Newly Introduced Legislation - Feb. 13, 2026

House Bills

H. 5130 - Would prohibit the Department of Motor Vehicles from disclosing certain personal information without an individual’s express consent. 

H. 5131 – Would create a permanent license plate for tribal governments for all vehicles operated by the state or its political subdivisions.  

H. 5133 – Would create the Circuit Solicitors' Qualifications Commission and provide operational instructions. 

H. 5135 – Would allow individuals charged with certain unsafe driving charges to enroll in a Traffic Education Program. 

H. 5138 – Would enact the “Chatbot Protection Act.” 

H. 5139 – Would enact the “Honor Our First Responders Act.” 

H. 5140 – Would increase the maximum notarial fees to $10. 

H. 5157 – Would remove the requirement for restricted mail delivery to a property with delinquent property taxes. 

H. 5158 – Would establish the "Rural Physician Tuition Grant Program" to incentivize medical students to practice in rural areas of the state. 

H. 5159 – Would define terms relating to real estate fraud and create the felony of deed theft. 

H. 5160 – Would enact the "Eliminate Criminal Profiteering Act" preventing an individual from collecting damage awards or bringing actions against a person or government if the event resulted from wrongful conduct. 

H. 5161 – Would exempt certain retirement income of individuals working as 911 professionals from income tax. It also would make 911 professionals eligible for all first responder benefits. 

H. 5162 – Would define items relating to the financial exploitation of adults and establish procedures to protect eligible adults from this exploitation. 

H. 5163 – Would clarify that the prohibition of carrying a handgun into a school athletic event does not apply to colleges. 

H. 5164 – Would create building and fire code exceptions for the placement of hospital beds in hallways in the event of emergency. 

H. 5167 - Would provide that if the Internal Revenue Codes sections for 2025 adopted by this state are extended, they also will be extended for South Carolina income tax purposes. 

H. 5170 – Would allow continuing education classes for county treasurers and auditors to be offered digitally. 

H. 5172 – Would increase the funds available for site cleanup of underground petroleum pipeline contamination. 

H. 5173 - Would change the definition of hospital to include "rural emergency hospitals." 

H. 5178 – Would provide that if the Internal Revenue Codes sections for 2025 adopted by this state are extended, they also will be extended for South Carolina income tax purposes.  

H. 5179 – Would create the school mapping data program within SLED for the purpose of facilitating efficient emergency responses in public institutions of higher learning by public safety agencies.  

H. 5183 – Would prohibit a person from voting in a partisan primary election or partisan advisory referendum unless they are a registered member of that party. The State Election Commission would create and maintain a list of all electors registered by party affiliation. Electors would register to vote by party affiliation in all primary elections conducted before Jan. 1, 2027, by signing a statement before an election official overseeing the conduct of the partisan primary election. 

Senate Bills

S. 901 – Would enact the "Equal Parenting Act" relating to family court proceedings.  

S. 902 – Would enact the "Data Center Siting Act" requiring a data center to receive a certificate from the Public Service Commission in addition to any local and state approvals. Local governments would retain full authority over zoning, land use, building codes, but not electricity consumption. Local governments would be required to undertake comprehensive data center planning and establish local development policies. 

S. 903 – Would require certain homeowners' association documents to be subject to Section 30-5-30. This is an SCAC policy position. 

S. 905 – Would establish an expiration date for shellfish permit applications, 12 months after the date of submission. 

S. 914 – Would alter voting booth specification requirements and allow the respective election board or commission to determine the appropriate number of booths available at a precinct.  

S. 918 - Would amend the definitions of “personal vehicle” and “prearranged ride” in relation to the “Transportation Network Company Act.” 

S. 919 – Would enact the “Protection of Minors from Pornography and Obscenities Act.”  

S. 920 – Would outline considerations for the usage of artificial intelligence in the determinations of prior authorizations by a health insurer. 

S. 924 – Would require sex offenders using social media to use their full legal name as it appears on the sex offender registry.