The South Carolina Fraternal Order of Police is committed to keeping law enforcement officers informed about legislative developments that impact our profession. This page provides weekly updates on key activities at the South Carolina Statehouse, including our legislative priorities, bills we support, and legislation we are monitoring. We actively advocate for policies that enhance officer safety, strengthen law enforcement resources, and protect the rights of those who serve.
This is the final Statehouse Report of the first regular session of the 126th South Carolina General Assembly. Since this is the beginning of a two-year session, bills not passed by May will still be active for the 2026 legislative session.
PRIORITIES
Our top legislative initiatives are aimed at strengthening law enforcement and public safety in South Carolina.
RETURN TO WORK LEGISLATION
| H.3437 | Reps. Pope et. al. | Return to Work (Critical Need) for Law Enforcement | Referred To House Ways and Means |
| H.3542 | Rep. Williams | Lifting the cap if retires before January 2, 2026 | Referred To House Ways and Means |
| S.107 | Senator Rice | Retirement Earnings Limitation – Raises cap to about $22,320. | Referred To Senate Finance |
| S.118 | Senator Adams | Constables Not Subject to Earnings Limitation | Referred To Senate Finance |
| S.119 | Senator Adams | Lifts the 10,000 Earnings Limitation with 90 Days separation | Referred To Senate Finance |
RETIREE PENSION COLA INCREASES & TAX BREAKS
| S.64 | Senator Hembree | Retirement Income Tax Deduction for First Responders | Referred Senate To Finance |
| H.3410 | Rep. Hardee | Property (Vehicle) Tax Exemption for Former First Responders | Referred To House Ways and Means |
| H.3416 | Rep. Kilmartin | Retirement income Tax Deduction for First Responders | Referred To House Ways and Means |
| H.4175 | Reps. Caskey et. al. | Exclude Wages Earned by Law Enforcement from Calculation of SC Income and Prohibit the Withholding of Taxes of Such Wages. | Referred to House Ways and Means |
PROTECTING LAW ENFORCEMENT K9s
| H.3034 | Reps. Collins and Wooten | Enhanced penalties for injuring police animals | Referred To Judiciary – Awaiting Subcommittee Meeting |
| S.427 | Sen. Adams | Enhanced penalties for injuring police animals | On the Senate Calendar |
HALO PROTECTION
| H.3535 | Reps. Wooten et. al. | Creates 25 foot buffer for law enforcement | Heard by House Judiciary Criminal Laws Subcommittee Wednesday, April 9, 2025 → Meeting was Adjourned Prior to Discussion of the Bill |
| S.175 | Senator Zell | Creates 25 foot buffer for law enforcement | Referred to Committee on Judiciary |
NON-FATAL STRANGULATION LAW
| H.3522 | Reps. Caskey et. al. | Defines Strangulation | Referred to Committee on Judiciary |
| S.455 | Senator Adams | Defines Strangulation (Companion Bill to H.3522) | Reported out favorably and Placed on the Senate Calendar |
POLICE WEEK RECOGNITION
| Bill # | Sponsor(s) | Description | Status |
| S.542 | Senator Davis | Senate Resolution To Recognize May 11 Through May 17, 2025, As “Police Week In South Carolina” | Adopted |
| H.4314 | Reps. Yow et. al. | House Resolution To Recognize May 11 Through May 17, 2025, As “Police Week In South Carolina” | Adopted |
LEGISLATION WE SUPPORT
Bills that align with our mission and directly benefit law enforcement officers and their families.
| Bill # | Sponsor(s) | Description | Status |
| H.3003 | Reps. Collins and Beach | Officer Matthew Logan Hare Memorial Avenue | Adopted by the Senate and Returned to House with Concurrence |
| H.3052 | Reps. Pope and Wooten | Enhanced Penalties for Assault on Law Enforcement Officer | Referred to Judiciary |
| H.3053 | Reps. Pope et. al. | Violent Crimes, Discharging Firearms into Dwellings | Referred to Judiciary |
| H.3055 | Reps Wooten et. al | Harassment and Stalking | Referred to Judiciary |
| H.3093 | Rep. Moss | Enhanced Penalties for Assaulting a First Responder or Healthcare Worker | Referred to Judiciary |
| H.3124 | Reps. Pope et. al. | Exposing First Responders to Fentanyl | Referred to Judiciary |
| H.3127 | Rep. Robbins, Wooten and Lawson | Failure to Stop | Concurred in House Amendments and Enrolled and Ratified 5/8/25 |
| H.3159 | Rep. Yow | Allows Retired Officer to Carry a Concealed Weapon | Referred to Judiciary |
| H.3176 | Rep. Davis | Enhanced Penalties for Failure to Stop | Referred to Judiciary |
| H.3258 | Reps. Pope et. al. | Requires Department of Education to Install Mobile Panic Alert Systems in All Public Schools | Referred to Senate Committee on Education |
| H.3259 | Reps. Pope and Gilliam | First Responder Automobile Insurance Premiums | The Bill Was Passed Out Of Committee Favorably And Placed On The Senate Calendar |
| H.3261 | Reps. Pope and Gilliam | Workers’ Comp to Include Coverage for PTSD for First Responders | Referred to Labor, Commerce and Industry |
| H.3276 | Reps. Pope et. al. | South Carolina Hands Free Act | The Bill was read a third time and Returned to the House with Amendments. Enrolled and Ratified on 5/8/25. |
| H.3281 | Reps. McCravy et. al. | Fallen First Responders Advocate Position | Referred to Judiciary |
| H.3392 | Rep. Moss | Enhanced Penalties for Assaulting a Healthcare Worker or Emergency Response Employee | Referred to Judiciary |
| H.3295 | Rep. Hardy | Release of Vehicle Location Information to Law Enforcement Agency in Emergency Situations. | Referred to Judiciary |
| H.3315 | Rep. Collins | Authorize Correctional Officers to Serve Warrants without Magistrate Endorsing the Warrant. | Referred to Judiciary |
| H.3363 | Rep. B. Newton, et.al. | Catawba Nation to Become An Employer Under PEBA. | Referred To Ways and Means |
| H.3460 | Rep. Wooten | Disclosure of Electronic Communication to Law Enforcement, Solicitors and Attorney General | Recommitted to Subcommittee Similar Bill S.74 is Being Debated. |
| H.3461 | Rep Lawson | Excludes First Responder Wages from SC Gross Income | Referred To Ways and Means |
| H.3650 | Reps. G.M. Smith et. al. | Discharging Firearms into Dwellings and other Structures | On Senate Calendar |
| H. 3907 | Reps. B.J. Cox et. al. | Provides additional benefits for families of first responders killed in the line of duty | Referred to Committee on Ways and Means |
| H.4336 | Reps. Hartnett et. al. | Relating To Assault And Battery Offenses, So As To Provide That Assault And Battery Of A High And Aggravated Nature Occurs When A Person Injures A Federal, State, Or Local Law Enforcement Officer Or Corrections Officer; A Healthcare Professional, Healthcare Worker, Or An Emergency Response Employee; Or An Educational Professional During Or Because Of The Person’s Official Duties. | Referred to Judiciary |
| S.71 | Senator Hembree | Enhanced Penalties for Assault and Battery Against a Law Enforcement Officer | Referred to Judiciary |
| S.74 | Senator Hembree | Disclosure of Electronic Communications and Other Records | The Bill was Returned to the House with Amendments. Enrolled for Ratification on 5/8/25. |
| S.111 | Senator Rice | Enhanced Penalties for Vehicle Pursuit | On Senate Calendar |
| S.127 | Senator Johnson | Adds Catawba Nation to PORS | The Bill Adopted Conference Report and Ordered Enrolled for Ratification 5/8/2025 |
| S.156 | Senators Alexander et. al. | Fentanyl Induced Homicide | Conference Committee Appointed House Conferees: Reps JE Johnson, Robbins and Rose Senate Conferees: Sens Hembree, Sabb and Adams. |
| S.447 | Senator Adams | Automated License Plate Reader System | Carried Over |
LEGISLATION WE ARE MONITORING
Legislative proposals we are tracking to assess their potential impact on law enforcement and public safety.
| Bill # | Sponsor(s) | Description | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| H.3016 | Rep. Rutherford | Interrogation of Child | Referred to Judiciary |
| H.3068 | Rep. Rutherford | Revised forfeiture procedures | Referred to Judiciary |
| H.3126 | Rep. Pope | Creation of the South Carolina Department of Law Enforcement and Public Safety | Referred to Judiciary |
| H.3131 | Rep. Rutherford | Disallows Law Enforcement from Purchasing Cell Site Simulator | Referred to Judiciary |
| H.3133 | Rep. Rutherford | Disallows Law Enforcement from Stopping Vehicles that don’t have License Plate Illumination | Referred to Education and Public Works |
| H.3134 | Rep. Rutherford | Disallows Law Enforcement from Purchasing Cell Site Simulator | Referred to Judiciary |
| H.3139 | Rep. Rutherford | Certification of Law Enforcement Officers | Referred to Judiciary |
| H.3155 | Rep. Rutherford | Automatic License Plate Readers | Referred to Judiciary |
| H.3170 | Rep. Beach | Unlawful to Drive Vehicles with Drivers’ Licenses Not Recognized. | Referred to Education and Public Works |
| H.3283 | Rep. Long | CWP on College Campuses | Referred to Judiciary |
| H.3285 | Rep. Landing | Education of Law Enforcement Officers or EMS to Include Training Course in Autism | The Bill Passed the House and Sent to the Senate and Referred to Judiciary |
| H.3288 | Rep. J.L. Johnson | Allows Persons who are Subjects of Body Camera Video Data to Receive Footage by Simple Request. | Referred to Judiciary |
| H.3289 | Rep. J.L. Johnson | Include 911 Operators as “First Responders” | Referred to Ways and Means |
| H.3378 | Rep. Burns et al. | Exempt All Property from Taxation and Provide Dollar-for-Dollar Reimbursement to Political Subdivisions | Referred To Ways and Means |
| H.3421 | Rep. Long | Retirement Investment Commission Cannot Invest Funds with China | Referred To Ways and Means |
| H.3794 | Reps. Mitchell and Pope | Allow Public Defender Investigators to Carry Concealable Weapons | Referred To Judiciary |
| H.3799 | Reps. Wooten et. al. | Law Enforcement Officer Certificates of Compliance | Referred To Judiciary |
| H.3806 | Reps. Hart and Henderson-Meyers | Driving While Using Wireless Communication Devices | Referred To Judiciary |
| H.3855 | Reps. Huff et. al. | Sales Tax Exemption for Small Arms and Small Arms Ammunition | Referred To Ways and Means |
| H.3868 | Reps. J. Moore et. al. | Sale, Exchange or Transfer of Firearms Require National Instant Criminal Background Checks | Referred To Judiciary |
| H.4005 | Reps. Henderson-Meyers et. al. | Driving Under the Influence | Referred To Judiciary |
| H.4011 | Rep. Erickson | Department of Motor Vehicles – “Temporary Driving Certificate” | Passed House – Sent to Senate -Referred to Committee on Transportation |
| H.4013 | Reps. J.E. Johnson et. al. | Automated License Plate Readers | Referred To Education and Public Works |
| H.4092 | Reps. Kilmartin et. al. | Sales Tax Exemption During The Month Of July 2025 For Handguns, Rifles, Shotguns, And Ammunition | Referred to Ways and Means |
| H.4129 | Reps. Brewer et. al. | Gambling, Exceptions: A Person Who Pays A Fee To Play A Game In Which Skill Predominates Over Chance And Receives A Prize Proportionate To How Skillfully He Played Is Not Gambling. | Read for Third Time in the House and Sent to the Senate → Introduced in the Senate and Referred to Judiciary Committee |
| H.4137 | Reps. B.J. Cox et. al. | American Heroes Bingo | Read for Third Time in the House and Sent to the Senate → Introduced in the Senate and Referred to Finance Committee |
| H.4387 | Yow, B. Newton and Mitchell | Law Enforcement Officer Misconduct | Referred to Committee on Judiciary |
| H.4399 | Holman, J.L. Johnson, B.L. Cox and Sanders | First Responder Wellness Exams | Referred to Committee on Judiciary |
| S.8 | Senator Jackson | Training Council to Set Policies and Procedures for Vehicle Pursuits | Carried Over |
| S.90 | Senator Young | Hands Free Act | Referred To Transportation |
| S.126 | Senator Johnson | Relating to Definitions, so as to Include Additional Information in the Definition of “Personal Contact Information” and to Define “Disclosed Records” | Ratified R 11 |
| S.136 | Senator Tedder | Dismissal of Pending Gun Possession Charges | Concurred in Senate Amendments and Enrolled for Ratification |
| S.142 | Senator Devine | Requires CJA to Develop Use of Force Model Policy, Qualified Immunity | Referred To Judiciary |
| S.145 | Senator Devine | Constitutional Carry/Second Amendment Preservation Act Repeal | Referred To Judiciary |
| S.149 | Senator Devine | Juvenile Justice Reform Act | Referred To Judiciary |
| S.168 | Senator Campsen | Concealed Weapon Permits Program | Carried Over |
| S.270 | Senators Alexander et. al. | Define Attempted Murder | The Bill is on Senate Calendar |
| S.297 | Senator Turner | Employer And Employee Contribution Rates Under SCRS And PORS | Referred To Finance |
| S.300 | Senator Tedder | Background Checks Before Sale or Transfer of Firearms | Referred To Judiciary |
| S.338 | Senators Climer and Kimbrell | Second Amendment Privacy Act | Referred to Judiciary |
| S.346 | Senator Alexander | Enhanced Penalties for Assault on Firefighter and Health Professionals | The Bill is on Senate Calendar |
| S.386 | Senator Elliott | Retired Law Enforcement Officers – Concealed Weapons Permit | Referred to Judiciary |
| S.398 | Senators Stubbs and Zell | Allow Individuals With Military Or Law Enforcement Experience To Be Eligible To Be Appointed As A Magistrate In Counties With Less Than Fifty Thousand People. | Referred to Judiciary |
| S.448 | Senator Tedder et. al. | Electronic Driver’s License System | Referred to Transportation |
| S.518 | Senator Grooms | “South Carolina Pray Safe Act” | Referred to Judiciary |
| S.520 | Senator Davis | “South Carolina Pray Safe Act” | Referred to Judiciary |
| S.521 | Senator Garrett | Allows Municipal Court Judges To Participate In PORS | Referred to Judiciary |
REGULATIONS
Updates to the South Carolina Code of State Regulations
| Bill # | Sponsor(s) | Description | Status |
| 5302 | SCCJA | Investigation of Events Requiring Withdrawal of Certification; Notification to Officer | Approved by House Regs Committee |
| 5304 | SCCJA | 37-108. Sanctions | Approved by House Regs Committee |
LEGISLATIVE INTRODUCTIONS
House and Senate Legislation Introduced this Week
| Bill # | Sponsor(s) | Description | Status |
| H.4542 | Rep. Bailey | Horry County Police Commission | Currently Residing in the House Committee on Horry Delegation |
| S.664 | Senator Devine | South Carolina Speed Safety Act | Referred to Transportation |
FY25-26 APPROPRIATIONS BILL
This section outlines the South Carolina FOP’s priorities and positions regarding the Fiscal Year 2025–2026 Appropriations Bill, with a focus on funding provisions that directly impact law enforcement operations, officer safety, and public safety initiatives statewide.
| Bill # | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| H 4025 | Ways and Means Committee | Members of the House passed their version of the $14 billion FY25-26 Appropriations Bill on Wednesday, March 13, 2025. The House Version of the Budget Bill is Posted at: 2025-26 General Appropriations Bill – House of Representatives 2025-26 General Appropriations Bill – Senate Finance Committee – Summary Control Document 2025-26 General Appropriations Bill – Senate Finance Committee Proviso Changes | Senate as Amended and Returned to the House. The House Non-concurred in the Senate Amendments and a Conference Committee was appointed: House Conferees: Bannister Hewitt Stavrinakis Senate Conferees: Peeler Jackson Alexander |
| H4026 | Ways and Means Committee | Members of the House passed their version of the FY25-26 Capital Reserve Fund Joint Resolution on Wednesday. The House Version of the Capital Reserve Fund Joint Resolution is Posted at: https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess126_2025-2026/bills/4026.htm 2025-26 General Appropriations Bill – Senate Finance Committee – Summary Control Document | Passed by the Senate as Amended and Returned to the House → House Concurred in Senate Amendments and Ratified 5/8/2025 |
The Return to Work Program Provisio is reauthorized in the proposed budget.
108.14 – PEBA: PORS and SCRS Return to Work
For the current fiscal year, the earnings limitation does not apply to retirees in either the Police Officer Retirement System (PORS) or the South Carolina Retirement System (SCRS) if the retiree has not worked in any compensated capacity—including as an employee, independent contractor, leased employee, or otherwise—for a participating employer for at least twelve consecutive months following retirement.
- The exemption is only valid after the retiree certifies that they meet the twelve-month requirement.
- If a retiree inaccurately certifies their eligibility, they will be required to repay any benefits that were incorrectly paid.
108.15 – PEBA: PORS Return to Work License Protection
Participation in the Return to Work program does not impact a PORS member’s law enforcement certification. Officers who take a 12-month break from service under this program will not lose their law enforcement credentials and may return to duty.
- Participating officers must still meet all training and continuing education requirements of the South Carolina Law Enforcement Academy.
108.16 – PEBA: Employer Contribution Requirement
Retired members reappointed by the Governor whose pay falls under Section 8-11-160 may qualify for the benefits of Section 9-1-1590 if they:
- Return to active service for at least 36 consecutive months, and
- Receive annual compensation of at least 75% of their average final compensation at retirement.
