It's finally Friday.
And that means we've wrapped up 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.
A reminder: Today's Gavel will be Senate heavy, since the House took the rest of the week off after the chamber held its final vote on the budget after midnight Wednesday. And, as a reminder, next week the House will hold a perfunctory session. So no floor action but there will be committee work.
Notebook highlights:
- Senate left the Statehouse on Thursday without a compromise on S. 244, the tort reform bill. We spoke to the Senate GOP leader about its future.
- Senators move legislation that would give prosecutors and law enforcement more resources to tackle gang activity.
- A new tiny mic freshman spotlight is out. And in Friday's edition, we feature a freshman who has a few legislative months on her colleagues.
GOP leader offers tort reform deadline
The Senate left Columbia late Thursday without a deal on the contentious and hotly-watched issue of tort reform.
As background: The bill, S. 244, seeks in part to limit liability payouts to people or companies seeking damages in an effort to lower liability insurance rates.
Senate Republican Leader Shane Massey, the Edgefield Republican who is the lead sponsor of the bill, said the Senate needs to resolve the issue by early next week.
Massey spoke to Statehouse reporters after they adjourned, saying "Tuesday's D-Day."
You can listen to that gaggle below, which includes where the body is at on the debate and where the differences are:
Senate panel OKs bills to combat gangs
Two bills moving through the Senate — S. 76, sponsored by Republican Sens. Greg Hembree, of Horry, and Larry Grooms, of Berkeley, and S. 85, sponsored by Sen. Tom Young, R-Aiken, and Grooms — would give law enforcement and state prosecutors more tools to combat criminal gangs.
Quick bill highlights:
- The bills for the first time would allow for entire gangs to be charged with criminal activity, similar to the federal RICO Act, which allows prosecutors to treat gangs as criminal enterprises.
- Both bills also would reduce the number of people considered as making up a criminal gang from five to three.
- The proposals would allow for the prosecution of an entire gang under indictments that would include all of the gang members.
Fourteen Circuit Solicitor Duffie Stone testified before a Senate Judiciary subcommittee Thursday. He said that in combatting gangs, “you have to take out the entire organization. You can’t just piecemeal it.”
Attorney General Alan Wilson also spoke in favor the bills.
What next:
- Both proposals were reported out to the full Senate Judiciary Committee. That's the last vetting step before the bills hit the Senate floor.
- If enacted, South Carolina would join 33 other states with state RICO laws on the books.
Here’s Stone from an interview with SC Public Radio Thursday:
Freshman spotlight: tiny mic edition
Thirty-two new lawmakers joined the Legislature this year.
Nineteen of them are in the House. The Senate has 13.
Welcome back to our freshman spotlight: tiny mic edition, where we introduce a new member of their respective chamber. (We edit for length and clarity.)
Next up: State Rep. Tiffany Spann-Wilder, a Democrat who represents House District 109, which covers part of Charleston and Dorchester counties.
You're a freshman, but you were elected in a special election last January. So you have a bit more experience than your colleagues. What has surprised you the most about the Statehouse: I am what they call a redshirt freshman. I have, like, one month in the seat more than my colleagues. I think the most surprising part is actually how friendly the people are here. It's been overwhelming support from folks across the aisle, just helping you get acclimated to the culture.
Where do you suggest visitors stop at in your district: Oh boy. I would probably give a shout out to My Three Sons (of Charleston). It is just a quaint little restaurant with good Southern food. Definitely a Sunday afternoon treat, where I could pick up something and take it home, and even kind of make it look like it was my own.
What are you doing in your down time when you're not at the Statehouse: Down time is not a thing. (I'm) practicing law or in the community advocating for children. That is absolutely one of my passions. And I work closely with an organization called Jack and Jill of America. That is our mission to raise the next generation of leaders, and to help children in our communities, whether they're part of our organization or not.
What is your go-to snack of choice for late session nights: Popcorn and a Snickers.
What college team are you watching: It's kind of a mixed bag for me. I am a Winthrop Eagle. There's no football team there. But I am a USC Law grad, and so I have to cheer on the Gamecocks when there's that big game. But I have lots of family members who went to Clemson. It just depends on the circumstances on who I'm cheering for that day.
Clips from around the state
- Proposed tweaks to South Carolina teacher pay could add thousands to educator pocketbooks (Post and Courier)
- Anti-DEI proposal was killed on the House floor. How did SC’s Democrats defeat it for now? (The State)
- SC Senate plans to discuss law enforcement car chase bill (WSPA)
- Bill requires SC counties pay more to jail teens at DJJ. It could lead to fewer arrests. (SC Daily Gazette)
- Bill would exempt tips from income taxes in South Carolina (WIS)
- Removing books from schools isn't a ban, SC superintendent says. She bristles at Nazi comparison. (Aiken Standard)
- South Carolina's new resident numbers are skyrocketing. Here's where transplants are going. (Post and Courier)
- SC school meals impacted by cuts to USDA funding (WSPA)
- Gun safety advocates rally at State House for stronger violence prevention laws (WIS)
- 10 more books recommended for removal in SC from K-12 libraries (SC Daily Gazette)
