SC House members offered rapid COVID-19 tests, ‘encouraged’ to wear masks for return
South Carolina’s 124 House representatives and staff will have access to on-site rapid COVID-19 tests for the first time upon their short two-day return to Columbia this week, says a memo from House Speaker Jay Lucas’ office that was provided to The State.
Also on Tuesday and Wednesday, House members are “strongly encouraged” to wear face masks inside the House Blatt building and inside the chamber, the memo says.
The guidance comes just months after lawmakers returned to Columbia to wrap up the year’s work during which several House members showed up to the Capitol and in public view flouted mask advisories, including a statewide rule that masks be worn inside state-owned buildings even though the governor’s mandate doesn’t extend into chambers.
South Carolina is still reeling from the COVID-19 pandemic, logging more than 1,000 positive cases each day as case numbers climb back up. On Monday, the state’s health agency reported more than 203,000 people have tested positive for the potentially deadly respiratory disease and more than 4,000 South Carolinians have died as a result since the state logged its first cases in March.
Many lawmakers have been critical of the lack of masks and social distancing inside the State House.
Though several have announced publicly news that they had contracted the virus, The State is aware of a few cases where lawmakers have not shared that information.
To limit lawmakers’ exposure, the memo said only House members and essential staff will be allowed to enter the chamber, and no groups or guests — with the exception of family members to watch the swearing-in ceremony — can sit in the House’s balcony. House members also will have access to masks and hand sanitizer.
“As in times past, there will be chairs along the two walls for members who wish to spread out. Everyone is strongly encouraged to use facemasks while in the Chamber; all staff will be required to wear facemasks while in the Chamber,” wrote Patrick Dennis, the speaker’s chief of staff and general counsel. “Steps will be taken to allow members to separate during seat selection.”
The House — split this upcoming year by 81 Republicans and 43 Democrats after Republicans flipped two seats in November and Democrats flipped one — returns Tuesday and Wednesday not to adopt legislation but to get their seats, settle into their new offices, get committee assignments and elect caucus leaders that includes the House Speaker and other officers.
The Senate is not expected to reorganize until the 124th session of the Legislature gavels in on Jan. 12.
Here’s what else to watch for this week:
Power grab in the House?
At the start of business, House members in either the Republican majority or Democratic minority caucuses must elect their leaders for 2021, keeping their current officers or picking new ones.
House Republican leader Gary Simrill of York County and House Democratic leader Todd Rutherford of Richland County are up for reelection Tuesday to keep their positions, tasked with keeping members unified on issues important to their parties’ agendas.
Both may have opposition.
Rutherford, who has served in the House since 1999 and sits on two committees, including the House’s powerful budget-writing committee, could face Richland County Democratic colleague Rep. Wendy Brawley, who has served in the House since 2017. Rutherford has been his chamber’s minority leader for about seven years.
In a screenshot of an email provided to The State, Brawley notified the caucus in November of her candidacy, writing that if the caucus unites and sharpens its message with a focus on “issues that resonate with voters ... we will earn the support of communities that have heretofore been overlooked or disenfranchised.”
On the other side of the aisle, Simrill, who has served in the House since 1993, has held the post for four years.
And though the Republican caucus term limits leaders to two terms, the caucus is slated to suspend its rules Tuesday allowing for Simrill to serve another one.
One name, however, that has been floated to oppose Simrill? State Rep. Micah Caskey, R-Lexington.
An attorney and U.S. Marine veteran, Caskey has served in the House since 2017.
Who gets to chair the Judiciary Committee?
In addition to deciding leadership posts, House Speaker Lucas has several vacancies to fill on House committees, including three on the Ways and Means budget-writing committee and six on the Judiciary Committee, which will surely grow in power over the next two years as lawmakers dive into redrawing district lines.
But since earlier this year, the Judiciary Committee has been without a chief after Republican Rep. Peter McCoy vacated his Charleston district seat to become U.S. attorney of South Carolina.
Those assignments will be announced this week.
Rumored to succeed McCoy? State Rep. Chris Murphy, R-Dorchester, an attorney who has served in the House since 2011.
A former Dorchester County Councilman and assistant solicitor in the First Judicial District, Murphy previously served on a task force as a special assistant in the U.S. Attorney’s Office handling multi-jurisdictional drug and violent crime, according to his legislative biography. He also sits on the joint Judicial Merit Selection Committee, a legislative panel that screens judges and judicial candidates.
This story was originally published November 30, 2020 at 1:31 PM.
