Legislative Update

Legislature Reaches End of Session (Almost)

The South Carolina General Assembly ended their regular 2026 legislative session at 5:00 p.m. last Thursday as required by state law.

However, the break for legislators was rather brief as the House and Senate were quickly called back into session on Friday by Governor Henry McMaster. The executive order mentions the need for legislators to finish their work on a compromise budget package, but the primary reason for the special session is congressional redistricting.

House Republicans have led the effort, at the urging of the Trump Administration, to redraw the maps to result in a 7-0 all Republican congressional delegation.

The House and Senate began their work in the extra session on Friday and seem likely to pass out new maps this week. This effort, which would be difficult political lift at any time, is exceedingly difficult now because of the tight timelines before early voting begins for the June 9 primary election.

The House Republican caucus has held together on this effort in the face of withering criticism from Democrats. The Senate Republican caucus has been less united in their opinion on the change. In fact, earlier this week Senate Majority Leader Shane Massey spoke at length against the idea in remarks that gained national attention.

As recounted in the New York Times, “Massey ticked off what he saw as the clear ills of the redistricting battle: new maps splitting communities with common interests, confusing voters, throwing primaries into chaos, endangering the right of overseas voters and military members to vote in those primaries and eroding trust in government institutions…Massey was clear that he had no qualms with drawing lines to favor his party, and had done so in 2021. But, he said, the existing map was the best Republicans were going to get.”

Massey spoke to South Carolina’s history of defying Washington edicts and said that he could not “in good conscience surrender this authority that has been preserved to, for and by the states and merely take orders from those who are not in South Carolina.”

Drone Regulation Bill Signed Into Law

An item of interest to SC Green members who use aerial drones was signed into law by Governor Henry McMaster on Friday. The bill, known as the “South Carolina Drone Regulation and Public Safety Act” establishes a comprehensive state framework for drone regulation.

The bill was pushed by legislators who have been considering ways to punish individuals who operate drones for illicit purposes, such as delivering contraband to prisons.

State corrections leaders have explained that they encounter drones at their facilities on a regular basis. These drones “drop packages typically camouflaged as grass or other benign items that contain illicit cellphones and drugs…Inmates can then sell or use those items.”

While “flying a drone too close to a state prison is already illegal under state law, and federal rules prohibit operating over a military installation or an airport” the bill would beef up enforcement and strengthen penalties for these actions. The bill would ban operators from flying drones from sensitive locations such as military bases.

Many SC Green industry members and other agribusiness companies use drones in their operations. These tools have quickly become a cost-effective way to deliver targeted applications of chemicals, monitor and map property, market goods, inspect equipment, etc.

The bill should not impede the ability of operators to use these vital tools in their operations, but business owners should take care to deploy drones carefully and in full compliances with the new law.

The full text of the South Carolina Drone Regulation and Public Safety Act is available here:

https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess126_2025-2026/bills/4679.htm