7 bills that failed to pass during SC legislative session

South Carolina’s legislative session came to an end Thursday and bills that didn’t cross the finish line or aren’t in a conference committee are now dead.

If lawmakers really want the legislation, the bills will have to be reintroduced next year, go through the committee process and pass both chambers.

Here’s seven notable bills that didn’t make it.

MEDICAL MARIJUANA

State Sen. Tom Davis’ years long effort to create a medical marijuana program in South Carolina failed again this year. The legislation got through the Senate again, but never moved in the House.

The bill was still in the House 3M committee, which had a ad hoc committee hold two hearings on the bill late in the session.

House Medical, Military, Public and Municipal Affairs Committee Chairwoman Sylleste Davis said the possible changes with how marijuana is classified on the federal level may require changes in the medical marijuana legislation.

“I felt like there were just too many balls in the air that we needed to figure out,” she said.

HEALTH AGENCY RESTRUCTURING

A move to combine the state’s health agencies died in the last hour.

The bill passed the House Wednesday after attempts by the House Freedom Caucus to delay it. But when it came back to the Senate Thursday, state

Shane Martin R-spartanburg added several amendments on the floor forcing the bill back to the House.

When the House tried to bring it up, state Rep. Josiah Magnuson, R-spartanburg, objected, a parliamentary move that kept the bill from being brought up for consideration. Tom Davis, a Beaufort Republican, who worked to shepherd the legislation, was on the House floor for the last 10 minutes of session trying to convince Magnuson to drop his objection but to no avail. The conversation was tense with many members huddled around and House security standing closely to keep calm.

Davis left the chamber visibly angry.

“It’s a huge setback, we have the most fractured public health care delivery system in the country,” he said.

“The governor is for (the consolidation), the speaker of the House is for it, the majority the House is for it, president of the Senate is for it, and a majority of Senate is for it, and a handful of Freedom Caucus members objected and burned it down,” he added. “The people of South Carolina lost here.”

Magnuson’s objection also kept the bill from going to conference committee where Freedom Caucus concerns could have been addressed. Davis said the amendments pushed by Martin even spoke to their concerns. The Freedom Caucus didn’t believe their concerns would be addressed.

“They said it was going to streamline government but they said it was not going to actually result in anybody being dismissed or streamlining of their jobs,” Magnuson said. “So that was a problem. We didn’t have any assurance that there was going to be any funding cuts. That’s what we’re trying to do is cut government spending to do more for the taxpayer.”

APPOINTMENT OF THE COMPTROLLER GENERAL

Following last year’s disclosure of a $3.5 billion accounting error, senators in a 42-0 vote wanted the governor to appoint the comptroller general rather than voters electing a comptroller every four years.

Making it an appointed position requires voter approval because it would make require a change to the constitution.

The comptroller general serves as the state’s top accountant.

When the bill moved to the House, however, it stalled and has not moved out of the House Judiciary committee, as the committee has had to deal with about 475 bills.

Former Comptroller General Richard Eckstrom resigned last year and was replaced by Brian Gaines. When Eckstrom ran for reelection in 2022, he was unopposed and received 98% of the vote.

Having the job appointed by the governor could allow for quicker changes when problems arise in the agency.

Currently the governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, treasurer, comptroller general, secretary of agriculture and superintendent of education serve as constitutional officers who are elected on a statewide basis.

Senators even suggested the treasurer also be appointed, but the recommendation took place after the chamber passed the comptroller appointment bill.

SUNDAY LIQUOR SALES

A bill that would allow counties and municipalities to hold referendum on whether to allow packaged liquor sales on Sundays died in the Senate.

The bill passed the House earlier this year, and only moved out of the Judiciary Committee last week.

Once on the floor, and handful of senators objected to the legislation and kept it from moving forward.

Small mom and pop stores were concerned they would be be forced open on Sundays in order to compete with larger operations, or risk losing customers.

For the time being, if you want to buy make a mixed drink at home on a Sunday, make sure you buy supplies on Saturday.

REDUCING UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE BENEFITS

An effort to peg the length of unemployment insurance benefits to the state unemployment rate passed in the House despite concerns rural areas may have higher jobless rates.

However, the bill died in the Senate and never moved out of the Senate’s Labor, Commerce and Industry Committee.

STILL NO OFFICIAL STATE FLAG

State Sen. Ronnie Cromer, R-newberry, pushed to establish an official flag did not move past the state Senate again this legislative session.

Again state Sen. Brad Hutto, D-orangeburg, blocked the Newberry Republican’s effort to standardize the Palmetto Tree and crescent on the indigo blue background.

The bill was sent back to committee Tuesday, effectively killing it for the rest of the session.

HATE CRIMES BILL

The Clementa Pinckney Hate Crimes bill passed the House again during this two year session, but it again stalled in the Senate.

“It is deeply troubling that South Carolina remains one of the only state in the nation without specific addressing hate crime,” said state Sen.

Vernon Stephens, D-orangeburg. “The failure of our state pass such a law does not merely present a legislative oversight. It signifies a systemic front and address the deepening issues of prejudice and violence based on race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, and other identities.”

However, Senate Majority Leader Shane Massey said the bill does not have enough support in the upper chamber.

Joseph Bustos: 803-771-8450, @Joebreporter