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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: Closed primary bills hit wall, Senate OKs lawmaker pay restoration

South Carolina Public Radio | By Maayan Schechter,
Gavin Jackson
Published January 22, 2026 at 6:01 AM EST
A speaker signs up at a hearing on a South Carolina House bill to close state primaries to only people who register with a political party on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, in Columbia, S.C.
Jeffrey Collins/AP
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AP
A speaker signs up at a hearing on a South Carolina House bill to close state primaries to only people who register with a political party on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, in Columbia, S.C. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Collins)

Statehouse reporters Gavin Jackson 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.

It's Thursday, Jan. 22.

If you're like us, you're monitoring the weather right now.

On Wednesday, Gov. Henry McMaster issued a state of emergency for winter weather that is expected to hit the state Saturday and continue through the weekend, potentially into Monday.

The governor's order activates the state's emergency operations plan, and puts the National Guard and other resources on notice so preparations can begin.

The forecast calls for a mix of sleet, ice and snow, plus freezing temperatures that could create travel hazards and down power lines.

It's remains a possibility that severe weather could impact next week's legislative session.

You're reading the The State House Gavel, your daily reporter notebook by Maayan Schechter and Gavin Jackson that previews and captures what goes on at the South Carolina Statehouse.

The House gavels in at 10 a.m. The Senate returns at 11 a.m.

We know both chambers will adjourn today well before 1 p.m. because many will be visiting McEntire Joint National Guard Base for a tour of the installation as part of South Carolina Military Appreciation Day.

Why 1 p.m.?

Because lawmakers say they're not planning to drive to the base — home to the 157th "Swamp Foxes" fight squadron of F-16s — and will be catching a ride on a Chinook helicopter.

Feel free to send us photos.

Legislators visit McEntire Joint National Guard Base in Hopkins, SC and McCrady Training Center in Eastover, SC on April 24, 2025, to learn more about the South Carolina National Guard's missions, capabilities, and impact. Their visit underscores the value of collaboration between military leaders and elected officials to ensure mission success. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Ryan Shane Gay)
Staff Sgt. Ryan Gay/South Carolina National Guard
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Digital
Legislators visit McEntire Joint National Guard Base in Hopkins, SC and McCrady Training Center in Eastover, SC on April 24, 2025. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Ryan Shane Gay)

On Wednesday, Charles Seastrunk gave his final blessing over the South Carolina House after 25 years as chamber chaplain.

The 94-year-old told us being chaplain — the position is one of a few offices elected by House members — was a wonderful experience.

"I loved every minute of it," he said. "If I could do it over again, I would do it over again."

Any final pastoral advice to the 124 members?

"Just keep up the work," he said. "Keep the faith. Don't lose it."

By voice vote, the House elected Jeff Lingerfelt as his successor. 

He faced no challengers.

Notebook highlights:

  • Closed primary bills hit a snag
  • House advances bill to reclassify abortion-inducing drugs
  • Lawmakers' monthly payout moves forward
Retiring House Chaplain Reverend Charles E. Seastrunk, Jr., is lauded by House Speaker Murrell Smith, R-Sumter, in the House chamber at the South Carolina Statehouse on Jan. 21 , 2026.
GAVIN JACKSON
Retiring House Chaplain Reverend Charles E. Seastrunk, Jr., is lauded by House Speaker Murrell Smith, R-Sumter, in the House chamber at the South Carolina Statehouse on Jan. 21 , 2026.

Closed primary bills hit snag over GOP infighting

Two House bills that would close primaries and require voters to register with one of two main political parties went nowhere on Wednesday following mounting Republican infighting and a governor's veto threat.

Both bills were up for debate in a subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee. Neither bill advanced, or even made it to a vote.

As background: State Rep. Rep. Brandon Newton, R-Lancaster, authored H. 3643, which would have had voters register by party and imposed stricter requirements for candidates. It allowed for "unaffiliated voters" to cast a ballot in the primary. The legislation had significant backing from members of the House GOP Caucus, but over the last few days several members defected. Critics said the bill would restrict candidates for example who switched parties, pointing to language in the bill about participation in past statewide primaries. An alternative version, H. 3310, would have fewer candidate restrictions and completely closed primaries. It is sponsored by Greenville Republican Rep. Mike Burns and garnered support from members of the hardline Freedom Caucus and a couple of candidates for governor.

So, what happened? Republican infighting.

It's a storyline we've seen in the House with social and other hot-button bills that have split the GOP on issue after issue.

The idea of closed primaries also was a cause for concern among some Republicans who worried about barriers to voting in already low turnout primary elections and some viewed Newton's bill as having too great of an impact on some candidate's vying for office.

"The bill is nothing more than candidate gatekeeping," one speaker told the committee, while wearing a large sticker supporting Burns' bill.

Newton, speaking first, said his proposal was not about any individual person, rather he said it's been a state Republican Party priority for years.

He said the debate had turned into one of the "nastiest" he'd ever witnessed.

"I don't believe now is the time to move forward on the bills," he said.

Here's Newton's full remarks:

S.C. Rep. Brandon Newton, R-Lancaster, on closed primary bills 1.21.2026

Assistant Majority Leader Rep. Brandon Newton, R-Lancaster, stands in the House chamber at the South Carolina Statehouse on Jan. 21 , 2026.
GAVIN JACKSON
Assistant Majority Leader Rep. Brandon Newton, R-Lancaster, stands in the House chamber at the South Carolina Statehouse on Jan. 21 , 2026.

Abortion-inducing drug reclassification moves forward

The House Judiciary Committee met well into the evening on Wednesday and after extended debate, approved H. 4760, the abortion-inducing medication bill authored by Judiciary Chairman Weston Newton, R-Beaufort.

The bill passed 14-7, along party lines.

The bill reclassifies abortion-inducing drugs, like mifepristone and misoprostol, to Schedule IV controlled substances and makes it a felony to possess the drugs and use them for an abortion without a prescription. The bill also allows for civil action to be taken against someone in violation of the law.

Newton's bill now heads to the House floor.

What else happened in the House?

  • The House amended and passed in a 66-33 vote S. 287, filed by Senate President Thomas Alexander, R-Oconee, that seeks to put regulations on the sale of electronic nicotine delivery systems.
  • The House Judiciary Committee also advanced legislation, H. 4762, to the floor that would require the display of the Ten Commandments in every public school classroom. Schools could also display other documents, including the Mayflower Compact, the Declaration of Independence, and, after an amendment, the Emancipation Proclamation. The bill, which has support from House leadership, would allow for each school district or charter school to adopt a policy creating volunteer school chaplains. It passed in a 18-3 vote, with several Democrats joining their Republican colleagues.
South Carolina Rep. Weston Newton, R-Bluffton, listens to the debate about a bill that would allow the state to keep secret the name of a company that sold it drugs used for lethal injections on Wednesday, April 19, 2023, in Columbia, S.C. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Collins)
Jeffrey Collins/AP
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AP
South Carolina Rep. Weston Newton, R-Beaufort, on the House floor on Wednesday, April 19, 2023, in Columbia, S.C. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Collins)

Senators vote to restore monthly pay supplement

It was an inevitable vote and the Senate did it fast.

On Wednesday, senators voted unanimously to send S. 779 to the House. The legislation reinstates the $1,000-a-month pay to the part-time lawmakers for in-district expenses.

As we've reported before, the former in-district pay — referred to as legislative expense allowance — became the center of a lawsuit and state Supreme Court case after Sen. Wes Climer, R-York, sued the Legislature following his colleague's action to raise that pay to $2,500 a month.

The Supreme Court agreed the bump was unconstitutional.

The problem for many lawmakers? The high court's decision threw the entire payout out, requiring a legislative fix.

The bill, filed by Senate GOP Leader Shane Massey, R-Edgefield, is expected to get support in the House and sent to the governor.

It does provide for the back pay that was lost after the court's decision. However, it makes clear that any legislator who was convicted or pleaded guilty to a felony — as in former Rep. RJ May, who is headed to federal prison for distributing child sex abuse material — is not entitled to the money.

What else is going on in the Senate?

  • The Senate will continue its debate over S. 52, the DUI legislation filed by Sen. Tom Davis, R-Beaufort, but the bill is unlikely to get significant debate today and will get pushed into next week.
  • The Senate agreed with House amendments to H. 3431, filed by Judiciary Chairman Newton, which aims to put new requirements on social media companies regarding minors. It goes to the governor.
Sen. Jeffrey Graham, D-Kershaw, listens in the Senate chamber at the South Carolina Statehouse on Jan. 21 , 2026.
GAVIN JACKSON
Sen. Jeffrey Graham, D-Kershaw, listens in the Senate chamber at the South Carolina Statehouse on Jan. 21 , 2026.

Daily Statehouse planner (1/22)

SC House

SC Senate

SC governor

  • 2 p.m. — Gov. Henry McMaster to join Agriculture Commissioner Hugh Weathers and state Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Director Duane Parrish for a press conference recognizing the S.C. Chef Ambassadors at the Statehouse

Statehouse clips from around the state
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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