Your SC politics briefing

Welcome to your weekly South Carolina politics briefing, a newsletter curated by The State’s politics and government team.

Unable to get enough votes to support a near-total abortion ban, the South Carolina Senate Thursday night passed legislation, 27-16, that would build on the state’s six-week law but limit the procedure for sexual assault victims up to 12 weeks.

“This is not where I wanted to be. I was hoping that we would do something pretty aggressive in response to Dobbs,” said Senate Majority Leader Shane Massey, R-Edgefield.

But, Massey added, there weren’t enough votes to ban abortions earlier than six weeks after senators failed to sit Sen. Tom Davis, R-Beaufort, down as he filibustered the original near-total abortion ban.

What are noticeable differences now between H. 5399 and the six-week law?

▪ Unlike the 20-week limit for rape and incest exceptions allowed under the current six-week ban, senators narrowed the time limit to 12, and added that a doctor must provide the county sheriff a DNA sample of the aborted fetus when reporting the sexual assault.

▪ Prior to the abortion, the bill would require that the fatal fetal anomaly be confirmed by two doctors who specialize in obstetrics or an area in which an anomaly is diagnosed.

Though the legislation passed, the two-day, hours-long debate highlighted the same problem plaguing House Republicans: Members of the political party that control the Legislature and the governor’s office are split on how restrictive an abortion ban should be.

The SC House is expected to return to Columbia sometime soon and decide whether to agree to the Senate changes.

If they do, the bill heads to the governor’s desk.

Judge rules SC’s execution methods unconstitutional

A state judge has ruled South Carolina’s execution methods of electrocution and the newly installed firing squad are cruel and unusual, and both therefore violate the state Constitution.

“In 2021, South Carolina turned back the clock and became the only state in the country in which a person may be forced into the electric chair if he refuses to elect how he will die. In doing so, the General Assembly ignored advances in scientific research and evolving standards of humanity and decency,” Circuit Court Judge Jocelyn Newman wrote in her opinion published Tuesday.

Newman’s 39-page ruling means the state is permanently barred from carrying out executions by either method, at least for the time being.

Gov. Henry McMaster told reporters Wednesday his office plans to appeal Newman’s ruling.

Buzz Bites

▪ SC Rep. Krystle Matthews won’t resign or suspend her US Senate campaign, despite calls from within her own party after the publication of a second leaked Project Veritas video.

▪ Attorneys for three people subpoenaed in the ethics case against a Lexington-Richland 5 school board member argued that the SC Ethics Commission should relieve them of having to testify under oath.

▪ Gov. Henry McMaster received the endorsement from the National Federation of Independent Businesses.

▪ Reagan Kelly is leaving the Senate Republican Caucus, an announcement shared by Senate Majority Leader Shane Massey Thursday.

▪ A dispute over $3 million missing from the town of Swansea is headed to court.

▪ Disbarred lawyer Alex Murdaugh has been dropped as a defendant in an upcoming wrongful death trial involving the deadly boat crash that killed Mallory Beach.

▪ The longtime medical director for South Carolina’s mental health agency will step up to lead the department on an interim basis.

▪ The SC House Freedom Caucus, a group of the House’s most conservative members, says the University of South Carolina and Dawn Staley overreacted by calling off its games against BYU.

Mark your calendar

Sept. 9

Sen. Tim Scott hosts “Big Thursday” tailgate at USC

Oct. 24

Early voting for SC’s general election starts

Oct. 26

Televised SC governor’s race debate, 7 p.m. on ETV

Before we adjourn

In seemingly unwatched South Carolina court cases, judges are allowing lightly regulated companies to get millions of dollars intended for accident victims in deals that are sometimes worth pennies on the dollar.

This week, McClatchy launched “Cashed Out,” an investigation that found hundreds of South Carolinians every year who receive settlements from severe injuries are giving up their financial stability for fast cash.

Who are the companies that buy these future payments? You’ve probably heard of one: JG Wentworth.

To read The Sun News’ David Weissman’s full investigation, click here.

This week it was Maayan Schechter (My-yahn Schek-ter), senior editor of the The State’s politics and state government team. You can keep up with her on Twitter and send her tips on Twitter at @MaayanSchechter or by email mschechter@thestate.com. To stay on top of South Carolina politics and election news, you can chat with us on Facebook, email us tips and follow our stories at scpolitics.com.