The First Monday luncheons, held at the Poinsett Club in Greenville, are great opportunities to learn more about government and political issues in the Upstate and in the South Carolina General Assembly and state government.  

This January’s luncheon featured Greenville’s own S.C. House District 24, Representative Bruce Bannister.  Mr. Bannister is the Chair for the House Ways and Means Committee – perhaps the most powerful position in the House, second only to the House Speaker.  

Rep. Bannister reported on six major areas of achievement in the past year.

Judicial Merit Selection Commission Reform

Three key reforms are now in place:  prohibiting recent campaign contributors from serving; mandating live-streamed public hearings; increasing the number of judicial candidates submitted to the General Assembly.  

These reforms promote transparency and accountability, with the goal of ensuring that South Carolinians will have greater confidence in their judiciary. 

Income Tax Deductions for Firefighters and Law Enforcement

The state’s income tax subsistence allowance has been doubled for law enforcement officers, firefighters, and EMS personnel.  The maximum deduction was also increased for volunteer emergency service members.

Paid Family Leave for Teachers

Teachers are now provided family leave upon the birth or adoption of a child.

Passing the 2024-2025 State Budget

The annual appropriations bill included a General Fund spending plan totaling $14.45 billion.  Specific focuses included tax relief, education, infrastructure, and public safety.

The state income tax rate was reduced to 6.2%.  When asked how low future reductions can be expected to go, Rep. Bannister quipped, “so low my accountant should be worried about his job.”

Education:  $200 million is allocated for teacher salaries.  The freeze of tuition levels for institutions of higher learning will continue.  University-level funding is also included for a new medical school, the state’s first veterinary school, and campus improvements.

$400 million is allocated for bridge repairs and rural road enhancements.

The Public Safety budget includes higher pay and expanded healthcare access for Highway Patrol, and prison upgrades.

Protecting Life and Public Safety

The Fetal Heartbeat Bill restricts abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detected, with exceptions.

The Help Not Harm Bill addresses gender transition procedures for minors.

Gavin’s Law combats online exploitation through antisextortion measures.

Prison Cell Phone Ban prohibits cell phones in prisons.

Fentanyl Trafficking legislation strengthens penalties for traffickers.

Bail Reforms and DUI Crackdowns include ignition interlock systems.

A constitutional referendum to ban non-citizens from voting is being planned.

Health and Regulatory Reforms

The Medical Certificate of Need has been repealed, removing barriers to healthcare access.

Telehealth services have been expanded.

The Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) will be restructured into separate environmental and health entities.

The ESG Pension Protection Act was passed, to safeguard state pensions from woke ideologies.

Legislative and Governance Reforms

With the intention to stand firm on conservative principles, legislation on three specific areas have been enacted:

Constitutional carry laws to protect Second Amendment rights.

Bans on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives at state institutions have been enacted.

A legal definition of anti-Semitism has been enacted to fight discrimination.  

Rep. Bannister stated that “The South Carolina House continues to lead the way on reforming and funding core functions of government and advocating our Republican Conservative values.”

Looking Ahead:  Six Pillars for Progress

The House Republican Caucus considers these to be its six pillars going forward:

1. Deliver Historic Tax Cuts and Turning Growth into Opportunity

Our tax system is extremely lop-sided as is, with a high rate and a narrow base.

Legislation is expected lowering the personal property tax burden on small businesses and entrepreneurs.

2.  Promote Business-Friendly Policies

The goal is to generate employment opportunities and economic prosperity across South Carolina.

Plans include sunsetting costly and burdensome regulations that stifle economic growth, addressing the soaring costs of insurance policies, and supporting the growth of small businesses.

3.  Fuel Economic Growth While Managing Growth Challenges

Plans include investing in infrastructure to ease urban congestion and promote rural development.  This includes roads and bridges, shovel ready site development, and redevelopment of downtown areas.

Both the Senate and the House are working to affordably and reliably increase South Carolina’s electric generation capacity.

Both the Senate and the House are considering a workforce retention credit to encourage businesses to offer childcare programs.  That will include unemployment programs to get able-bodied adults back into the workforce more quickly.

4.  Expand Educational Opportunities and Improving Outcomes

A top goal is to restore school choice to parents, “allowing them to direct their child’s education to the school and programs they believe will help their children the most.”

Plans include more school board accountability and greater transparency as being vital to parental rights.

Expect investment in vocational training, including dual enrollment programs to meet employer demands.

Further increases in teacher pay is hoped to attract more young teachers and to retain teachers.

Assured school safety is an imperative.

5.  Prioritize Public Safety and Law-and-Order Policies

Ensuring that all South Carolinians can live, work, and thrive with confidence and peace of mind requires focus on three top-priority issues:

Legislation is planned to strengthen penalties for death by fentanyl, retail theft, and juvenile crime. 

Cracking down on illegal immigration and mandating local cooperation with immigration enforcement and the support that law enforcement needs. 

Last year we focused on reforming the Judicial Merit Selection Commission Reform.  It is time to focus on the magistrate system and the selection of those judges as well.

6.  Strengthen Families and Communities

Key areas in support of families and communities include defending parental rights, supporting personal freedom, and promoting conservative values.

We will continue to defend and support pro-life and Second Amendment policies. 

We plan to revisit vital legislation to reduce bureaucratic inefficiencies and consolidate the state’s fragmented public health system. 

Reviewing our storm response and recovery efforts and ensure that communities are fully restored.

2025-2026 Budget Revenue Summary

The FY 2025-26 Budget Outlook provided by Rep. Bannister shows the revenue sources and amounts for the coming year.

 Conclusion

Rep. Bannister finished with the following points:

“These priorities represent our roadmap to continued success. By reducing taxes, fostering job creation, ensuring safety, expanding education, and upholding our values, we will hopefully serve you all, our constituents, who trusted us with this most important task of safeguarding South Carolina’s future. 

“In closing, South Carolina stands at the forefront of economic growth and opportunity. Our legislative accomplishments reflect a shared vision of prosperity, security, and freedom. With your support, we will continue advancing policies that preserve our values, protect our families, and promote economic growth.”

● ● ●