COLUMBIA, S.C. — From banning abortion after six weeks of pregnancy to efforts to restart prisoner executions, South Carolina lawmakers so far have seen 120 of their bills signed into law.
Three additional measures also became law despite Gov. Henry McMaster's veto. But some of the biggest moves by the General Assembly have yet to take effect.
Now the clock is ticking to have both chambers approve remaining legislation this year.
With about two months left in the 124th General assembly session, here are the highlights of what has became law so far:
NO ABORTIONS AFTER 6 WEEKS
Almost right out of the gate, Republicans took advantage of their larger majorities in the House and Senate, and passed a fetal heartbeat bill, which bans abortions after a baby's heartbeat can be detected.
However, that six-week mark is prior to when most women even know they are pregnant, critics of the law said.
Shortly before McMaster signed the bill in February 2021, with much hoopla in the lobby outside of the legislative chambers, a federal lawsuit was filed to stop the law from taking effect. A month later, an injunction was put in place to stop the law from being enforced until all appeals take place.
On Tuesday, McMaster asked the full 4th Circuit Court of Appeals to review a federal district court's preliminary injunction, after a panel of appeals judges upheld the district court's decision.
As of now, the law is on hold.
ELECTRIC CHAIR AND FIRING SQUADS
In an effort to restart executions in the state that were put on hold because the South Carolina Department of Corrections cannot obtain drugs needed to carry out lethal injections, the General Assembly pushed for two more ways to put a prisoner to death.
Lawmakers made the electric chair the default method of execution and added a firing squad as an option prisoners can choose to be executed.
The corrections department has yet to carry out executions since these choices were approved. The state Supreme Court put a hold on two scheduled executions because policies and procedures for a firing squad have yet to be finalized, meaning prisoners didn't really have a choice.
SANTEE COOPER REFORM
The yearslong debate over what to do with the state-owned electric utility Santee Cooper came to an end in June with a reform of how the agency operates.
Lawmakers in the wake of the V.C. Summer Nuclear plant construction debacle, leaving Santee Cooper with billions of dollars of debt for a plant that didn't produce a watt of electricity, have struggled of what to do with the agency.
House members wanted to sell, or at least have the option to consider offers for the utility. Support for a sale was small in the Senate.
So instead lawmakers agreed to a reform plan, which includes putting in new board members, oversight of how Santee Cooper sets rates, whether it creates any new electricity generation and how much it pays its CEO and president.
COVID BUSINESS LIABILITY
Businesses that take reasonable precautions to follow public health guidance and stop the spread of COVID-19 on their premises are protected from any legal liability, the General Assembly decided.
The state wanted to protect businesses from getting sued as it sought to reopen the economy amid the pandemic.
"South Carolina's businesses and medical professionals stood on the frontline of the COVID-19 pandemic adapting to ever-changing safety measures to protect their employees, customers and community," McMaster said when he signed the legislation. "As they protected us, it is now time we return the favor and protect them from frivolous lawsuits brought on by COVID-19."
Businesses are immune from COVID-19 related lawsuits unless someone exposed to COVID-19 proves the business didn't take measures to prevent people from catching the virus.
REDISTRICTING
Lawmakers in December completed the process of redrawing legislative district lines which takes into account how population has grown and shifted during the last decade.
Currently, Republicans hold a majority a 79-43 majority in the House. Two vacant seats were previously held by Republicans. The GOP has a 29-16 majority in the Senate, with the vacant seat previously held by a Republican.
Under the new maps, Republicans are projected to increase their majority in the House to 83 seats in this year's elections. The Senate map is not immediately expected to change the political divide.
The state also approved a congressional map which aims to have six Republican districts and one Democratic district. Even though the state plans to use the map for this year's elections, it is being challenged in court for racial discrimination.
A federal court hearing has been scheduled for mid-May.
OPEN CARRY WITH TRAINING
Second Amendment advocates got a win last year when lawmakers approved and McMaster signed a bill allowing people to openly carry handguns in South Carolina.
The law allows anyone with a permit to carry a concealed weapon carry openly.
Those who want to start carrying a weapon need to complete training on gun use and safety, which includes proper storage of the firearm and firing the weapon with an instructor present.
