Happy Thursday.
This will be an abbreviated version of 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.
We're happy to report (especially after a late budget night) it's the end of the Week 9 legislative session.
Per usual, we'll have a Friday recap tomorrow— the real end of the week.
As a reminder: The House is out the rest of this week after the chamber finished passing its $14 billion spending plan at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday. They also plan to hold a perfunctory session next week, meaning they won't meet on the floor but will return to Columbia for committee work.
Notebook highlights:
- South Carolina senators work to hash out a compromise on S. 244, the tort reform legislation.
- After the 2017 gas tax increase, lawmakers might look at increasing the fees on electric vehicles.
- We're still months away from anyone announcing that they're running in the 2026 S.C. governor's race, but new polling shows whose name in the possible GOP race is coming up the most.
Tort reform on hold — for now
South Carolina senators were given a heads up that Wednesday — known to be the busiest debate day for both chambers — was going to be a long one.
But after an hour the upper chamber adjourned, with plans to gavel back in to session at 11 a.m. Thursday.
What happened?
Debate on the hotly-watched tort reform bill filed by Senate Majority Leader Shane Massey, R-Edgefield, has been put on hold — for now — while senators try to broker a compromise.
As background: S. 244 seeks in part to limit liability payouts by defendants, often businesses and insurance companies, in an effort to lower the costs of liability insurance. Over in the other chamber, the House last week passed a bill that would lower the required amounts of liability insurance that owners of bars and restaurants that serve alcohol must carry.
Opponents of the bill, led by trial attorneys, maintain the bill would benefit insurance companies to the detriment of injured parties.
The Senate left Wednesday without any action on S. 244.
But it was clear conversations are happening, as reporters saw gaggles of senators grouped together chatting in the chamber and, later in the day, witnessed Massey and Sens. Michael Johnson, R-York, and Sean Bennett, R-Dorchester, leave the Senate President's office in the Statehouse.
Conversations happening on the Senate floor.
— Shaun Chornobroff (@SChornobroff) March 12, 2025
Negotiations are ongoing on S. 244, one Senator just came up and said “they think they are pretty close to getting it done.” pic.twitter.com/0Lr5terq3B
ICYMI: Reporters asked Massey about the status of conversations on Wednesday. He told us (this was around the afternoon) that talks were ongoing. But in case you missed Massey's gaggle with reporters on Tuesday, you can listen to most of the interview below.
Lawmakers might eye EV fee hikes
Electric vehicle drivers in South Carolina pay the lowest user fees of any state in the Southeast, lawmakers heard this week.
EV owners presently pay $120 every two years to the state, while the owner of a gas-powered vehicle pays an average of $200 a year in state gas taxes.
Revenue from the fees goes toward maintaining state roads and bridges.
And state Department of Transportation Secretary Justin Powell told a Senate panel on Wednesday that as a matter of fairness the EV user fees should be increased.
Two new SC gov's race polls
Yes, the 2026 South Carolina governor's race is more than a year away. And we are likely months away before a possible contender announces their intention on running.
But that doesn't stop pollsters.
On Tuesday, two well-known South Carolina polls — the Winthrop University Poll led by Scott Huffmon and the Trafalgar Poll led by Robert Cahaly — released polling data that, for now, offers a snapshot of where the 2026 governor's race may stand if the election were held today.
At least on the Republican side.
Start with the Winthrop Poll.
No one has announced quite yet if they are actually going to run for the Republican primary in the governor's race. But we do have signs of interest, particularly from U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace, Attorney General Alan Wilson and Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette.
Winthrop Poll highlights:
- 52% of South Carolinians are very or somewhat familiar with Mace.
- 39% of South Carolinians are very or somewhat familiar with Wilson.
- 32% of respondents were familiar with Evette and U.S. Rep. Ralph Norman, of Rock Hill.
- South Carolina respondents were least likely to know state Sen. Josh Kimbrell, R-Spartanburg, who has said he's considering a run, and Upstate businessman John Warren, who ran unsuccessfully for governor in 2018.
“Importantly, both Mace and Wilson, often touted as leading candidates at this early stage, have extremely high name recognition among those respondents who might be perceived as most likely to vote in a Republican primary," Huffmon said.
Trafalgar Poll highlights, if the election were held now:
- 31.5% responded they would vote for Evette
- 29.1% said they would back Mace
- 27.9% responded they would support Wilson
- 11.5% said they would vote for Norman
Daily planner (3/13)
SC Senate
- 9 a.m. — Gressette 308 — Labor, Commerce and Industry Committee
Agenda Available
Live Broadcast
Live Broadcast - Audio Only - 9 a.m. — Gressette 207 — Senate Corrections Subcommittee
Agenda Available - 9:30 a.m. — Gressette 105 — Judiciary Subcommittee on S.8, S.76, S.85, S.114, S.270 and S.405
Agenda Available
Live Broadcast
Live Broadcast - Audio Only - 9:30 a.m. — Gressette 209 — Medical Affairs Subcommittee
Agenda Available
Live Broadcast
Live Broadcast - Audio Only - 10 a.m. — Gressette 407 — Finance Higher Education Subcommittee budget hearing
Agenda Available - 11 a.m. — Senate in session
Live Broadcast
Live Broadcast - Audio Only - After the Senate adjourns — Gressette 209 — Finance Constitutional Subcommittee budget hearing on H.3430
Agenda Available
Live Broadcast
Live Broadcast - Audio Only
Clips from around the state
- SC grand jury indicts Williamsburg sheriff, county supervisor on public corruption, money laundering (Post and Courier)
- SC one of 20 states to consider eliminating income taxes on tips (SC Daily Gazette)
- Sister of US Supreme Court justice receives pipe bomb threat at Charleston residence (Post and Courier)
- DEI bill would cost SC state agencies, universities at least $86 million, report says (The State)
- Environmental projects face uncertainty as funding freezes loom. What SC has to lose. (Post and Courier)
- South Carolina House Republicans fight with each other over the budget (AP)
- In a reversal, Charleston Library Board now must swear oath to US Constitution (Post and Courier)
- Suspended North Charleston councilman pleads not guilty to corruption (SC Public Radio)
- A new House bill would dissolve SCHSL, form SCHS Athletic Association (WCIV)
- DOGE plans to end a Savannah River Site lease. Here's what you need to know. (Aiken Standard)
- Are federal courthouses in Spartanburg and Anderson for sale? It isn't exactly clear (Spartanburg Herald-Journal)
- Bill advancing in Senate makes manipulating children for prostitution illegal (SC Daily Gazette)
