H 3815

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026
Bill 3815
Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter
(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)
A house RESOLUTION
TO AMEND RULES 6.3 14. AND 15., AND 8.9 OF THE RULES
OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, ALL RELATING TO THE MOTION PERIOD, SO AS TO
DELETE THE MOTION PERIOD AND ALL REFERENCES TO IT, AND TO FURTHER AMEND 15. TO
MAKE A TECHNICAL CHANGE TO MATTERS REGARDING SETTING SPECIAL ORDER; TO AMEND
RULE 4.2 10., RELATING TO STANDING COMMITTEES AND THEIR MEMBERSHIPS, SO AS TO
RENAME THE COMMITTEE ON LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT THE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT
EFFICIENCY AND LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT; TO AMEND RULE 5.20, RELATING TO RESOLUTIONS
MEMORIALIZING CONGRESS, AN AGENCY, OR AN OFFICIAL, SO AS TO PROVIDE THESE MAY
BE REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON INVITATIONS AND MEMORIAL RESOLUTIONS OR TO THE
APPROPRIATE COMMITTEE WITH SUBJECT MATTER JURISDICTION CONCERNING THE
RESOLUTION; TO AMEND RULE 4.13, RELATING TO INVITATIONS, SO AS TO ALLOW THE
COMMITTEE ON INVITATIONS AND MEMORIAL RESOLUTIONS TO ACCEPT INVITATIONS AS
EARLY AS 5:00 P.M.; TO DELETE RULE 5.12 RELATING TO THE APRIL TENTH CROSSOVER
DEADLINE FOR LEGISLATION; TO AMEND RULE 4.4, RELATING TO COMMITTEE OPERATIONS,
SO AS TO REQUIRE STREAMING OF COMMITTEE AND SUBCOMMITTEE MEETINGS WHEN FEASIBLE
AND PROVIDE A CAVEAT; TO ADD RULE 2.17 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT THE CLERK, READING
CLERK, CHAPLAIN, AND SERGEANT AT ARMS MUST PERFORM THEIR DUTIES IN A FAIR AND
PROFESSIONAL MANNER THAT DOES NOT OPENLY REFLECT THEIR PERSONAL POLITICAL
BELIEFS OR OPINIONS CONCERNING ISSUES, CAMPAIGNS, OR OTHER MATTERS BEFORE THE
GENERAL ASSEMBLY; AND TO DELETE RULES 4.9, 4.10, 4.11, AND 4.12, ALL RELATING
TO THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE AND ITS OPERATION.
Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:
(1)        That Rule 6.3
14. and 15. of the Rules of the House of Representatives is amended to read:
14.        a.  motion period;
  b.  consideration
of local contested bills and joint resolutions on second reading;
15.       consideration of
statewide contested bills and joint resolutions on second reading in the order
in which they appear on the Calendar;
  a. Notwithstanding
the order of business set forth in Rule 6.3 a matter may be set for Special
Order for consideration on a particular day at a particular hour or at a
particular place on the Calendar.
  b. Special orders
may be set for appropriations bills and local bills by majority vote of the
House. Special orders on all other billsmatters placed on the Calendar shall be set only by
written resolution, which has been referred to the Rules Committee or
originates therein, and agreed to by two-thirds of the members of that
committee and agreed to by majority of the members of the House present after
the committee has made its report; provided,. Resolutions setting matters for special order may include
language governing the time, date, and debate of the matters set for special
order; however, that notwithstanding the
provisions of Rule 9 governing the amendability of bills and resolutions, no
amendments may be offered to any Special Order resolution, which amendments do
not pertain to the bill which is the subject of the Special Order resolution, except
as to the time and date called for in such resolution.
Provided, that for the
purpose of explaining any Special Order resolution the time limit for opponents
shall not exceed five minutes and the time limit for proponents shall not
exceed five minutes.
  c.   A Special
Order set for a certain day and hour, not being considered by the House at the
hour named, shall be transferred by the Clerk of the House to the Special
Orders of the following day until disposed of, in the chronological order of original
appointment.
Any member may insist upon a
Special Order of the Day, or other Special Orders, until it be discharged.
  d.   The motion period provided for the daily order of business under
Rule 6.3 shall be limited to ten minutes only.
Provided, however, that time consumed
by roll call votes shall not be construed as part of time allotted to said
motions period. (Reserved.)
e.  Consideration of
uncontested local bills and joint resolutions on third and second readings as
provided in subsection 7a and b of this rule shall be limited to a total of ten
minutes only.  Consideration of contested local bills and joint resolutions on second
and third readings as provided in subsections 12b and 14b of this rule is
limited to a total of ten minutes for second reading bills and joint
resolutions and ten minutes for third reading bills and joint resolutions.
  f.  Consideration
of uncontested statewide bills and joint resolutions on third and second
readings as provided in subsection 8a and b of this rule shall be limited to a
total of thirty minutes only.
  g.  No
debate shall be allowed in the uncontested period, provided, however,
the Speaker may recognize a proponent and opponent of any uncontested bill or
joint resolution for a brief explanation of their position.
  h.  Consideration
of unanimous consent requests as provided for in subsection 12 of this rule
shall be limited to five minutes only.  No unanimous consent requests except
those unanimous consent requests dealing with the pending matter may be
considered at any time other than during the time provided for in subsection 12
of this rule.
(2)        That Rule 8.9 of the Rules of the House of
Representatives is amended to read:
  8.9       When
a motion is made during a motion period, the Speaker shall entertain but one
motion at a time and there shall be no substitute motions considered.  The same
motion may be entertained consecutively during the motion period. (Reserved.)
(3)        That Rule 4.2 10.
of the Rules of the House of Representatives is amended to read:
  10.       Committee on Government Efficiency and Legislative Oversight
(Oversight and Review of Government Operations and Accountability, SC Code of
Laws Section 2-2-5 et seq.) -- 20.
(4)        That Rule 5.20 of the Rules of the House
of Representatives is amended to read:
  5.20     Notwithstanding the
provisions of any other House Rule, no House or Concurrent Resolution
memorializing the Congress of the United States, the President of the United
States, or any state or federal department, agency, or official shall receive
immediate consideration but shall be referred to the Committee on Invitations
and Memorial Resolutions or the appropriate committee with
subject matter jurisdiction concerning the resolution.  Provided, a House or
Concurrent Resolution referred to the Committee on Invitations and Memorial
Resolutionsand shall remain in such
committee unless three members of the committee vote to report the resolution
out of committee.  No such resolution may be recalled from committee.
(5)        That Rule 4.13 of the Rules of the House
of Representatives is amended to read:
  4.13     No person shall be
permitted to address the House or the Joint Assembly except by written
resolution, and such resolution shall be referred to the Committee on
Invitations and Memorial Resolutions before being considered by the House.  The
Committee shall not extend an invitation to any individual or group to address
the House or the Joint Assembly unless such person or group is of significant
national or state prominence at the time the invitation is extended and will
bring a message of major importance to the State or such individual or group
will present an artistic performance during the established hours of meeting.
  Any invitations extended to the House as
a whole to attend any functions shall be submitted to the Committee on
Invitations and Memorial Resolutions at least 10 days in advance in order that
it may determine what legislation or other pertinent matters may be pending
before the House and its Committees before the invitation is accepted.  The
House shall accept no invitations to any functions other than a breakfast or
luncheon prior to 6:005:00
p.m.  Pages are not permitted to attend such functions.  No invitations to
functions for the House as a whole will be accepted during the week anticipated
for the debate of the State Appropriations Bill.
(6)        That Rule 5.12 of the Rules of the House
of Representatives is amended to read:
  5.12     No
bill or joint resolution from the Senate shall be considered unless received by
April tenth in the House.  Provided, such bill or joint resolution shall be
placed on the Calendar for further consideration if two thirds of those members
present and voting agree to waive the rule.  Any bill or joint resolution
failing to receive the required vote shall be returned to the appropriate
committee.  Once voted on and rejected, no further vote shall be allowed to
waive this rule.
  The motion to waive
this rule shall not be debatable, except that the mover shall have the right to
make a three minute explanation of his motion.
  The provisions of
this rule shall apply only to regular sessions of the General Assembly as
opposed to special sessions of the General Assembly.
  The Speaker shall
enforce the deadlines provided by this rule and shall not allow consideration
without putting the question of waiver before the House. (Reserved.)
(7)        That Rule 4.4 of the Rules of the House of Representatives is
amended to read:
  4.4       Committees shall meet regularly to consider
pending legislation in the room assigned for their use by the Speaker or as
otherwise authorized by this rule.  Notice of date, time, and place of such
meetings shall be posted on the legislative website and displayed in the lobby
on each floor of the Solomon Blatt Building.  A committee should give a minimum
of twenty-four hour advance notice for all committee meetings.  Provided,
however, in case of necessity due to exigent circumstances, the Speaker, in his
sole discretion, may waive the twenty-four hour advance notice requirements
herein.  Committee chairmen must notify the committee members of all meetings.
Failure of notice of any meeting shall not invalidate committee action unless
bad faith is shown.  Committee and subcommittee meetings shall be
streamed online whenever feasible; however, the inability to broadcast a
meeting online shall not invalidate any action taken at a meeting. No committee shall meet
while the House is in session without special leave by the Speaker.  Provided,
however, that the Committee on Rules and any committee of conference or free
conference, may sit at any time and may report its message to the House at any
time.
  A Committee may provide, pursuant to its own rules, for the
Chairmen to designate alternative meeting arrangements and procedures.
Provided, however, the Chairman may only implement  alternative meeting
arrangements and procedures in the event that extraordinary circumstances
including, but not limited to, natural disasters, severe weather, and Acts of
God, render them necessary.  The alternative meeting arrangements and
procedures must:
  (1)        provide for public observation or participation as
required by House Rules and the provisions of Title 30, Chapter 4 of the 1976
Code of Laws of South Carolina, as amended;
  (2)        provide both a video and audio component that is
publicly accessible; and
  (3)        record the meeting, in its entirety, and make the
recording available on the General Assembly website, as soon as practicable
following the meeting.
  No committee shall sit unless a quorum be present and all
bills introduced by committees must carry the statement of the Chairman that
the bill has the approval of two thirds of the membership of the committee,
except that the State Appropriations Bill, the Supplemental Appropriations
Bill, a Rescission Bill, and the Deficiency Appropriations Bill may be
introduced by a majority vote of the Ways and Means Committee.
  No committee shall introduce a bill pertaining to subject
matter over which it has no jurisdiction.
  Notice in writing of all committee action taken on a bill or
resolution shall be given to the principal author thereof.
  No statewide bill directly appropriating money shall be
considered by the House until after such bill has been referred to the Ways and
Means Committee, provided, however, a statewide bill which directly or by
implication provides for per diem, subsistence or mileage in connection with
the subject matter of the bill, but does not otherwise directly appropriate
money, shall not be required to be referred to the Ways and Means Committee.
  After the House sets a bill for Special Order pursuant to
Rule 6.3, no point of order may be raised regarding its reference to committee,
however, the House by majority vote may commit or recommit a bill or other
matter under debate.
  No committee action shall be taken on a bill or resolution
except at a regular or called meeting, but this shall not apply to resolutions
referred to the Committee on Invitations and Memorial Resolutions.
  When any standing committee or subcommittee schedules a
public hearing on a bill or resolution, the principal sponsor of such bill or
resolution shall be notified of the time and place of such hearing not less
than five calendar days prior to the hearing date.
(8)        That Rule 2 of the Rules of the House of Representatives is
amended by adding:
  2.17     The Clerk, Reading Clerk, Chaplain,
and Sergeant at Arms must perform the duties and responsibilities of their
offices in a fair and professional manner that does not openly reflect their
personal political beliefs or opinions concerning issues, campaigns, or other
matters before the General Assembly.
(9)        That Rules 4.9, 4.10, 4.11, and 4.12 of the Rules of the House
of Representatives are amended to read:
  4.9       In all
cases the House may resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole.  The motion
to resolve the House into a Committee of the Whole shall specify the subject(s)
to be considered in the Committee of the Whole.  In the event the House
resolves itself into a Committee of the Whole, the Committee of the Whole shall
limit discussion to the subject(s) specified in the motion.  The Speaker shall
leave the Chair after appointing a Chairman to preside, who shall, in case of
disturbance or disorderly conduct, have the power to cause same to be cleared.
No bill or resolution may be considered by the Committee of the Whole House,
except by a two thirds vote, unless same has first been considered by the
appropriate Standing Committee of the House. (Reserved.)
  4.10     The
Committee of the Whole shall consist of the entire body of members in
attendance at the particular meeting of the House.  Such committee is a real
committee in the parliamentary sense.  During the time that a meeting of the
Committee of the Whole is held, it is technically not 'the assembly'. (Reserved.)
  4.11     The Rules
of the House so far as they are applicable shall be observed in a Committee of
the Whole, the Chairman being substituted for the Speaker. (Reserved.)
  4.12     No
Committee of the Whole or other committee shall deface or interline a bill or
other paper, referred to it, but shall report any amendments recommended on a
separate paper, noting the page and line. (Reserved.)
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This web page was last updated on February 05, 2025 at 01:45 PM