Newly Introduced Legislation - Jan. 30, 2026

House Bills

H. 5013 – Would require the Department of Public Health to create the Firefighter Occupational Health Program to test for certain carcinogens and provide health and cancer screenings.  

H. 5056 – Would enact the “Home Repair Consumer Protection Act.”  

H. 5058 – Would make harassing or threatening a worker restoring critical services in a state of emergency a misdemeanor and assaulting them a felony.  

H. 5062 – Would revise definitions of terms used in the “Criminal Gang Prevention Act.” 

H. 5063 – Would require periodic inspection of certain coastal multi-story buildings and allow insurers to consider the reports when deciding to renew, non-renew, or conditionally renew a policy. The building’s owner would be required to pay for the cost of the inspection. 

H. 5066 – Would enact the “Sentencing Enhancements for Crimes Against Minors Act.” 

H. 5067 – Would require the Department of Environmental Services to test for urinary metabolites in some wastewater treatment facilities. 

H. 5068 – Would allow homeowners associations to adopt and enforce rules relating to political signage. 

H. 5069 – Would enact the “South Carolina Protected Lands and Conservation Coordination Act.” 

H. 5071 – Known as the “SCDOT Modernization” bill, Section 29 of H. 5071 would, among other things, establish a program for the voluntary transfer of certain nonessential state roads from SCDOT to local governments and provide incentives for counties that accept these roads, including the elimination of the requirement that 25% of C-funds be spent on state roads, the allowance of a second transportation penny, and an exception to the millage cap for road maintenance.  

H. 5074 - Would amend assault and battery definitions to classify a person injuring a corrections officer in the discharge of or because of their official duties as assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature. 

H. 5075 – Would enact the “Personal Privacy Protection Act,” which would prohibit public bodies from collecting or disclosing certain personal information about donors, members, and supporters of a nonprofit organization. 

Senate Bills

S. 848 – Would require an imposition of any taxation, prohibition, restriction, or fee imposition, or any regulation regarding the use, disposition, or sale of a co-owned home be done by the General Assembly. 

S. 849 – Would allow for alcohol delivery and curbside pickup.  

S. 850 – Would enact the “Honor Our First Responders Act.” 

S. 853 – This bill is in response to a new Revenue Ruling (SC Revenue Ruling 26-1) issued on Jan. 6, 2026, impacting the current interpretation and usage of the state abandoned building tax credit. The proposed legislation would make the following changes to the legislation: 

  1. Eliminate the requirement that a property must have been income-producing before it was abandoned. This clarifies that all buildings except single-family homes would be able to use the abandoned building tax credit, which would; 
  2. Eliminate the language that made state-owned abandoned buildings ineligible for the credit dependent on size; 
  3. Establish that the certification from the local municipality or county certifying that a structure is abandoned is the conclusive authority; 
  4. Prohibit the tax credits from being used as collateral in any way as a security for a debt.  

S. 854 – Would allow safety belt violations to be admissible as evidence in a civil action if the violation is a proximate cause. 

S. 855 – Would include John Doe or an unknown defendant in the definition of “nonresident individual” for purposes of venues for civil actions. 

S. 856 – Would allow a tax credit to a taxpayer that invests in a community development corporation or in a community financial institution.  

S. 857 – Would define “contingent deferred annuity” in insurance law and allow the Department of Insurance to issue regulations for nonforfeiture benefits for contingent deferred annuities at the director’s discretion.  

S. 862 – Would allow parents to make certain health care decisions for children over 18 if they qualify as dependents and are covered by the parents’ health insurance. 

S. 866 – Would enact the “Municipal Tax Relief Act,” which would authorize a municipality located wholly or partially in a county that does not impose a 1% transportation sales tax to impose a 1% sales tax, subject to a referendum. At least 20% of the revenue must be used for property tax relief with the remaining revenue available to be used for transportation, infrastructure, parking lots or garages, core local government services, administration buildings, civic centers, police stations, fire stations, or any combination of the above projects. The tax could be imposed for up to eight years. 

S. 867 – Would enact “The Data Center Development Act,” to establish the Data Center Development Office within the Department of Environmental Services. Local governments would have to undertake comprehensive data center planning, establish clear data center development policies, and would be allowed to impose additional requirements addressing local concerns through the proper exercise of land use authority. 

S. 869 – Would create a permanent license plate for tribal governments located in the state. 

S. 872 – Would require a driver’s license or permit to include an “NC” designation standing for non-U.S. citizen if the applicant is not a U.S. citizen.