A bill

 

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ADDING SECTION 2-1-260 SO AS TO ENSURE THAT NO LEGISLATOR IS PREVENTED FROM HAVING A BILL PLACED ON THE CALENDAR; TO ESTABLISH A STATUTORY LIMIT ON THE NUMBER OF BILLS A MEMBER MAY INTRODUCE EACH SESSION; TO CREATE A BIPARTISAN REVIEW COMMITTEE IN BOTH THE HOUSE AND SENATE TO AUTHORIZE ADDITIONAL BILLS BEYOND THAT LIMIT; AND TO REINFORCE THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY'S COMMITMENT TO MERITOCRACY IN THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS.

 

Whereas, the General Assembly recognizes the importance of ensuring equitable and merit-based access to the legislative process for all duly elected members. Now, therefore,

 

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

 

SECTION 1.  Chapter 1, Title 2 of the S.C. Code is amended by adding:

 

    Section 2-1-260. (A) Beginning January 1, 2026, no member of the General Assembly may be prevented from having his bill placed on the legislative calendar, in a manner consistent with the rules adopted by each chamber.

    (B) Each member of the House of Representatives and the Senate is entitled to introduce up to five bills for each regular legislative session that are:

       (1) guaranteed placement on the calendar in accordance with the rules of its respective chamber; and

       (2) guaranteed a public hearing before the appropriate standing committee or subcommittee during the session in which the bill is filed.

    (C) Additional bills beyond this five-bill limit may be introduced only if approved by a Bipartisan Legislative Review Committee, established independently in each chamber, to ensure that merit-worthy proposals may advance regardless of their partisan origin.

    (D)(1) There is created the House Bipartisan Legislative Review Committee.

       (2) The House committee consists of ten members of the House of Representatives:

           (a) five appointed by the House Majority Leader; and

           (b) five appointed by the House Minority Leader.

       (3) The Speaker Pro Tempore of the House shall serve as Chairperson and shall cast tie-breaking votes.

       (4) The committee shall meet publicly at least once per month during the session and shall publish a record of its decisions and justifications.

       (5) Any bill approved by a majority vote of the committee is exempt from the five-bill limit and is entitled to calendar placement and a committee hearing.

    (E)(1) There is created the Senate Bipartisan Legislative Review Committee.

       (2) The Senate committee consists of ten members of the Senate:

           (a) five appointed by the Senate Majority Leader; and

           (b) five appointed by the Senate Minority Leader.

       (3) The President of the Senate shall serve as Chairperson and shall cast tie-breaking votes.

       (4) The committee shall meet publicly at least once per month during the session and shall publish a record of its decisions and justifications.

       (5) Any bill approved by a majority vote of the committee is exempt from the five-bill limit and is entitled to calendar placement and a committee hearing.

    (F) The Bipartisan Legislative Review Committees shall operate under public transparency and may not be disbanded except by a majority vote of each chamber, with justification publicly recorded.

    (G) Nothing in this section interferes with the authority of either chamber to adopt rules regarding prefiling, crossover deadlines, or other legislative scheduling procedures, provided such rules do not undermine the goal of ensuring merit-based access to the legislative process.

 

SECTION 2.  This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor and first applies to the 2026 regular legislative session.

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