Bills filed during 3/16/21 – 3/18/21

Taxation/Spending

• H.4092 – Repealing the gas tax (including the incremental 2 cent hike every year), road tax, and the effect of other motor carrier taxes
• H.4100 – Annual appropriations bill (the state budget)
• H.4101 – Appropriations from the Capital Reserve Fund giving millions to various institutions of higher education for maintenance and improvements/construction of capital projects (see list here)
• H.4091 – Ending the annual increases to the “motor fuel user fee” (gas tax)
• H.4090 – DOT must publish an annual report disclosing when it transfers funds to the South Carolina Transportation Infrastructure Bank, the report must include 1) amounts transferred, 2) under what authority it was made, and 3) the projects for which they were transferred; the secretary must certify annual reports outlining “all of” the department’s expenditures and transfers
• S.675 – Diverting a tax on airline companies when revenue exceeds $1.25 million to be allocated to the State Aviation Fund (instead of going to the general fund) to develop airports in more counties
• S.677 – Tax credits earned by partnerships or LLCs taxed as partnerships may pass the tax credit to partners or members as long as it is allowed by federal tax law
• H.4093 – Increasing the amount of community development tax credits that may be given out annually until the tax credit expires in 2023
• H.4106 – Resolution extending the state income tax deadline from April 15^th to May 17^th

Criminal Justice 

• H.4094 – Making it a misdemeanor to own a fertile pit-bull that is not registered and micro chipped with the government
• H.4083 – Increasing the age that a person can be considered a youthful offender when convicted for certain crimes to 28 (from 25) but not adjusting the requirement that they have to have committed the crime at age 17 or younger
• H.4084 – Increasing the penalty for littering on private or public property
• H.4086 – Amending the criminal code around sexually violent predators, to allow the convicts to challenge their commitment based on ineffective assistance of counsel, giving these trials priority status in the courts, and allowing a board of experts to determine if a convict with supervision can reenter society 
• H.4087 – Making it illegal for people to disturb or disrupt pre-k education classes 

Government Structure

• S.679 – Adding four legislators to the Coordinating Council for Economic Development; preventing the council from waiving or forgiving conditions under which companies are awarded tax incentives (such as granting deadline extensions); clarifying that this power is reserved for the State Fiscal Accountability Authority and any decision to do so must occur in a public meeting  
• S.681 – Requiring a number of “quasi-state agencies”, including Santee Cooper, the SC Research Authority, and the SC Transportation Infrastructure Bank, and more to report finances, debt obligations and even litigation issues to the House and Senate budget committees once every two years; subjecting agency bonding past a certain limit to review by the Joint Bond Review Committee (JBRC) and approval by the State Fiscal Accountability Authority (SFAA); making the agencies subject to FOIA

Regulations 

• S.667 & H.4097– Owners of outdoor advertising signs in areas acquired for highway projects will have the option to move the sign and have it paid for by the political subdivision in charge of the highway project
• H.4085 – Regulating and enabling the practice of teledentistry to allow dentists to hold appointments with patients remotely  
• H.4098 – Approving a regulation promulgated by the University of Clemson – State Crop Pest Commission creating a new containment procedure and quarantine area for Asian Longhorned Beetles
• H.4099 – Approving regulations promulgated by the Dept. of Natural Resources banning the possession or release of the black and white tegu lizard without licensing
• S.678 – Allowing people to get a waiver for vision standards required for a commercial driver’s license if they are only driving the commercial vehicle intrastate  

Education 

• S.676 – Creating Education Scholarship Accounts funded based on per pupil costs, kids meet eligibility if they have special needs, meet certain poverty guidelines, child of an active military member in some cases, or is/was in foster care or under the care of the state. The fund is under control of the parent who may use it to pay tuition, tutors, and supplies 
• S.674 – Chief financial officers of school booster clubs must undergo background checks; a person may not hold the position if they have been convicted certain financial related crimes 
• H.4082 – Creating a license for hair designers (cutting, washing and styling hair); Requiring 1,200 hours of education and paying a certification fee before someone may receive a license 

Civil Court

• S.666 – Allowing landlords to pay a $50 fee to get expedited eviction ex parte procedures if the tenant being evicted either caused malicious damage to property or is a significant threat to safety 

Medical/Covid

• H.4088 – Eliminating the exceptions to allow abortions in cases of rape, incest, fetal anomaly (may still be performed if done to save the mother’s life)
• H.4103 – Licensed birthing centers must register on-call agreements and hospital transfer policies with the Dept. Health and Environmental Control 

Resolutions (Highlights) (18 Total)

• S.669 – Resolution to recognize May as “Mental Health Month”
• S.670 – Resolution to recognize April 15th as “Osteopathic Medicine Day”
• S.673 – Resolution to recognize May 12th as “Myalgic Encepphalomyelitis Awareness Day”

Road Naming Resolutions

S.668 – DOT shall name a road “Brenda Cook Memorial Highway”

Previous bills:

• Filed during 3/9/21 – 3/11/21
• Filed during 3/2/21 – 3/4/21
• Filed during 2/23/21 – 2/25/21
• Filed during 2/16/21 – 2/18/21
• Filed during 2/9/21 – 2/11/21
• Filed during 2/2/21 – 2/4/21
• Filed during 1/25/21 – 1/28/21
• Filed during 1/12/21 – 1/21/21