Hotlist: February 23, 2026
After a packed week of hearings and events last week, the CVSC team is rested up and ready to tackle another important week of legislative session.
Thank you to everyone who joined our Legislative Kick-Off Reception last week. It was wonderful to see so many familiar faces, lawmakers, advocates, and partners alike. Earlier that day, CVSC and allies stood with residents from across the state to urge action on rising electric bills during Energy Affordability Advocacy Day.
There were also a number of subcommittee meetings on priority issues last week, including CVSC staff testimony on Concurrent Infrastructure Requirements and Data Center legislation.
On a national stage, CVSC was featured in The New York Times examining South Carolina’s proposed Small Business Regulatory Freedom Act and the broader multi-state push to roll back regulations, along with potential risks to environmental and public health protections. Both versions of the bill (H.3021, S.254) remain in Senate subcommittee, where CVSC and partners are closely tracking movement and highlighting the real-world impacts for environmental health.
Looking ahead to next week: While legislative forecasts should be taken with a hefty grain of salt, we expect continued subcommittee hearings on Senate data center bills and further action on sustainable land use planning with likely subcommittee hearings on Concurrent Infrastructure Requirements (H.4050, S.227) and a potential floor vote on Transferable Development Rights (S.288), so it may be a fast-moving week!
Updates
Managing growth
CVSC, partners, and local advocates from around the state packed the 3M Municipal Affairs subcommittee room last Thursday to voice their support for the House Concurrent Infrastructure Requirements bill (H.4050). Scheduled only an hour before full session, the committee ran out of time before all testimony was heard, which unfortunately delayed a vote on the bill. Despite that result, the message was clear–local governments, school boards, conservation and health advocates, and most importantly, South Carolina residents, want better growth management tools for our communities.
We are working with the committee to prioritize another hearing to weigh the testimony heard and move for a vote. With nearly 80,000 people moving to the state each year, South Carolina residents need relief now. Visit our Action Center below to urge your representative to act now.
In the Senate, the Transferable Development Rights bill (S.288), was read on to the floor late Thursday afternoon and a motion was made to carry the bill over shortly after. We remain hopeful that we can have a vote this coming week.
SC Rosenwald Schools Day 2026
In 2023, February 28th was officially established as SC Rosenwald Schools Day, a day dedicated to honoring the legacy of Rosenwald Schools in South Carolina and working to preserve them for the future.
This Wednesday, CVSC, Rosenwald alumni and advocates, and members of the SC Rosenwald Schools Trail Study will be visiting the Statehouse to celebrate Rosenwald Schools Day and share key findings on how to bring the vision of a state park network into reality.
These schools had a resounding impact on their communities, one that is still present to this day and they must be protected so that they can serve their role of educating and community building for generations to come.
Flip the switch on high electric bills: citizens advocate for energy affordability
Over 60 South Carolinians from across the state gathered at the Statehouse for Energy Affordability Advocacy Day to meet directly with lawmakers, share personal stories about rising electric bills, and urge action on affordability and consumer protections. We’re grateful to everyone who took time out of their day to show up, and their presence represented countless more South Carolinians who share these concerns and want action now on rising electric bills!
Community members were joined by a broad consortium of organizations, including Conservation Voters of South Carolina, Southern Environmental Law Center, Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, League of Women Voters, Coastal Conservation League, the Energy Justice Coalition, New Alpha CDC, Kingdom Living Temple Church, The Whitney M. Slater Foundation, and Pee Dee Group of Sierra Club, working to ensure lawmakers heard directly from their constituents.
At the event, Rev. Leo Woodberry, Executive Director of New Alpha Community Development Corporation, said, “In a land that proclaims liberty and justice for all, there can be no true justice when profits and technological advances are built on the unmet needs and financial hardship of South Carolinians. Energy affordability remains one of the greatest challenges facing our state today. And it is a challenge that the people of SC are called to address.”
Data center safeguards
Last week the Senate Agriculture and Natural Resource subcommittee met again to take testimony on Senator Davis’ Data Center Development Act (S.867). As mentioned in previous updates, we believe this legislation identifies the core issues with unchecked data center development, including electric costs, water use, and local impacts, but believe some key clarifications and changes would ensure the bill achieves its intent of protecting customers and the environment while allowing responsible data center development to proceed.
CVSC testified at the hearing on why these protections are so essential and urgent, and identified key changes needed to strengthen the proposal. The committee also heard testimony from the data center industry and local governments. The next subcommittee hearing has been scheduled for March 3rd, where we expect additional testimony directed towards the utility rate sections of the bill. CVSC and partners will continue working with Senator Davis and committee members to strengthen this proposal to ensure electric customers and the environment are protected.
There is a lot moving on the data center issue, as Senator Rankin’s data center proposal, The Data Center Siting Act (S.902) was also taken up briefly in a subcommittee hearing last week. With very little time for testimony, we expect additional hearings on this proposal as well. And if that wasn’t enough, a new data center bill, H.5215 was filed last week in the House by Representative Jones that meaningfully addresses power costs and water use. Stay tuned!
Action Center
Here’s a round-up of current actions you can take to help us advance conservation policy during this legislative session. If you’ve already taken these actions, thank you! We’ll add more actions and provide updates as progress unfolds.
- NEW: Tell your representative to vote in favor of sustainable planning tools: CIR
- Tell your senator to vote in favor of sustainable planning tools: TDRs
- Tell lawmakers: we need qualified, unbiased energy regulators
- Tell your legislators that your energy bill is too high
- Tell your legislators to make land and water protection a top priority in 2026
In the News
- SC lawmakers take a pass on regulating forever chemicals | The Post & Courier
- Republican State Legislators Rush to Limit Their Own Regulators | The New York Times
The Legislative Hotlist is a weekly update from CVSC’s Senior Vice President of Policy & Government Relations, John Brooker. Sign up for emails to get the Hotlist delivered directly to your inbox!