South Carolina H 4463: Lance Corporal Paul M. Wilkins

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 4463 Text of Previous Version (Apr. 30, 2025) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 4463

Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

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

A bill

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ADDING SECTION 
2-1-260 SO AS TO ENSURE THAT NO LEGISLATOR IS PREVENTED FROM HAVING A BILL 
PLACED ON THE CALENDAR; TO ESTABLISH A STATUTORY LIMIT ON THE NUMBER OF BILLS A 
MEMBER MAY INTRODUCE EACH SESSION; TO CREATE A BIPARTISAN REVIEW COMMITTEE IN 
BOTH THE HOUSE AND SENATE TO AUTHORIZE ADDITIONAL BILLS BEYOND THAT LIMIT; AND 
TO REINFORCE THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY'S COMMITMENT TO MERITOCRACY IN THE 
LEGISLATIVE PROCESS.

Whereas, the General 
Assembly recognizes the importance of ensuring equitable and merit-based access 
to the legislative process for all duly elected members. Now, therefore,

Be it enacted by the 
General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION 1. Chapter 1, Title 2 of the S.C. Code is amended by 
adding:

 Section 
2-1-260. (A) Beginning January 1, 
2026, no member of the General Assembly may be prevented from having his bill 
placed on the legislative calendar, in a manner consistent with the rules 
adopted by each chamber.

 (B) 
Each member of the House of Representatives and the Senate is entitled to 
introduce up to five bills for each regular legislative session that are:

 (1) 
guaranteed placement on the calendar in accordance with the rules of its 
respective chamber; and

 (2) 
guaranteed a public hearing before the appropriate standing committee or 
subcommittee during the session in which the bill is filed.

 (C) 
Additional bills beyond this five-bill limit may be introduced only if approved 
by a Bipartisan Legislative Review Committee, established independently in each 
chamber, to ensure that merit-worthy proposals may advance regardless of their 
partisan origin.

 (D)(1) There is created the House 
Bipartisan Legislative Review Committee.

 (2) 
The House committee consists of ten members of the House of Representatives:

 (a) 
five appointed by the House Majority Leader; and

 (b) 
five appointed by the House Minority Leader.

 (3) 
The Speaker Pro Tempore of the House shall serve as Chairperson and shall cast 
tie-breaking votes.

 (4) 
The committee shall meet publicly at least once per month during the session 
and shall publish a record of its decisions and justifications.

 (5) 
Any bill approved by a majority vote of the committee is exempt from the 
five-bill limit and is entitled to calendar placement and a committee hearing.

 (E)(1) There is created the Senate 
Bipartisan Legislative Review Committee.

 (2) 
The Senate committee consists of ten members of the Senate:

 (a) 
five appointed by the Senate Majority Leader; and

 (b) 
five appointed by the Senate Minority Leader.

 (3) 
The President of the Senate shall serve as Chairperson and shall cast 
tie-breaking votes.

 (4) 
The committee shall meet publicly at least once per month during the session 
and shall publish a record of its decisions and justifications.

 (5) 
Any bill approved by a majority vote of the committee is exempt from the 
five-bill limit and is entitled to calendar placement and a committee hearing.

 (F) The 
Bipartisan Legislative Review Committees shall operate under public 
transparency and may not be disbanded except by a majority vote of each 
chamber, with justification publicly recorded.

 (G) 
Nothing in this section interferes with the authority of either chamber to 
adopt rules regarding prefiling, crossover deadlines, or other legislative 
scheduling procedures, provided such rules do not undermine the goal of 
ensuring merit-based access to the legislative process.

SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval 
by the Governor and first applies to the 2026 regular legislative session.

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This web page was last updated on April 30, 2025 at 02:58 PM