SCAPA Legislative Update
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SCAPA Legislative Update - December 10, 2021
Senate and House Return to Columbia
South Carolina House and Senate members returned to Columbia this last week to take up Redistricting, which is required every ten years and based on U.S. Census data. The House also took up and debated vaccine mandates, which impacts South Carolina employers.
As far as timing, with only a month before the Legislative Session gets into full swing (this is the second year of a two-year Session) and major holidays in between that time, there is little time for the House or Senate to return before January 11, 2022.
SC Senate Remembers Sen. Hugh K. Leatherman
With the recent passing of long time Senate Finance Chairman Hugh Leatherman, the Senate paid homage to its Finance Chairman and friend. Senators Nikki Setzler (D-Lexington), and Thomas Alexander (R-Oconee) remembered the life of Senate Finance Chairman Hugh Leatherman (R-Florence). Following kind words from the Senate about Senator Leatherman’s legacy, the Senate turned back to its business.
Sen. Leatherman’s Passing Leaves Positions to be Filled
With the passing of Senator Leatherman and leaving the Senate Finance Committee Chairman position empty, President Harvey Peeler (R-Cherokee) resigned as President of the Senate in order to assume the role of Senate Finance Chairman.
Senator Thomas Alexander was nominated by Senator Peeler for Senate President. Senator Alexander will only be the second Senate President in South Carolina history.
Senator Tom Davis (R-Beaufort) will take over Senate Labor, Commerce, and Industry as Chairman, which was previously filled by Senator Alexander.
Vaccine Mandate Bill Passes House
H. 3126, a bill by Representative Stewart Jones (R-Laurens), related to Covid-19 vaccine mandates, passed the House Ways and Means Committee and full House this week.
The bill prohibits private employers from firing an employee due to his or her vaccination status. H.3126 was amended in Committee to prohibit local governments and political subdivisions from implementing vaccine mandates. The bill went on to state that employers violating this new law could be vulnerable to civil liability and back pay.
The business community cried foul, objecting to the government mandate. The bill was further amended to provide the following:
- The State or any political subdivision, including a school district, may not enact a COVID-19 vaccine mandate
- A first responder may not be terminated due to vaccination status
- If a private employer terminates or suspends an employee due to vaccination status, the employee will be eligible to receive unemployment insurance benefits
- States that a Federal vaccine mandate is unconstitutional
- Private employers may require weekly testing
- $10M is being allocated to both MUSC and DHEC for testing
- Religious and medical exemptions are honored
- Medical exemptions may include the presence of antibodies, a positive Covid-19 test, or pregnancy
- H.3126 sunsets December 31, 2022
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Sunnie Harmon & John DeWorken
LobbySC
Sunnie Harmon
864.337.1584
Sunnie@LobbySC.com
John DeWorken
864.905.5529
John@LobbySC.com
