Senate Bills - January 24, 2025

S.246 (Sen. Campsen) — Amends Section 46-9-110, relating to local ordinances, to allow local governments to adopt an ordinance restricting the use of certain pesticide products.

S.247 (Sen. Jackson) — Enacts the "Senator Clementa C. Pinckney Hate Crimes Act" by adding Article 22 to Chapter 3, Title 16. This article, titled "Penalty Enhancements for Certain Crimes," establishes additional penalties for those who commit specified crimes when the victim is intentionally selected based on particular characteristics.

S.248 (Sen. Campsen) — Proposes an amendment to Section 7, Article 6 of the Constitution, relating to the constitutional officers, to delete the Commissioner of Agriculture from the list of state officers that the constitution requires to be elected. The bill also would require the Commissioner of Agriculture be appointed by the Governor, upon the advice and consent of the Senate, for a term coterminous with the Governor upon the expiration of the term of the Commissioner of Agriculture serving in office on the date of the ratification of this provision.

S.249 (Sen. Campsen) — Amends Section 2-20-30, which pertains to public hearings for nonjudicial candidates, to remove the requirement for hearings to be conducted no later than two weeks before the election date. It prohibits candidates from obtaining pledges or commitments until 12 days after the nominees have been announced. Additionally, it requires a minimum of 22 days to pass between the announcement of nominations and the scheduled election date.

S.250 (Sen. Campsen) — Enacts the "Long-Term Care Tax Credit Act” allowing for a state individual income tax credit of 15% of the total premiums paid by a taxpayer under a long-term care insurance contract. This credit is capped at $2,000 per individual per taxable year, and recipients are prohibited from receiving a double benefit.

S.251 (Sen. Campsen) — Amends Section 22-3-10, which addresses the civil jurisdiction of magistrates' courts, raising the civil jurisdiction limit from $7,500 to $15,000.

S.252 (Sen. Campsen) — Amends Section 12-6-3515, which pertains to the state income tax credit for conservation or qualified conservation contributions of real property. The bill proposes the credit will equal 25% of the total value of the gift, rather than 25% of the charitable deduction allowed for the gift on the taxpayer's federal income tax return. Additionally, the bill would increase the maximum annual credit available to a taxpayer from $52,500 to $150,000. The bill also includes provisions to adjust the maximum annual credit based on changes in the consumer price index and to remove obsolete provisions.

S.253 (Sens. Peeler, Grooms, Alexander, and Turner) — Authorizes the Department of Administration to use specific funds to hire an independent compliance consultant. This consultant will review the compliance of the Office of the State Treasurer, the Office of the Comptroller General and the Office of the State Auditor with the recommendations outlined in the AlixPartners forensic accounting report, as well as any other relevant recommendations.

S.254 (Sen. Davis) — Enacts the "Small Business Regulatory Freedom Act" by amending Section 1-23-110, which pertains to the process of creating regulations under the Administrative Procedures Act. The bill prohibits agencies from creating regulations without clear statutory authority and requires them to cite the specific authority for each regulation. For every regulation an agency proposes, the agency must identify and propose the removal of two existing regulations. Individuals who are adversely affected by a regulation have the right to challenge its validity in a court with appropriate jurisdiction. Courts may declare a regulation invalid if it is found that there is no express statutory authority for its creation.

S.255 (Sen. Davis) — Adds Article 8 to Chapter 53 of Title 44 to establish the "Safer Syringe Program." It outlines who is authorized to establish and operate the program and the services that may be offered. It also grants immunity from criminal and civil liability for program employees, participants and law enforcement. Additionally, it amends Section 44-130-20, which defines terms in the "South Carolina Overdose Prevention Act," to ensure consistency with these changes.

S.256 (Sen. Davis) — Enacts the "South Carolina Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy and Resilience Act" by adding Chapter 39 to Title 6. This legislation provides definitions, establishes the program, outlines the application and administration processes, sets forth a procedure for assessing and collecting liens, offers financing options and develops standards, among other provisions.

S.257 (Sens. Devine and Sutton) – Adds Section 7-13-65 to provide an extension of time for voting at any polling place that experiences a delay in opening or an interruption of voting of more than 15 minutes. 

 S. 258 (Sen. Campsen) – Extends the time for the validity of eligibility examination scores for magistrates from six months before and six months after their initial appointment to 18 months before and 18 months after their initial appointment. 

S.260 (Sen. Campsen) – Raises the maximum amount of credit an individual taxpayer may claim for excess premium paid for property and casualty insurance for a tax year from $1,250 to $2,000.

S.261 (Sen. Campsen) – Increases the amount of the pension that certain members of the National Guard shall receive to $100 a month for 20 years of creditable military service, with an additional $10 per month for each additional year of service, and a maximum of $200 a month. The limit will further increase on July 1, 2028, and every third July 1 thereafter, by the increase in the average of the consumer price indices set forth in the bill.