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The State House Gavel
The State House Gavel shares updates about the South Carolina General Assembly, including legislative actions, debates and discussions. Featuring news and interviews, so you have access to the latest developments in policy and decisions that shape South Carolina’s future.

The State House Gavel: Abortion ban debate returns to SC Supreme Court

South Carolina Public Radio | By Maayan Schechter,
Gavin Jackson, Russ McKinney
Published February 12, 2025 at 6:01 AM EST
The exterior of the South Carolina Supreme Court building in Columbia, S.C. where Aug. 9, 2023, justices overturned the murder conviction of Carmie Nelson of Summerville calling autopsy photos presented at trial prejudicial.
James Pollard/AP
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ap
The exterior of the South Carolina Supreme Court building in Columbia, S.C. is shown Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2023. (AP Photo/James Pollard)

Statehouse reporters Gavin Jackson, Russ McKinney and Maayan Schechter are back at the Capitol reporting what you need to know when lawmakers are in Columbia. They'll post news, important schedules, photos/videos and behind-the-scenes interviews with policymakers.

Happy Wednesday.

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.

Before we get into the details of the Statehouse session, congratulations are in order for state Rep. Micah Caskey.

The Lexington Republican and his wife, Kelsey, recently welcomed an 8.5-pound baby boy. Caskey's colleague, Rep. Rep. Gil Gatch, R-Dorchester, announced the news on the House floor Tuesday.

Caskey was granted leave for the day for the birth of his first child. 

And quickly shifting to the 2026 governor's race: Republican Attorney General Alan Wilson, who is considering running for higher office, was seen stepping into the House GOP Caucus meeting on Tuesday, a day after potential challenger U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace accused him from the House floor of failing to protect women victims, like herself. Wilson has defended his office. Lastly, South Carolina's former state treasurer, Thomas Ravenel, announced in a new X post that he will *not* run for governor, instead choosing to focus on his young family.

Notebook highlights:

  • The House starts their energy debate, as Senate adds more committee work to their schedule.
  • South Carolina's abortion ban is back in the news with a state Supreme Court hearing Wednesday morning.
  • State Sen. Tom Davis calls on colleagues to back his efforts to restart construction on two nuclear reactors at the V.C. Summer site in Fairfield.

On the agenda: energy

The S.C. House gavels in at 10 a.m., and the Senate is at 1 p.m.

As we previously reported, the House has cleared its schedule to tackle its version of the energy capacity legislation, H. 3309.

And they've offered lobbyists, reporters and the public our pick from a 9 a.m. hearing buffet: Hungry for hemp-infused consumables? Thirsty for liquor liability? Maybe you're driven by direct car sales? Or you can save up for budget provisos (one-year laws)? Whatever your pleasure, there's a hearing for that.

Over in the Senate, senators carried over most of the legislation on their calendar Tuesday, leaving it on the table for Wednesday.

  • S. 28, which would increase the length of time a sex offender remains on the registry, was debated and carried over.
  • S. 35, a joint resolution to make the comptroller general an appointed position, which previously passed the chamber, was briefly discussed and also carried over.
  • One bill did get key second vote Tuesday, S. 38, which would consolidate the number of special elections in any given year to five designated days, instead of seemingly every Tuesday as it is now. 

The upper chamber has a host of hearings Wednesday morning and one in the afternoon, like:

  • 8:45 a.m. Senate Finance subcommittee hearing on the departments of corrections; probation, parole and pardon services and juvenile justice.
  • 10 a.m. full Senate Education Committee hearing on debit card lottery purchases, school board meeting streams and work experience credit for teachers.
  • When the Senate adjourns, a hearing on S. 157, the chamber's storm recovery bill.

One meeting no longer on the agenda?

The 10 a.m. Senate Judiciary subcommittee hearing on S. 244, also the comprehensive tort reform legislation that has become quite the conversation on X, formerly known as Twitter.

The schedule shows that the meeting has been postponed.

Could be due to scheduling conflicts.

Either way, the topic itself is all over social media, from the Gov. Henry McMaster's account to ... Donald Trump Junior?

SC's abortion ban back in the courts

South Carolina's debate over six-week abortion restrictions is back before the state Supreme Court Wednesday morning.

Justices will hear arguments from Planned Parenthood South Atlantic, which filed suit against South Carolina officials on when exactly a fetal heartbeat is detected and thus when an abortion should be prohibited in the state.

The Cleveland Clinic says that a fetus’ heartbeat isn’t typically detected until around week nine using Doppler ultrasound — a time period that Planned Parenthood South Atlantic is making central to its argument before the court as it challenges the state's so-called "fetal heartbeat" bill, which bans abortions once cardiac activity is detected.

The organization says clarity is needed “to assuage provider confusion and safeguard” doctors providing medical care under the strict abortion law.

How to watch: SCETV streams all Supreme Court hearings
What time: 10:30 a.m.

Reminder: This case is separate from the U.S. Supreme Court case that will be heard April 2 over whether the state can refuse Medicaid coverage for non-abortion-related health care services at the state's three Planned Parenthood clinics.

FILE - South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster holds up a bill banning almost all abortions in the state after he signed it into law on Feb. 18, 2021, in Columbia, S.C. The South Carolina ban on abortions after cardiac activity is no more after the latest legal challenge to the state’s 2021 law proved successful. The state Supreme Court ruled Thursday, Jan. 5, 2023, that the restrictions violate the state constitution’s right to privacy. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Collins, File)
Jeffrey Collins/AP
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AP
FILE - South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster holds up a bill banning almost all abortions in the state after he signed it into law on Feb. 18, 2021, in Columbia, S.C. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Collins, File)

SC senator pushes nuclear revival

Beaufort Republican Sen. Tom Davis kicked the legislative day off on Tuesday by calling on his colleagues to show support for the joint resolution backing state utility Santee Cooper’s request for proposals for interested parties looking to restart construction of V.C. Summer nuclear reactors 2 and 3.

Davis, chair of the Senate Labor, Commerce and Industry Committee, said state Commerce Secretary Harry Lightsey told him 17 entities were looking into investing money to complete due diligence on the projects.

“We have 40% of one reactor done, 20% of the other, all in good condition,” Davis said. “We have detailed blueprints on how to complete the AP 1000s (reactors) because Georgia just did it. Georgia is about to build a new one. We have a window of opportunity here, but we have to act with urgency.”

So far, 37 of 46 senators have signed on to Davis's S. 51.

It currently sits in committee.

Sen. Tom Davis, R-Beaufort, in the Senate on Jan. 15, 2025.
GAVIN JACKSON
Sen. Tom Davis, R-Beaufort, in the Senate on Jan. 15, 2025.

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Maayan Schechter
Maayan Schechter (My-yahn Schek-ter) is a news reporter with South Carolina Public Radio and ETV. She worked at South Carolina newspapers for a decade, previously working as a reporter and then editor of The State’s S.C. State House and politics team, and as a reporter at the Aiken Standard and the Greenville News. She grew up in Atlanta, Georgia, and graduated from the University of North Carolina-Asheville in 2013.
See stories by Maayan Schechter
Gavin Jackson
Gavin Jackson graduated with a visual journalism degree from Kent State University in 2008 and has been in the news industry ever since. He has worked at newspapers in Ohio, Louisiana and most recently in South Carolina at the Florence Morning News and Charleston Post and Courier.
See stories by Gavin Jackson
Russ McKinney
Russ McKinney has 30 years of experience in radio news and public affairs. He is a former broadcast news reporter in Spartanburg, Columbia and Atlanta. He served as Press Secretary to former S.C. Governor Dick Riley for two terms, and for 20 years was the chief public affairs officer for the University of South Carolina.
See stories by Russ McKinney