South Carolina General Assembly

Legislative branch of the state government of South Carolina

South Carolina General Assembly

Great Seal of the State of South Carolina

Type
Type|

Bicameral

Houses| Senate
House of Representatives
History
Founded| 1753; 271 years ago (1753)
Leadership

President of the Senate

Thomas Alexander (R)
since December 6, 2021

Speaker of the House

Murrell Smith (R)
since May 12, 2022

Structure
Seats| 170 voting members:
46 Senators
124 Representatives

Senate political groups

|  Republican (30)
Democratic (15)
Independent (1)

House political groups

|  Republican (88)
Democratic (36)[1]
Elections

Last Senate election

| November 2020

Last House election

| November 2022
Meeting place
South Carolina State House
Columbia
Website
South Carolina Legislature
Constitution
Constitution of South Carolina
Governor Donald Russell addressing the Assembly in 1964

The South Carolina General Assembly, also called the South Carolina Legislature, is the state legislature of the U.S. state of South Carolina. The legislature is bicameral and consists of the lower South Carolina House of Representatives and the upper South Carolina Senate. All together, the General Assembly consists of 170 members. The legislature convenes at the State House in Columbia.

Prior to the 1964 federal Reynolds v. Sims decision by the U.S. Supreme Court, each county doubled as a legislative district, with each county electing one senator and at least one representative. Moreover, each county's General Assembly delegation also doubled as its county council, as the state constitution made no provision for local government.

The "one man, one vote" provision of Reynolds v. Sims[2] caused district lines to cross county lines, causing legislators to be on multiple county councils. This led to the passage of the Home Rule Act of 1975, which created county councils that were independent of the General Assembly. However, the General Assembly still retains considerable authority over local government. As a result, the legislature still devotes considerable time to local matters, and county legislative delegations still handle many matters that are handled by county governments in the rest of the country.[3]

There are 124 members of the South Carolina House of Representatives, who are elected every two years, and the South Carolina Senate has 46 members, elected every four years concurrent to the presidential election. For both houses, there are no term limits. The General Assembly meets in joint session to elect judges, with all 170 members having an equal vote in such elections.

## Role

[edit]

The main role of the South Carolina General Assembly is to pass laws "as the common good may require."[4] In order for a bill to become law, both the Senate and House of Representatives must vote to pass the bill by a simple majority. Then the bill must be sent to the governor. If the governor vetoes the bill, both houses can either sustain the veto or override the veto. Veto overrides require a two-thirds majority. Once he receives the bill, if the governor neither signs nor vetoes the bill, it becomes law after five days, Sundays excluded.[5]

## Qualifications

[edit]

### Senators

[edit]

According to the South Carolina Constitution, no person may serve as a senator who:[6]

* Is not qualified to vote in state elections
* Is not a resident of the district in which he or she seeks to represent
* Is not at least 25 years of age
* Has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to a felony or voter fraud or bribery unless 15 years has elapsed since the time was served.

### Representatives

[edit]

According to the South Carolina Constitution, no person may serve as a representative who:[7]

* Is not qualified to vote in state elections
* Is not a resident of the district in which he or she seeks to represent
* Is not at least 21 years of age
* Has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to a felony or voter fraud or bribery unless 15 years has elapsed since the time was served.

## Officers

[edit]

Seal of the General Assembly, c. 1790.

### Senate

[edit]

South Carolina Senate officers

Position  | Name  | Party
President of the Senate | Thomas C. Alexander | Republican
Majority Leader | A. Shane Massey | Republican
Minority Leader | Brad Hutto | Democratic

### House of Representatives

[edit]

South Carolina House of Representatives officers

Position  | Name  | Party
Speaker | Murrell Smith | Republican
Speaker pro tempore | Tommy Pope | Republican
Majority Leader | Davey Hiott | Republican
Minority Leader | J. Todd Rutherford | Democratic

## Historic party control

[edit]

Statehouse Party Control since 1868  Year[a] | Senate
Majority  | House
Majority  | Governor
Control

|
|
|

1868  | Republican  | Republican  | Republican
1870
1872
1874
1876  | Democratic  | Democratic
1878  | Democratic
1880
1882
1884
1886
1888
1890
1892
1894
1896
1898
1900
1902
1904
1906
1908
1910
1912
1914
1916
1918
1920
1922
1924
1926
1930
1934
1938
1942
1946
1950
1954
1958
1962
1966
1970
1974  | Republican
1978  | Democratic
1982
1986  | Republican
1990
1994  | Republican
1998  | Republican  | Democratic
2002  | Republican
2006
2010
2014
2018
2022
2024
2026  | TBD

## See also

[edit]

* South Carolina State House
* South Carolina House of Representatives
* South Carolina Senate
* List of South Carolina state legislatures
* South Carolina government and politics
* Governor of South Carolina
* Lieutenant Governor of South Carolina
* South Carolina Code of Laws

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ Years reflected in chart match gubernatorial elections

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "South Carolina Legislature Online - House of Representatives".
2. ^ "Reynolds v. Sims 377 U.S. 533 (1964)". Justia Law. Retrieved May 12, 2016.
3. ^ "Scoppe: The Home Rule Act that didn't really allow home rule". thestate. Retrieved May 12, 2016.
4. ^ "ARTICLE III LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT" (PDF). scstathouse.gov. South Carolina Legislature. Retrieved August 4, 2022.
5. ^ "ARTICLE IV EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT" (PDF). scstatehouse.gov. South Carolina Legislature. Retrieved August 4, 2022.
6. ^ "ARTICLE III LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT" (PDF). scstathouse.gov. South Carolina Legislature. Retrieved August 4, 2022.
7. ^ "ARTICLE III LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT" (PDF). scstathouse.gov. South Carolina Legislature. Retrieved August 4, 2022.

## External links

[edit]

* South Carolina Legislature Online

* v
* t
* e

Members of the South Carolina Senate

President of the Senate
Thomas C. Alexander (R)
Majority Leader
A. Shane Massey (R)
Minority Leader
Brad Hutto (D)

1. ▌Thomas C. Alexander (R)
2. ▌Rex Rice (R)
3. ▌Richard Cash (R)
4. ▌Michael Gambrell (R)
5. ▌Tom Corbin (R)
6. ▌Dwight Loftis (R)
7. ▌Karl B. Allen (D)
8. ▌Ross Turner (R)
9. ▌Danny Verdin (R)
10. ▌Billy Garrett (R)
11. ▌Josh Kimbrell (R)
12. ▌Scott Talley (R)
13. ▌Shane Martin (R)
14. ▌Harvey S. Peeler Jr. (R)
15. ▌Wes Climer (R)
16. ▌Michael Johnson (R)
17. ▌Mike Fanning (D)
18. ▌Ronnie Cromer (R)
19. ▌Tameika Isaac Devine (D)
20. ▌Dick Harpootlian (D)
21. ▌Darrell Jackson (D)
22. ▌Mia McLeod (I)
23. ▌Katrina Shealy (R)
24. ▌Tom Young Jr. (R)
25. ▌A. Shane Massey (R)
26. ▌Nikki G. Setzler (D)
27. ▌Penry Gustafson (R)
28. ▌Greg Hembree (R)
29. ▌Gerald Malloy (D)
30. ▌Kent M. Williams (D)
31. ▌Mike Reichenbach (R)
32. ▌Ronnie A. Sabb (D)
33. ▌Luke A. Rankin (R)
34. ▌Stephen Goldfinch (R)
35. ▌Thomas McElveen (D)
36. ▌Kevin L. Johnson (D)
37. ▌Larry Grooms (R)
38. ▌Sean Bennett (R)
39. ▌Vernon Stephens (D)
40. ▌Brad Hutto (D)
41. ▌Sandy Senn (R)
42. ▌Deon Tedder (D)
43. ▌Chip Campsen (R)
44. ▌Brian Adams (R)
45. ▌Margie Bright Matthews (D)
46. ▌Tom Davis (R)

* ▌Republican (30)
* ▌Democratic (15)
* ▌ Independent (1)

* South Carolina General Assembly
* South Carolina House of Representatives
* South Carolina Senate

* v
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Members of the South Carolina House of Representatives

Speaker of the House
Jay Lucas (R)
Speaker pro tempore
Tommy Pope (R)
Majority Leader
Gary Simrill (R)
Minority Leader
Todd Rutherford (D)

1. ▌Bill Whitmire (R)
2. ▌Bill Sandifer III (R)
3. ▌Jerry Carter (R)
4. ▌Davey Hiott (R)
5. ▌Neal Collins (R)
6. ▌April Cromer (R)
7. ▌Jay West (R)
8. ▌Don Chapman (R)
9. ▌Anne Thayer (R)
10. ▌Thomas Beach (R)
11. ▌Craig A. Gagnon (R)
12. ▌Daniel Gibson (R)
13. ▌John R. McCravy III (R)
14. ▌Stewart Jones (R)
15. ▌JA Moore (D)
16. ▌Mark N. Willis (R)
17. ▌Mike Burns (R)
18. ▌Alan Morgan (R)
19. ▌Patrick Haddon (R)
20. ▌Adam Morgan (R)
21. ▌Bobby Cox (R)
22. ▌Jason Elliott (R)
23. ▌Chandra Dillard (D)
24. ▌Bruce W. Bannister (R)
25. ▌Wendell K. Jones (D)
26. ▌Raye Felder (R)
27. ▌David Vaughan (R)
28. ▌Ashley Trantham (R)
29. ▌Dennis Moss (R)
30. ▌Brian Lawson (R)
31. ▌Rosalyn Henderson-Myers (D)
32. ▌Max Hyde Jr. (R)
33. ▌Travis Moore (R)
34. ▌Roger Nutt (R)
35. ▌Bill Chumley (R)
36. ▌Rob Harris (R)
37. ▌Steven Wayne Long (R)
38. ▌Josiah Magnuson (R)
39. ▌Cal Forrest (R)
40. ▌Joseph S. White (R)
41. ▌Annie McDaniel (D)
42. ▌Doug Gilliam (R)
43. ▌Randy Ligon (R)
44. ▌Mike Neese (R)
45. ▌Brandon Michael Newton (R)
46. ▌Heath Sessions (R)
47. ▌Tommy Pope (R)
48. ▌Brandon Guffey (R)
49. ▌John Richard C. King (D)
50. ▌Will Wheeler (D)
51. ▌J. David Weeks (D)
52. ▌Ben Connell (R)
53. ▌Richie Yow (R)
54. ▌Pat Henegan (D)
55. ▌Jackie E. Hayes (D)
56. ▌Tim McGinnis (R)
57. ▌Lucas Atkinson (D)
58. ▌Jeff Johnson (R)
59. ▌Terry Alexander (D)
60. ▌Phillip Lowe (R)
61. ▌Carla Schuessler (R)
62. ▌Robert Q. Williams (D)
63. ▌Jay Jordan (R)
64. ▌Fawn Pedalino (R)
65. ▌Cody Mitchell (R)
66. ▌David O'Neal (R)
67. ▌G. Murrell Smith Jr. (R)
68. ▌Heather Ammons Crawford (R)
69. ▌Chris Wooten (R)
70. ▌Jermaine Johnson (D)
71. ▌Nathan Ballentine (R)
72. ▌Seth Rose (D)
73. ▌Chris R. Hart (D)
74. ▌Todd Rutherford (D)
75. ▌Heather Bauer (D)
76. ▌Leon Howard (D)
77. ▌Kambrell Garvin (D)
78. ▌Beth Bernstein (D)
79. ▌Ivory Torrey Thigpen (D)
80. ▌Katherine D. Landing (R)
81. ▌Bart T. Blackwell (R)
82. ▌Bill Clyburn (D)
83. ▌Bill Hixon (R)
84. ▌Melissa Lackey Oremus (R)
85. ▌Jay Kilmartin (R)
86. ▌Bill Taylor (R)
87. ▌Paula Rawl Calhoon (R)
88. ▌RJ May (R)
89. ▌Micah Caskey (R)
90. ▌Justin Bamberg (D)
91. ▌Lonnie Hosey (D)
92. ▌Brandon Cox (R)
93. ▌Russell Ott (D)
94. ▌Gil Gatch (R)
95. ▌Gilda Cobb-Hunter (D)
96. ▌Ryan McCabe (R)
97. ▌Robby Robbins (R)
98. ▌Chris Murphy (R)
99. ▌Mark Smith (R)
100. ▌Sylleste Davis (R)
101. ▌Roger K. Kirby (D)
102. ▌Joseph H. Jefferson (D)
103. ▌Carl Anderson (D)
104. ▌William Bailey (R)
105. ▌Kevin Hardee (R)
106. ▌Val Guest (R)
107. ▌Case Brittain (R)
108. ▌Lee Hewitt (R)
109. ▌Tiffany Spann-Wilder (D)
110. ▌Tom Hartnett (R)
111. ▌Wendell Gilliard (D)
112. ▌Joe Bustos (R)
113. ▌Marvin R. Pendarvis (D)
114. ▌Gary Brewer (R)
115. ▌Spencer Wetmore (D)
116. ▌Matt Leber (R)
117. ▌Jordan Pace (R)
118. ▌Bill Herbkersman (R)
119. ▌Leon Stavrinakis (D)
120. ▌Weston J. Newton (R)
121. ▌Michael F. Rivers Sr. (D)
122. ▌Bill Hager (R)
123. ▌Jeff Bradley (R)
124. ▌Shannon Erickson (R)

* ▌Republican (88)
* ▌Democratic (36)

* South Carolina General Assembly
* South Carolina House of Representatives
* South Carolina Senate

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State of South Carolina

Columbia (capital)

Regions|

* Atlantic Coastal Plain
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Larger cities|

* Charleston
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Smaller cities|

* Aiken
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* Berea
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