SC Senate

"The regulations are going to be key to meet family needs and child safety, along with quality," said S.C. House Education Committee Chairwoman Shannon Erickson.

The special election to fill the unexpired term of the late Sen. John Scott's District 19 Richland County seat was held Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023.

House Ethics Committee Chairman Jay Jordan said that in light of the court ruling, so-called special interest caucuses can now operate similar to traditional caucuses.

The S.C. Senate's five female senators will be honored Oct. 29 at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library in Boston.

A special election to fill the S.C. Senate seat previously held by the late Sen. John Scott will be Jan. 2, 2024.

S.C. Sen. John Scott died Sunday, Aug. 13, 2023, after the Richland County Democrat was admitted to the cardiovascular unit at the Medical University of South Carolina.

South Carolina House members and senators have reached an agreement on the state's $13 billion budget, Thursday's deal came barely 24 hours after a tense meeting where both sides appeared to be out of patience. The key sticking point — how much money to give Clemson University to make significant progress on the state's first veterinary school — went to the Senate, which set aside $102 million. The House spending plan had about $8 million.

The $100 million deadlock in South Carolina's $13 billion budget erupted into public view Wednesday as the highest ranking House Democrat accused the Senate's budget leader of "putting pets over people." House Minority Leader Todd Rutherford directed the line at Senate Finance Committee Chairman Harvey Peeler for insisting on money for the state's first veterinary school at Clemson University. Peeler says House members have refused to meet with senators and are threatening pay raises for state employees, teachers and state law enforcement officers over the small, petty dispute. The state won't close without a budget on July 1, but no new money could be spent without passing the new spending plan.

The South Carolina House and Senate are showing no sign of getting closer to a deal on the state's $13 billion spending plan set to start July 1. The two main budget lawmakers in each chamber insisted they weren't at an impasse at Monday's meeting. The first conference committee meeting in 18 days lasted less than three minutes. Things like raises for state employees that lawmakers have already agreed to spend with an extra $1 billion can't start if the budget isn't passed before July 1. Both chambers did pass a resolution last month allowing government to remain open without a budget.

Flush with extra money to spend, South Carolina's House and Senate still haven't reached a deal on the state's $13 billion spending plan set to start July 1. While no one is talking publicly about what is causing the delay, an obvious sign of problems came Wednesday, when House Speaker Murrell Smith presided over a nearly empty House chamber. Members were supposed to meet for a session to approve the compromise.