and to provide for the submission of these criteria.
H. 4390 (Rep. Jones) – Enacting the "Community Impact and Opportunity Assessment Act" to define terms, mandate community impact assessments, require local governments to take responsibility for conducting these assessments, ensure transparency and community engagement, and provide statewide guidance.
H. 4391 (Rep. Forrest) – Allows a contractor or company to repossess removable equipment under specific conditions.
H. 4393 (Reps. Hartnett, Bradley, Erickson, Brewer, W. Newton, and Teeple) – The "South Carolina Technology Security Act" bans the purchase and use of certain telecommunications and surveillance equipment, hardware, or software from specified banned companies. Contracts between state agencies or political subdivisions for these prohibited products or services are null and void.
H. 4394 (Rep. J.L. Johnson) – Mandates that the Department of Social Services and the Department of Employment and Workforce provide childcare stipends for unemployed parents and caregivers of children under twelve.
H. 4399 (Reps. Holman, J.L. Johnson, B.L. Cox and Sanders) – All telecommunicators, firefighters, emergency medical technicians, and law enforcement officers must successfully complete annual wellness examinations.
S. 588 (Sen. Goldfinch) – Establishes the offense of coercive control over another individual, provides examples of behaviors and evidence that may support the offense, outlines the associated penalties, and defines terms related to coercive control.
S. 590 (Sens. Reichenbach, Fernandez, Rice, Garrett, Chaplin, Elliott, Stubbs and Zell) – Limits senators to a maximum of three terms and members of the House of Representatives to a maximum of six terms in office.
S. 601 (Sens. Blackmon and Hembree) – Fencing land serves as a notice against trespassing. It is illegal for anyone to enter a dwelling without permission after being warned to leave. Furthermore, only occupants, owners, or invited guests may enter private property enclosed by walls or fences.
S. 607 (Sen. Jackson) – Sets minimum compensation standards for direct care workers delivering personal care services through Medicaid home and community-based service providers and includes provisions for phased increases in the compensation provided.
The following bills have been sent to the Governor for approval or veto:
R10, S. 2 (Sens. Peeler, Alexander, Davis, Devine, Garrett, Turner, Jackson and Sutton) – Creates the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities, comprising the Offices of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, Mental Health, and Substance Use Services, while outlining its powers and duties.
R11, S. 126 (Sen. Johnson) – A clean-up Act for Act 56 of 2023, the Law Enforcement/Judicial Personal Privacy Protection Act.
R12, S. 218 – Sen. Young Transfers South Carolina veterans’ homes from the Department of Mental Health to the Department of Veterans Affairs.
R13, S. 291 (Sens. Peeler, Alexander, Bennett and Cromer) – Allows for the continuing authority to pay the expenses of state government at the levels appropriated in Act 226 of 2024 if FY 2025-26 begins without a General Appropriations Act and provides for exceptions
R20, H. 3814 (Rep. Hixon) – A joint resolution allowing the Surface Water Study Committee to examine the current state of groundwater and extend the deadline for the committee's report.