South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026
Journal of the House of Representatives

NO. 66

JOURNAL

of the

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

of the

STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA

REGULAR SESSION BEGINNING TUESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2025
________

WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2026
(STATEWIDE SESSION)

Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

The House assembled at 12:30 a.m.
Deliberations were opened with prayer by Rep. LASTINGER as follows:

Our thought for today is from Matthew Chapter 12, Verse 25: "Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them: 'Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand'".
Let us pray. Heavenly Father, we thank You for this opportunity to serve. Thank for Your strength and thank You God for unity. We pray God that You will be exalted in this place and that we might see Your kingdom done on earth as it is in heaven. In Jesus name. Amen.

Pursuant to Rule 6.3, the House of Representatives was led in the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America by the SPEAKER.

After corrections to the Journal of the proceedings of yesterday, the SPEAKER ordered it confirmed.

MOTION ADOPTED

Rep. GUFFEY moved that when the House adjourns, it adjourn in memory of Loyd Ardrey, which was agreed to.

COMMUNICATION

The following was received:

May 19, 2026
The Honorable G. Murrell Smith Jr.
Speaker of the House of Representatives
State House, Second Floor
Columbia, South Carolina 29201

Dear Mr. Speaker and Members of the House:
I am hereby vetoing and returning without my approval R-259, H. 5164 (Word version), which seeks to authorize hospitals to place beds in hallways, corridors, and other means of egress during justified emergencies. I have signed into law today R. 241, S. 958 (Word version), which authorizes hospitals to place beds in such places during such emergencies. R. 259, H. 5164 (Word version) is therefore unnecessary.
For that reason, I am respectfully vetoing R. 259, H. 5164 (Word version) and returning the same without my signature.

Yours very truly,
Henry Dargan McMaster

Ordered printed on the Calendar.

ROLL CALL

The roll call of the House of Representatives was taken resulting as follows:

Alexander                Anderson                 Atkinson
Bailey                   Ballentine               Bamberg
Bannister                Bauer                    Beach
Bernstein                Bowers                   Bradley
Burns                    Bustos                   Calhoon
Caskey                   Chapman                  Chumley
Clyburn                  Cobb-Hunter              Collins
Crawford                 Cromer                   Davis
Dillard                  Duncan                   Edgerton
Erickson                 Ford                     Forrest
Frank                    Gagnon                   Garvin
Gatch                    Gibson                   Gilliam
Gilliard                 Gilreath                 Govan
Grant                    Guest                    Guffey
Haddon                   Hager                    Hardee
Harris                   Hart                     Hartnett
Hayes                    Henderson-Myers          Herbkersman
Hewitt                   Hiott                    Hixon
Holman                   Hosey                    Howard
Huff                     J. L. Johnson            Jones
Jordan                   Kilmartin                King
Kirby                    Landing                  Lastinger
Lawson                   Long                     Lowe
Luck                     Magnuson                 Martin
McCabe                   McCravy                  McDaniel
McGinnis                 C. Mitchell              D. Mitchell
Montgomery               J. Moore                 T. Moore
Morgan                   Moss                     Neese
B. Newton                W. Newton                Oremus
Pace                     Pedalino                 Pope
Rankin                   Reese                    Rivers
Robbins                  Rose                     Schuessler
Scott                    Sessions                 G. M. Smith
Stavrinakis              Teeple                   Terribile
Vaughan                  Waters                   Wetmore
White                    Whitmire                 Wickensimer
Williams                 Willis                   Wooten
Yow                                               

Total Present--112

LEAVE OF ABSENCE

The SPEAKER granted Rep. WEEKS a leave of absence for the day.

LEAVE OF ABSENCE

The SPEAKER granted Rep. J. E. JOHNSON a leave of absence for the day.

LEAVE OF ABSENCE

The SPEAKER granted Rep. BREWER a leave of absence for the day.

LEAVE OF ABSENCE

The SPEAKER granted Rep. SPANN-WILDER a leave of absence for the day.

LEAVE OF ABSENCE

The SPEAKER granted Rep. LIGON a leave of absence for the day.

LEAVE OF ABSENCE

The SPEAKER granted Rep. SANDERS a leave of absence for the day.

LEAVE OF ABSENCE

The SPEAKER granted Rep. HARTZ a leave of absence for the day.

LEAVE OF ABSENCE

The SPEAKER granted Rep. BRITTAIN a leave of absence for the day.

LEAVE OF ABSENCE

The SPEAKER granted Rep. COX a leave of absence for the day.

LEAVE OF ABSENCE

The SPEAKER granted Rep. M. M. SMITH a leave of absence for the day.

LEAVE OF ABSENCE

The SPEAKER granted Rep. TAYLOR a leave of absence for the day.

H. 5683--SENT TO THE SENATE

The following Bill was taken up:

H. 5683 (Word version) -- Reps. Rankin, Pace, C. Mitchell, Cromer, Gilreath, Bustos, Magnuson, Edgerton, Burns, Oremus, Bailey, Guest, Brittain, Chumley, J. E. Johnson, Haddon, Jordan, Lawson, Lowe, McGinnis, B. Newton, W. Newton, G. M. Smith, White, Willis and McCravy: A BILL TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ADDING SECTION 7-19-35 SO AS TO ESTABLISH THE ELECTION DISTRICTS FROM WHICH MEMBERS OF THE U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ARE ELECTED; AND BY REPEALING SECTION 7-19-45 RELATING TO ELECTION DISTRICTS FROM WHICH MEMBERS OF THE U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES WERE FORMERLY ELECTED.

Rep. GOVAN demanded the yeas and nays which were taken, resulting as follows:

Yeas 74; Nays 37

Those who voted in the affirmative are:

Bailey                   Bannister                Beach
Bowers                   Bradley                  Burns
Bustos                   Calhoon                  Chapman
Chumley                  Collins                  Crawford
Cromer                   Davis                    Duncan
Edgerton                 Erickson                 Ford
Forrest                  Frank                    Gagnon
Gatch                    Gibson                   Gilliam
Gilreath                 Guest                    Guffey
Haddon                   Hager                    Hardee
Harris                   Herbkersman              Hewitt
Hiott                    Hixon                    Holman
Huff                     Jordan                   Kilmartin
Landing                  Lastinger                Lawson
Long                     Lowe                     Magnuson
Martin                   McCabe                   McCravy
McGinnis                 C. Mitchell              D. Mitchell
Montgomery               T. Moore                 Morgan
Neese                    B. Newton                W. Newton
Oremus                   Pace                     Pedalino
Pope                     Rankin                   Robbins
Schuessler               G. M. Smith              Teeple
Terribile                Vaughan                  White
Whitmire                 Wickensimer              Willis
Wooten                   Yow                      

Total--74

Those who voted in the negative are:

Alexander                Anderson                 Ballentine
Bamberg                  Bauer                    Bernstein
Clyburn                  Cobb-Hunter              Dillard
Garvin                   Gilliard                 Govan
Grant                    Hart                     Hartnett
Hayes                    Henderson-Myers          Hosey
Howard                   J. L. Johnson            Jones
King                     Kirby                    Luck
McDaniel                 J. Moore                 Moss
Reese                    Rivers                   Rose
Rutherford               Scott                    Sessions
Stavrinakis              Waters                   Wetmore
Williams                                          

Total--37

So, the Bill was read the third time and ordered sent to the Senate.

Rep. HIOTT moved that the House adjourn to the call of the Chair, which was agreed to.

ADJOURNMENT

At 12:40 a.m. the House, in accordance with the motion of Rep. GUFFEY, adjourned in memory of Loyd Ardrey, to meet at the call of the Chair.

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This web page was last updated on Wednesday, May 20, 2026 at 1:46 A.M.