Legislative Session Weekly Update, March 11-13
The House passed its version of the state’s $14 billion budget, which includes significant investments in teacher and state employee pay, infrastructure repairs, and recovery efforts from Hurricane Helene. You can read more about the budget here.
The Week in Review (March 11 – March 13)
Our priority bill, Senate Bill 11, which expands paid parental leave for all state employees, has taken a critical step forward and received a favorable report from the Senate Finance Income and Sales Tax Subcommittee. This progress brings us closer to ensuring that more working parents in South Carolina, including those employed by state agencies, universities, and technical colleges, can take time to care for their newborn or foster children without the fear of financial hardship. We are grateful to the committee members for recognizing the importance of paid family leave in strengthening families, supporting economic security, and promoting gender equity in the workplace. Now, as Senate Bill 11 moves to the full Senate Finance Committee, we need your help to keep the momentum going! Click this link to email your senators and urge them to support this essential legislation. Your voice can make all the difference in getting it across the finish line!
Senate Bill 32, which would provide taxpayer-funded incentives to crisis pregnancy centers (CPCs), has also received a favorable report from the Senate Finance Income and Sales Tax Subcommittee. These organizations often present themselves as medical clinics but provide misleading and incomplete information about reproductive health. By spreading medical misinformation, they can delay or prevent access to essential care, putting women’s health and autonomy at risk. Public funds should support evidence-based healthcare, not organizations that mislead and endanger people seeking care. We are especially grateful to Representative Heather Bauer for using her voice on the House floor during budget deliberations to call out the lack of transparency in funding for CPCs. Click here to urge your senators to oppose this legislation and demand transparency in the use of state funds.
Moving Forward:
The Senate Finance Committee is scheduled to hear our priority legislation, Senate Bill 11, along with Senate Bill 32, the CPC bill in the upcoming weeks. We need your help to make sure these bills are properly addressed. If you haven’t already, please take a moment to click these links to urge legislators to support Senate Bill 11 and oppose Senate Bill 32. Your involvement is essential in ensuring these bills reflect our shared values.
The House Education and Public Works Committee will hold a second hearing for House Bill 3927, a bill that seeks to ban state agencies, schools, and public institutions from promoting or funding diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs. At the previous hearing, South Carolinians turned out in strong opposition to the bill, and we encourage you to make your voice heard once more. If you haven’t already, please use this link to tell the committee to vote against this bill. At WREN, we oppose any legislation that restricts people’s ability to earn a living, secure a job, and build a better future. We stand with our partners in this effort and will continue to support policies that protect equity for all.
WREN is proud to work with Wholespire, who has been leading the effort to expand school meals, eliminate meal shaming, and reduce hunger across South Carolina. We strongly support Senate Bill 425, which expands access to free school meals for students in poverty. Food insecurity disproportionately affects women and children, and ensuring all students receive nutritious meals is critical for their health, education, and future success. This bill also protects students from meal debt stigma, promoting dignity and equity in schools. Click this link to urge lawmakers to pass Senate Bill 425 to support children, working families, and a stronger South Carolina.
This Week (March 18 – March 20)
The House will be furloughed, meaning there will be no floor debate. However, committee meetings will still take place as scheduled. The Senate Finance Committee posted an agenda for S. 32 and S. 11 to be held on Tuesday, March 18, 2025 3:00 p.m. in room 105 of the Gressette Building. We’ll be closely monitoring H. 3927 for any developments and will keep you updated with any important changes.
Together, we can advocate for a more equitable future for women and girls in South Carolina.