South Carolina State House Recap: Week of April 14, 2025

Hey friends and policy watchers,

The House of Representatives took a scheduled furlough this week, which meant no floor action or committee meetings. But the Senate was anything but quiet. From major legislative moves to setting the stage for a high-stakes hearing next week, it was a short week packed with developments.

With sine die just around the corner on May 8, the House will return next week for what’s expected to be a busy sprint to the finish.

Let’s take a look at what happened—and what’s coming up.

Senate Returns Monday for High-Stakes Hearing

The Senate isn’t waiting until Tuesday to get back to work. Lawmakers will gavel in at 12:00 p.m. on Monday, April 21, for a rare Monday session to begin proceedings related to the potential removal of State Treasurer Curtis Loftis.

The hearing comes after a bipartisan panel recommended his removal due to a $1.8 billion accounting error in the state’s investment records and allegations of willful neglect of duty. It’s a serious and unusual move—removing a statewide elected official requires a two-thirds vote in the Senate.

School Voucher Bill Amended in Senate

One of the most consequential debates this week involved S. 62, an education scholarship bill that would establish a school voucher-style program. The amended version passed the Senate on a 29–13 vote and includes several significant changes:

• Sets the voucher amount at $7,500.

• Allows funding from either state general funds or Lottery Education funds.

• Creates a third-party trustee to administer the program—a key change aimed at sidestepping the 2024 SC Supreme Court ruling, which found that public funds couldn’t be used for the direct benefit of private schools.

• Limits enrollment to 15,000 students, with the ability to expand if revenue allows.

• Establishes two enrollment windows: one for current recipients, another for new applicants.

• Sets initial eligibility at 300% of the federal poverty line (around $96,450 for a family of four), increasing to 500% in future years (approximately $160,750).

  
  

The full vote on the amended bill was delayed after Democrats requested more time to review the compromise. Debate will resume after next week’s budget deliberations. Once the Senate passes the final version, the bill heads to the House for concurrence.

Hands-Free Driving Bill Picks Up Speed

Another widely watched bill is H. 3276, which would ban holding a phone to text, scroll, or call while driving—effectively making South Carolina a hands-free state. The bill has already passed the House and now awaits debate in the Senate.

Mental Health Agency Overhaul Clears Final Hurdle

A major reorganization of how the state handles behavioral health services also moved forward. The Senate voted 40–2 to agree with House changes to S. 2, a bill that creates a new Cabinet-level Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities.

This new department would consolidate:

• The Department of Mental Health

• The Department of Disabilities and Special Needs

• The Department of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Services

  
  

The bill now heads to Governor Henry McMaster’s desk for signature. Once signed into law, the new department will begin a phased-in implementation aimed at improving coordination and access to care across the state.

Budget Week Is Coming

Next week, the Senate will shift its attention to debating the state’s proposed $14 billion general fund budget. Expect spirited discussions on funding priorities, from education to health care to economic development.

Once the Senate passes its version of the budget, lawmakers will need to reconcile it with the House version—likely in a joint conference committee—before the session ends.

It’s a critical time in South Carolina politics, and what happens over the next few weeks will shape policy and funding for years to come. As always, we'll be keeping an eye on it for you.

Got questions? Want to dive deeper on any of these issues? Let’s connect.

Until next time,

Alpha Strategies

📍 South Carolina Public Affairs | Policy Insights | Legislative Watcher