The South Carolina State Chamber and a flower bed designed as the state logo will be seen on Tuesday, March 16, 2021, in Columbia, South Carolina. State senators are deciding on a standardized look for the flag from South Carolina.
COLOMBIA, SC (AP) – An important deadline for legislation is coming soon at the South Carolina State Chamber.
Thursday marks the crossover deadline. Any bill passed in the House or Senate after that deadline must obtain a two-thirds vote in the other House to be considered.
This high barrier makes it difficult to address issues that have significant opposition.
Some bills that are trying to pass a house before the crossover deadline are a hate crime bill in the House and a Senate proposal to allow medical marijuana.
The ordinary session of the General Assembly ends on 13 May. There will likely be special sessions later to deal with increased spending on the state budget and redistricting after the 2020 US Census population figures are released later this year.
Legislators have approved 12 bills so far this year. Most are local. The top three were a ban on almost all abortions that were suspended after a lawsuit, as well as small salary increases for teachers and a vaccine and relief package COVID-19.