South Carolina H 5071: George "Smokey" Davis sympathy

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 5071 Text of Previous Version (Apr. 02, 2026) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 5071

Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

Indicates Matter Stricken

Indicates New Matter

Committee Report

April 2, 2026

H. 5071

Introduced by Reps. Erickson, Crawford, G. M. 
Smith, Willis, Kirby, Garvin, Hixon, Montgomery, Martin, Brewer, Teeple, 
Bradley, Gilliam, Robbins, Hiott, B. Newton, Rankin, Hager, Sessions, Hewitt, 
Landing, Bowers, Wooten, Whitmire, Guffey, Taylor, Hartz, Oremus, Forrest, Guest, 
Vaughan, Davis, J. E. Johnson, Bannister, W. Newton, Pope, Jordan, Haddon, 
Herbkersman, Brittain, M. M. Smith, Ligon, Gagnon, McGinnis, C. Mitchell, Moss, 
Pedalino, Stavrinakis and Chapman 

S. Printed 4/2/26--H.

Read the first time January 29, 2026

________

The committee on House Ways and 
Means

To whom was referred a Bill (H. 5071) to amend 
the South Carolina Code of Laws by amending Section 57-1-410, relating to the Secretary 
of the Department of Transportation, so as to provide that the Governor, etc., 
respectfully

Report:

That they have duly and carefully considered 
the same, and recommend that the same do pass with amendment:

 Amend the bill, as and if amended, by striking all 
after the enacting words and inserting:

SECTION 1. Section 
57-1-410 of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

 Section 57-1-410. The commission Governor shall 
appoint, with the advice and consent of the Senate, a Secretary of 
Transportation who shall serve at the pleasure of the commissionGovernor. A person appointed to this position shall 
possess practical and successful business and executive ability and be 
knowledgeable in the field of transportation. The Secretary of Transportation 
shall receive such compensation as may be established under the provisions of 
Section 8-11-160 and for which funds have been authorized in the general appropriations 
act.

SECTION 2. Section 
1-30-10(B)(1)(iv) of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

 (iv) in the case of 
the Department of Transportation, a seven member 
commission constituted in a manner provided by law, and a Secretary of 
Transportation appointed by and serving at the pleasure of the Governor.

SECTION 3. Section 
57-1-310(A) and (B) of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

 (A) 
The congressional districts of this State are constituted and created 
Department of Transportation Districts of the State, designated by numbers 
corresponding to the numbers of the respective congressional districts. The 
Commission of the Department of Transportation shall be composed of:

 (1) one member from 
each transportation district, all appointed by the Governor, subject to the 
provisions of Section 57-1-325.; and

 (2) two members from the State at large, both 
appointed by the Governor, upon the advice and consent of the General Assembly. 
Each house must hold a separate confirmation vote.

 In making appointments to the commission, the Governor 
shall take into account race, gender, and other demographic factors, such as 
residence in rural or urban areas, so as to represent, to the greatest extent 
possible, all segments of the population of the State; however, consideration 
of these factors in making an appointment in no way creates a cause of action 
or basis for an employee grievance for a person appointed or for a person who 
fails to be appointed. The members of the commission shall represent the 
transportation needs of the State as a whole and may not subordinate the needs 
of the State to those of any particular area of the State.

 (B) The 
at-large appointments made by the Governor must be transmitted to the Senate 
and the House of Representatives for confirmationReserved.

SECTION 4. Section 
57-1-330 of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

 Section 57-1-330. (A) All commission members are 
appointed to a term of office of four years which expires on February fifteenth 
of the appropriate year. However, a commission member may not serve more than 
two consecutive terms, and may not serve more than twelve years, regardless of 
when the term was served. Commissioners shall continue to serve until their 
successors are appointed and confirmed, provided that a commissioner only may 
serve in a hold-over capacity for a period not to exceed six months. Any 
vacancy occurring in the office of commissioner shall be filled by appointment 
in the manner provided in this article for the unexpired term only. Except for the at-large member, aA person is not eligible to serve as a commission 
member who is not a resident of that district at the time of his appointment. 
Failure by such commission member to maintain residency in the district for 
which he is appointed shall result in the forfeiture of his office.

 (B) An 
at-large commission member may be appointed from any county in the State unless