Welcome to Monday.
It's Week 9 of the South Carolina legislative session.
You're reading 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 this year while lawmakers are in session.
You're probably thinking, correctly: Why are you posting The Gavel on a Monday? The Gavel never posts on a Monday.
You'd be right.
This is a special, yet brief, installment because the South Carolina budget debate officially begins in the S.C. House.
Notebook highlights:
- Whether you are paying attention to the state budget or not, we highlight what you need to know as the lower chamber starts debate over the $14 billion spending plan.
- Veteran Statehouse reporter Associated Press's Jeffrey Collins was one of three media witnesses to Friday's execution, the first by firing squad. He explains what he saw and heard.
House budget blueprint
We previewed a bit of the House debate last Friday. But here is a refresher in case you missed it.
What time does the House return: 1 p.m. Monday.
What happens on Monday: The chamber takes up the massive budget bill with section by section roll call votes. As is customary, the House will perhaps hold votes Monday on all the "non-controversial" sections, where there are no amendments.
What does that mean for the rest of the week: Similar to Monday, but with likely much more debate, the chamber will go through each remaining bill section, debating all amendments proposed and voting on all sections until they take a vote on the entire bill as a whole.
How can I see what the budget includes: You can find the House's proposed budget documents on the Ways and Means Committee website, including the summary control document (those are the line items) and the provisos. For a short and sweet version, you can view here.
A few budget highlights:
- Projected new recurring (annual) revenue in the state budget is $666 million, and non-recurring (one-time) new money is about $1.25 billion.
- K-12 spending for the House includes raising teacher starting pay to $48,500.
- For years, lawmakers have consistently frozen tuition for students. This year, the House included a proviso (one-year law attached to the budget) that would continue freezing tuition for current students but give colleges and universities the option to raise tuition on new, incoming students. (Gov. Henry McMaster has threatened a veto.)
- House budget writers added $200 million for more bridge repair work, and $50 million in one-time spending for Hurricane Helene-related unreimbursed infrastructure repairs.
- The House budget spends some $89 million for the state health plan. But, for the first time since 2012, the plan also includes a subscriber (employee) premium increase to $36.76 per month (about $1.20 per day).
In the budget background: The hardline House Freedom Caucus — a group of more than a dozen House Republicans — will speak to reporters at noon Monday. In a release, the group said it plans to introduce an "alternative budget."
How can I watch the budget debate: The public can watch the debate in person from the House gallery, or online right here.
Statehouse reporter execution witness
If you're a state lawmaker, a lobbyist/liaison, state agency director or a member of the greater public, you've probably seen Associated Press's Jeffrey Collins around the Statehouse.
He's also one of the longest-working S.C. Statehouse reporters, with 25 years under his badge come Thursday.
He also, as he reports, is "unique" among U.S. reporters: Collins has now witnessed all three methods of execution (lethal injection, electrocution and firing squad) after the state of South Carolina executed Brad Sigmon on Friday by firing squad.
Collins' first-person account is an important look at what witnesses saw and heard Friday as they watched the state's first execution by firing squad and the first execution of its kind in the United States in 15 years.
I wrote a first person account of the firing squad. Here it is. It’s like seeing a unicorn in the wild. Might be the only first person story I’ve written professionally. https://t.co/qeOAgoYD3d
— Jeffrey Collins (@JSCollinsAP) March 8, 2025
As background: About four years ago, South Carolina passed a law that adding the firing squad method as an execution option. The addition came when the state said it was unable to execute by lethal injection because the corrections department said it could not obtain the lethal drugs without a "shield law," a measure that allows companies that supply the drugs to remain hidden from the public. South Carolina has since carried out four executions since it restarted the death penalty.
ICYMI: Former state Sen. Dick Harpootlian, a Richland Democrat and former solicitor who prosecuted convicted killer Pee Wee Gaskins, wrote an op-ed about executions and the firing squad method. You can read it here.
Clips from around the state
- Charleston County stands behind library board targeted by Republican senator over oath of office (Post and Courier)
- Irmo man indicted by federal grand jury for threatening President Trump is denied bond (The State)
- US Rep. Nancy Mace took her fight beyond the House floor. Now comes the legal challenge. (Post and Courier)
- After denial, federal wildfire aid for South Carolina gets a crucial reversal (WLTX)
- SC lawmakers want to make vice habits already unlawful for minors 'more illegal.' (Post and Courier)
- How Nigerian leaders spent millions on SC real estate amid US retreat from dirty money fight (Post and Courier)
- Liquor liability legislation passes South Carolina House of Representatives; what's next? (Spartanburg Herald-Journal
- 'This is my home': NOAA layoffs impact people and projects across South Carolina (Post and Courier)
- Boeing's Ortberg delivers pep talk, tough words in town hall for SC workers, others (Post and Courier)
- Carolina Forest wildfire briefing had constituents asking for town halls from Graham & Fry (Myrtle Beach Sun News)
