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

                                                    NO. 78

JOURNAL

OF THE

SENATE

OF THE

STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA

EXTRAORDINARY SESSION BEGINNING
FRIDAY, MAY 15, 2026

_________

TUESDAY, MAY 26, 2026

Tuesday, May 26, 2026
(Extraordinary Session)

Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

The Senate assembled at 11:00 A.M., the hour to which it stood adjourned, and was called to order by the PRESIDENT.

A quorum being present, the proceedings were opened with a devotion by the Chaplain as follows:

Acts 2:1-2

For many of us just a couple of days ago in worship I daresay we heard these lines spoken: "When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting."

Bow in prayer with me, if you will: Dear Lord, as the hours and days continue to fall away, we fervently urge You to enable the power of Your Spirit to roar through this Chamber, as it did long ago on the day of Pentecost. And we pray, O blessed Lord, that by Your grace You touch each Senator here with a renewed awareness of Your presence in this place, and fill them and their aides together with a bold sense of Your gracious wisdom and Your unfailing love. And as a result, O God, may these leaders, working together, discover themselves finally able to determine the best course and the wisest decisions that will genuinely and fairly benefit and bless all of the residents of this State we love. May it be so, dear Lord. In Your loving name we humbly pray. Amen.

The PRESIDENT called for Petitions, Memorials, Presentments of Grand Juries and such like papers.

Call of the Senate

Senator PEELER moved that a Call of the Senate be made. The following Senators answered the Call:

Adams                     Alexander                 Allen
Bennett                   Blackmon                  Bright
Campsen                   Cash                      Chaplin
Climer                    Corbin                    Cromer
Davis                     Devine                    Elliott
Gambrell                  Garrett                   Goldfinch
Graham                    Grooms                    Hembree
Jackson                   Johnson                   Kennedy
Leber                     Massey                    Ott
Peeler                    Rankin                    Reichenbach
Rice                      Sabb                      Stubbs
Sutton                    Tedder                    Turner
Verdin                    Williams                  Young
Zell

A quorum being present, the Senate resumed.

Recorded Presence

Senator KIMBRELL recorded his presence subsequent to the Call of the Senate.

RECESS

At 11:16 A.M., on motion of Senator PEELER, the Senate receded from business.

At 1:00 P.M., the Senate resumed.

Expression of Personal Interest

Senator CHAPLIN rose for an Expression of Personal Interest.

Remarks to be Printed

On motion of Senator GRAHAM, with unanimous consent, the remarks of Senator CHAPLIN, when reduced to writing and made available to the Desk, would be printed in the Journal.

THE SENATE PROCEEDED TO H. 5683 - REDISTRICTING OF U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES DISTRICTS

CONTINUED

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.

The Senate proceeded to a consideration of the Bill, the question being the third reading of the Bill.

Senator CASH spoke on the Bill.

Remarks to be Printed

On motion of Senator CAMPSEN, with unanimous consent, the remarks of Senator CASH, when reduced to writing and made available to the Desk, would be printed in the Journal.

Senator GROOMS spoke on the Bill.

Motion Under Rule 15B Failed

At 1:28 P.M., Senator GROOMS moved under the provisions of Rule 15B that debate on the entire matter of H. 5683 be brought to a close.

The "ayes" and "nays" were demanded and taken, resulting as follows:

Ayes 20; Nays 24

AYES

Adams                     Alexander                 Blackmon
Bright                    Chaplin                   Climer
Corbin                    Elliott                   Gambrell
Garrett                   Goldfinch                 Grooms
Kennedy                   Kimbrell                  Leber
Reichenbach               Rice                      Turner
Verdin                    Young

Total--20

NAYS

Allen                     Bennett                   Campsen
Cash                      Cromer                    Davis
Devine                    Graham                    Hembree
Hutto                     Jackson                   Johnson
Massey                    Matthews                  Ott
Peeler                    Rankin                    Sabb
Stubbs                    Sutton                    Tedder
Walker                    Williams                  Zell

Total--24

Having failed to receive the necessary vote, the motion failed.

Senator DAVIS spoke on the Bill.

Senator DAVIS moved to continue the Bill.

The "ayes" and "nays" were demanded and taken, resulting as follows:

Ayes 26; Nays 18

AYES

Adams                     Allen                     Bennett
Campsen                   Cash                      Cromer
Davis                     Devine                    Graham
Hembree                   Hutto                     Jackson
Johnson                   Massey                    Matthews
Ott                       Peeler                    Rankin
Sabb                      Stubbs                    Sutton
Tedder                    Turner                    Walker
Williams                  Zell

Total--26

NAYS

Alexander                 Blackmon                  Bright
Chaplin                   Climer                    Corbin
Elliott                   Gambrell                  Garrett
Goldfinch                 Grooms                    Kennedy
Kimbrell                  Leber                     Reichenbach
Rice                      Verdin                    Young

Total--18

The motion was adopted.

The Bill was continued.

Motion Adopted

On motion of Senator MASSEY, the Senate agreed that if and when the Senate stands adjourned today, it will adjourn to meet Wednesday, June 10, 2026, at 12:00 Noon.

Recorded Vote

Senators BRIGHT, KENNEDY, LEBER, GARRETT, CORBIN and REICHENBACH desired to be recorded as voting against the motion.

Motion Adopted

On motion of Senator MASSEY, the Senate agreed to stand adjourned.

Recorded Vote

Senators BRIGHT, KENNEDY, LEBER, GARRETT, CORBIN and REICHENBACH desired to be recorded as voting against the motion to adjourn.

MOTION ADOPTED

On motion of Senator RANKIN, with unanimous consent, the Senate stood adjourned out of respect to the memory of Mr. Jay Holbert of Conway, S.C. Jay was a graduate of Conway High School and as an avid outdoorsman, he was a co-founder of the Conway High School Bassmasters. He was a member of the Conway Bassmasters and the Carolina Anglers Team Trail. Jay was a fourth-generation accountant with his family business, Holbert Company Inc. Jay enjoyed hunting, fishing, running dogs and spending time with his family. Jay was a loving husband and devoted father who will be dearly missed.

ADJOURNMENT

At 1:50 P.M., on motion of Senator MASSEY, the Senate adjourned to meet Wednesday, June 10, 2026, at 12:00 Noon.

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