View From the Dome – June 25, 2021: The General Assembly returned to Columbia Monday to adopt the Conference Report on the state budget. Several committees met this week as well.

Communicating relevant South Carolina specific information and Advocacy on behalf of our CPA Members are important elements of SCACPA’s service to members.  Here is your weekly update of actions being taken during the 124th Legislative Session, prepared in cooperation with our lobbying partner, Copper Dome Strategies.

Friday, June 25, 2021

A Quick View

  • The General Assembly returned to Columbia Monday, June 25, to adopt the Conference Committee Report on the FY21-22 General Appropriations Act, 4100(Ways and Means Committee), resolving differences between the House and Senate versions of the state budget.
  • The state of emergency in South Carolina has expired, formally ending the heightened state in place since the early days of the Coronavirus pandemic.
  • The General Assembly will return to Columbia again on Tuesday, June 29, to address any vetoes of the governor.

Budget

The General Assembly returned to Columbia Monday, June 25, to adopt the Conference Committee Report on the FY21-22 General Appropriations Act, H. 4100 (Ways and Means Committee), resolving differences between the House and Senate versions of the state budget. The $31 billion budget includes $10 billion in general fund revenues and one-time surplus revenue of $1.3 billion. The revised budget also includes $524 million in new recurring revenue.

The House adopted the report by a vote of 108-6. The Senate adopted the report by a vote of 39-5. The state budget now goes to Governor Henry McMaster who has five days to exercise his line-item veto authority. The General Assembly will return to Columbia again on Tuesday, June 29, to address any vetoes of the governor. The Conference Report can be found here.

The General Assembly is not expected to return to Columbia again until September to determine how to appropriate nearly $2.5 billion in federal funds from the American Rescue Plan Act. Also up for debate is the $525 million from the Savannah River Site (SRS) settlement, much of which is likely to be directed to the three-county region primarily impacted by SRS.

COVID-19 – Vaccines

The state of emergency in South Carolina has expired, formally ending the heightened state in place since the early days of the Coronavirus pandemic. All federal, pandemic-related unemployment benefit programs will be terminated statewide effective June 30, 2021. The termination is due to an unprecedented workforce shortage, including those in the hospitality, tourism, manufacturing, and healthcare sectors. For more information, click here.

Currently, all South Carolinians age 12 and older can get their COVID-19 vaccine. For more information from DHEC on the virus, click here.

Sine Die Adjournment

The General Assembly has adopted H. 4285 (Reps. Lucas, Simrill and Rutherford), a Concurrent Resolution to allow the bodies to meet post adjournment at the call of the President Pro Tem of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives to consider certain specified matters, including the state budget. The General Assembly will return to Columbia again on Tuesday, June 29, to address any vetoes of the governor.

The General Assembly will also meet again in the fall to address redistricting and appropriate the nearly $2.5 billion in federal funds from the American Rescue Plan Act and the $525 million from the Savannah River Site (SRS) lawsuit settlement.