The State House Gavel: SC House GOP leaders roll out anti-DEI, 'DOGE' bills

Happy Friday. We're done with Week 4 of the session.

The weekend is almost here.

It was, yet again, a busy week in Columbia. But before we recap some and report on *new* news, we wanted to flag that the flu is going around the Statehouse.

The flu has hit staff and lawmakers, so if you're sick, stay home.

In case: Here's South Carolina's latest flu watch report from the S.C. Department of Public Health.

Speaking of health, the Senate's Medical Affairs Committee sent to the floor S. 2, a bill to consolidate three state agencies — the departments of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Services, Disabilities and Special Needs and Mental Health — into one agency called the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities.

It's a trimmed down version of what the Legislature sought to pass into law last year before it was upended by a procedural move on the final day of the two-year legislative session.

This is The State House Gavel, a daily reporter notebook by reporters Gavin Jackson, Russ McKinney and Maayan Schechter that previews and captures what goes on at the South Carolina Statehouse while lawmakers are in session.

Notebook highlights:

• S.C. House Republican leaders held a press conference with reporters Thursday to announce, in part, two DC-style bills that deal with eliminating diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) and government waste a la Elon Musk's "DOGE" committee. Leaders also said they will take up their version of the energy capacity bill next week and work on a bill to ban THC/hemp-infused drinks from getting to minors.
• With the 2026 governor's race in full swing, sort of, here's an update of where the top three potential contenders were this week and what they said.
• Our tiny mic spotlight of the week is reporter Gavin Jackson, who hosts SCETV's "This Week in South Carolina" and the "South Carolina Lede" podcast.

House GOP leaders go DOGE

South Carolina Republican House leaders told reporters Thursday that they're taking a couple of legislative notes from the Trump administration.

First, in a nod to Trump's executive order banning what's known by acronym as DEI across the federal government, on Thursday the House GOP Caucus together filed a bill — H. 3927 — sponsored by Rep. Doug Gilliam, R-Union — to ban DEI across state agencies, higher education, local governments and school districts.

They're calling it the "Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity Act."

It's an expansive bill that targets hiring and training practices, programs and activities and policies and procedures.

It does include some carveouts according to the bill, including:

• It does not apply to "lawful state or private sector employment and contracting preferences" for veterans and U.S. Armed Forces or anyone protected by the Randolph-Sheppard Act that protects blind people as they seek employment.
• It does not prevent state and local governments, contractors or federally-funded agencies or universities from First Amendment speech.

The "DEI experiment" has failed, GOP leaders said.

Catch below some of reporters' interview Thursday with leaders, who included House Speaker Murrell Smith, R-Sumter, and House Majority Leader Davey Hiott, R-Pickens.

Now, second, House GOP leaders want their own so-called Elon Musk-style "DOGE" committee, mirroring Congress's, which was created to tackle alleged fraud and waste in government.

The joint resolution — H. 3926, filed by Hiott — is a similar to a bill filed by Sen. Stephen Goldfinch, R-Georgetown. Both bills have the support of their chamber's respective budget chairmen, who are listed as co-sponsors: Ways and Means Chairman Bruce Bannister, R-Greenville, and Senate Finance Chairman Harvey Peeler, R-Cherokee.

Called the "Commission on Fiscal Restraint and Government Efficiency," the Legislature's version would be a 10-member committee made up of nine voting members picked by the governor, the House Speaker and the Senate President. The non-voting member, also the chair of the panel, would be picked by the state Department of Administration.

• Lawmakers would not be allowed to sit on the committee.
• Members will serve without pay, and they aren't entitled to mileage, per diem or any other financial offerings.
• The committee can use legislative or governor's office staff, and can use third-party consultants or other experts.

"We don't have an Elon Musk in South Carolina, but it'll be similar to what what's going on in Washington," Hiott said.

Catch part of Speaker Smith's interview with reporters below:

Looking ahead: Smith told reporters he anticipates that the commission would meet publicly and be transparent. Maayan Schechter also later spoke to Hiott, who said the Legislature will still have the final say over funding. (The House writes the budget first every year.)

And more: Speaker Smith told reporters they should expect to see an income tax rate cut proposal before the House debates the budget next month, adding there will be money set aside in the budget to reduce income taxes. He did not say by how much.

MAAYAN SCHECHTER

The latest in the 2026 governor's race

So far, there are three main names being floated, at least on the GOP side: Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette, Attorney General Alan Wilson, and U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace of the 1st District.

There are other Republicans who've said they're considering runs, like state Sen. Josh Kimbrell, of Spartanburg. According to a recent report, former governor and congressman Mark Sanford is also weighing yet another gubernatorial bid, and Thomas Ravenel, a reality TV star and former state treasurer who resigned after he was indicted on federal drug charges, posted on X that he's running for the top office.

As far as the Democratic side: We've been asking, and there are names out there but none that have so far reached the same intense level as the Republican side, so we'll hold off for now.

If you're choosing to keep your head down about the governor's race until, let's say, Labor Day 2025, here's a peek at the latest round up to keep you at least somewhat up to speed:

• Evette, Mace and 3rd District Congresswoman Sheri Biggs were three of many politicians and invited guests who attended President Donald Trump’s executive order signing on Wednesday that bans transgender athletes from participating in girls and women’s sports teams by denying federal funds for schools that allow it. Students in K-12 schools are already prohibited from participating on sports teams that are different from the gender they were assigned at birth. In 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that sex discrimination included gender identity and sexual orientation. Mace and Biggs got a shout out along with others during the event. Watch the Evette and Mace remarks on the EO. 
• Wilson, meanwhile, was in Columbia Wednesday. He joined a press conference to speak out against drunk driving, and he later announced that he was leading a coalition of other state attorneys general in an "investigation into Dr. Anthony Fauci’s role in the COVID-19 pandemic response." On Thursday, he issued another release, aiming to deter protesters from interfering with federal immigration officers.

GAVIN JACKSON

Reporter spotlight: Tiny mic edition

We're not stopping our freshman spotlight — tiny mic edition.

If anything, we're planning to add more spotlights in the coming days!

But we do think it's time for any new readers or listeners or watchers to meet the authors behind The State House Gavel.

Last Friday, we featured reporter Maayan Schechter.

Now it's time to give the Gavin Jackson — the host of This Week in South Carolina and the South Carolina Lede podcast — the tiny mic.

Favorite restaurant in Columbia: It used to be Rockaway Athletic Club (RIP), but is now Drake’s Duck-In. I feel in love with that fried chicken sandwich while working for the Post and Courier’s Statehouse bureau which was housed, partly, in the old Free Times office nearby on Main Street.

What was the last show you watched? The Diplomat.

What are your tips for surviving session? It has to do with hunger. You've got to hide some snacks from yourself. You've got to meal prep. You have to be hydrated. You have to be able to handle whatever is going to happen up here, because debates can sometimes go for hours.

What’s your favorite part of being a Statehouse reporter? Being up close to the lawmaking process and then conveying all that detail and knowledge to folks so they understand it better. That’s always been a goal of mine, being able to bring people into the chambers and understand what happens up here in Columbia.

How long have you been covering session? This will be my tenth session. I started back in 2016, and we’re here still going strong.

SCETV

Statehouse clips from around the state

• A series of disasters taught SC how to work with FEMA. Leaders encourage reform, not ending it. (SC Daily Gazette)
• SC groups say Trump's orders attempt to 'erase' trans people. How they'll be implemented is unclear. (Post and Courier)
• Most South Carolinians approve of how state legislature is handling its job, poll finds (WCBD)
• 'It's one of the happiest days of my life': Aiken native elected to family court bench (Aiken Standard)
• M.A.D.D, Attorney General push for amendments to DUI bill (WIS)
• No 'standalone' solution to address SC issues with liquor liability, DUI laws (Post and Courier)
• 'There's got to be ongoing accountability': Lawmakers argue for merging state's health agencies (WLTX)
• New SC chief justice seeks extra Family Court judges to handle backlogged cases (SC Daily Gazette)
• Using a phone while driving could be banned in SC (WIS)