Provided by Copper Dome Strategies, LLC
The Conference Committee on the state budget met this week but did not adopt a Conference Report. Primary elections were held on Tuesday and several incumbents were defeated in both the South Carolina Senate and House.
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The Conference Committee on the FY2024-25 General Appropriations bill H. 5100 and the Capital Reserve Fund bill H. 5101 met on Wednesday and Thursday this week but did not adopt a budget Conference Report. Both chambers are at loggerheads over the differing versions of the state budget and how to fund priorities. They adjourned late Thursday evening without an agreement. Earlier this morning, House Speaker Murrell Smith canceled the House Session previously scheduled for next Tuesday to adopt the report. A memo to House members from the Clerk of the House said, “The Budget Conference Committee has not reached an agreement on a conference committee report, and it is anticipated that an agreement will not be reached in time for the House to meet on Tuesday, June 18, 2024. Thus, Speaker Murrell Smith has canceled the session previously scheduled for June 18. We do not know when the conference committee may reach an agreement, and we do not know, at this time, when the House will next meet. But, as soon as an agreement is reached we will contact you with information as to the date and time of the next meeting of the House. We apologize for any inconvenience. Again, we will immediately inform you when an agreement is reached and we have a date and time to announce for the House to meet.”
Should the impasse break next week, the General Assembly could still meet on June 26 to adopt a Conference Report. Bannister reminded the budget conferees the General Assembly has passed H. 4720, a resolution to provide continuing authority to pay expenses for state government in the event a budget Conference Report is not adopted by July 1, when the state fiscal year begins.
Senate Finance Committee Chairman Harvey Peeler (R-Gaffney) and House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Bruce Bannister (R-Greenville) co-chair the committee. The budget conferees are Senators Harvey Peeler, Nikki Setzler and Sean Bennett. House conferees are Representatives Bruce Bannister, Phillip Lowe and Leon Stavrinakis.
Primary elections for both the Democratic Party and the Republican Party were held on Tuesday. Three incumbent state senators were defeated, including Richland County Senator Dick Harpootlian, Charleston County Senator Sandy Senn and Kershaw County Senator Penry Gustafson. Neither Senator Billy Garrett nor Senator Katrina Shealy received 50% of the vote and will face a runoff election. Shealy currently serves as Chair of the Senate Family and Veterans’ Services Committee.
Three incumbent House members were defeated, including Representative Bill Sandifer of Seneca, Representative Jay West of Anderson and Representative Jerry Carter of Clemson. Sandifer currently serves as Chairman of the House Labor, Commerce and Industry Committee and West serves as the Assistant Majority Leader. Sadly, only 13.5% of the state’s registered voters turned out to vote in these primaries.
There will also be runoff elections for five state Senate seats and four House seats. Runoff elections will take place on Tuesday, June 25.
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