Hotlist: March 17, 2025
Hey friends!
Last week was budget week. It was a whirlwind of late nights, intense debates, and plenty of lobby snacks. When a weary House finally adjourned around 12:30 am Wednesday morning, the $14 billion state budget had officially passed, securing preliminary funding for agencies that oversee conservation policies.
Between Monday and early Wednesday morning, lawmakers considered numerous amendments on many topics unrelated to conservation, including a wave of concerning budget provisos introduced by the Freedom Caucus. Fortunately, on the conservation front, things remained relatively uneventful. Two proposed amendments—one related to the Conservation Bank (withdrawn) and another on electric vehicles (tabled)—ultimately didn’t move forward, leaving conservation funding intact.
At this point, the budget moves to the Senate Finance Committee, where senators will add their own proposals before sending it to the full Senate. Here’s a breakdown of conservation-related funding in the House’s initial version of the budget:
- South Carolina Conservation Bank: Over $31 million
- Department of Environmental Services: Over $201 million
- Public Service Commission: Over $7 million
- Office of Regulatory Staff: $22.5 million, including over $1.5 million for the Energy Office housed within ORS
- Office of Resilience: Over $157 million
- Department of Natural Resources: $174 million
As we talked about above, the Appropriations bill will now go to the Senate, which will go through a similar process. Then, the House will get one last chance to work on the budget. So, the numbers above are what the Senate will receive and are subject to change—we’ll keep you posted!
Now, let’s get into the other events of last week!
H.3309 remains in the Senate Subcommittee
The House’s controversial energy bill, H.3309, remains in the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee, as no committee hearings were held last week. The next hearing is this Tuesday, where we expect testimony from utilities.
There’s still time to ensure community voices aren’t drowned out by monopoly utilities. Visit our Action Center below where you click to call your senator and urge them to reject dangerous provisions that roll back customer protections and stifle low cost clean energy projects. While emailing your Senator is an effective form of advocacy, phone calls are the most effective way to share your views with your elected officials!
Another dangerous energy bill has entered both chambers
Two identical bills, H.3928 and S.446, or the ‘Automatic Rate Increase Act,’ have been introduced in both the House and Senate. While we are still digging into the full impact, these bills allow utilities to increase power bills every year to pay for risky projects with less oversight and public input. While the House hasn’t taken action on their version, the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee just announced a hearing on S.446 this Tuesday.
Be on the lookout for ways to take action on the Automatic Rate Increase Act soon!
General Assembly to hold Public Service Commission (PSC) elections
Last but not least on the energy front is that the election process for the Public Service Commission is underway. This round of elections will cover Congressional Districts 2, 4, and 6, impacting about half the state. Potential Commissioners are screened by the Public Utilities Review Committee and elected by General Assembly vote, which could take place as early as May.
The Public Service Commission provides essential oversight and regulation of South Carolina’s monopoly utilities. Read more on our uPowerSC website about the PSC’s recent decisions and why this body is vital to customers and the environment. Stay tuned for updates on the elction process!
All quiet on the land use front
With House budget week and Tort Reform in the Senate, South Carolina’s legislators had a full plate this week. There were no committee hearings for our SC Prosper & Preserve Bills, but that means you still have time to contact your legislators and ask them to provide tools to our local governments to manage our rapid growth. Head to the Action Center below and make your voice heard!
Highlights
- Energy
- The Senate Judiciary Committee is taking up the House Energy Bill (H.3309) tomorrow upon adjournment (early afternoon) with testimony from utilities. If you haven’t already, visit the Action Center below to click to call your Senator to demand a better energy reform package that protects customers, promotes competition, advances clean energy, and ultimately protects South Carolina’s environment.
- The Automatic Rate Increase Act, H.3928 and S.446, has been introduced in both the House and Senate. While we’re still digging into the full impact, these bills allow utilities to increase power bills every year to pay for risky projects with less oversight and public input. Be on the lookout for ways to take action soon!
- Land, Water, Ocean
- It was a quiet week for SC Prosper & Preserve initiatives while we gathered more support for these important land use tools. We expect a hearing in the LCI Special Subcommittee in the near future, so stay tuned. And if you haven’t yet, head to our Action Center where you can contact your legislators and urge them to support our Transferable Development Rights and Concurrent Infrastructure Requirements!
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: Call on your Senator to protect SC, not utility profits!
- Ask Your Legislators to Support Transfer of Development Rights
- Ask Your Legislators to Support Concurrent Infrastructure Requirements
- Tell Your Senator to Reject Harmful Provisions in H.3309
In the News
Commentary: SC utility customers need more protections, not fewer | Post & Courier
The Legislative Hotlist is an update from our Government Relations Manager, Alan Lee. Sign up for emails to get the Hotlist delivered directly to your inbox!