[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6283064,"mediaKeyId","2591014-9c54a1602a22668737930aff1524e53a","parentId",2591014,"title","Senate Medical Affairs committee: appointments and bills — votes at a glance","audioSeconds",526,"startMs",2434000,"endMs",2960000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2591014-9c54a1602a22668737930aff1524e53a&start=2434&end=2960","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2591014-9c54a1602a22668737930aff1524e53a/thumbnail_2434000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6283064/South-Carolina/Senate-Medical-Affairs-committee-appointments-and-bills-votes-at-a-glance","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6283064-b4a12f307e2a8d90d156ca65cf133b0c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771147612&Signature=ks4nddD7yK0jslHiqvl2CYNBk2W~rbY3CP6I-a9EOqL9vAh8msJJTCtx0hexuH2aKyUNzGzwaHu2Jnd991HTsZkprAWKI9XM5BjR~m9xTN~XF2AzoORiOiNUE3BNjKFRyVBlX24OB5ezV8ga6ABsD8t8MYFqq5AAnjfGnFOMGkTffDQSP5kLh1ve-0JoLfdPTQk-V3auwKnYZ2VKipUTMSLC8y5M7Xj~FuS1xxq9u9SfZp0iHZg5neuzXiFf4Na~uebvvCfek-QEpWUaol0JRmfJeEOs6OXXlofCK-DRkYxKLmibeNDOGZWslNkBVQszIOwrjw8inAZgIaxwntOeoQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","South Carolina Legislature","date","2025-03-06T00:00:00Z","article","The Senate Medical Affairs Committee on Oct. 12 took final action on several agenda items: it approved two statewide appointments to the State Board of Pharmacy, reported multiple bills favorably to the Senate (some as amended), and carried over a kratom consumer‑protection bill for further information and possible redrafting.

Appointments

- Cassie Eunice — The committee swore in and recommended a favorable report for Cassie Eunice (pharmacist, Sixth Congressional District) to the State Board of Pharmacy. Eunice described herself as a pharmacist since 2016, a University of South Carolina College of Pharmacy graduate and pharmacy-in-charge at Hawthorne Pharmacy’s Taylor Street store where the practice includes retail and compounding. The committee recorded a voice vote; the motion to report her favorably passed.

- Josias Garcia — The committee swore in and recommended a favorable report for Josias Garcia to fill the at‑large pharmacy technician seat (the first technician seat on the board). Garcia described his experience as a technician since 2006, with work in hospital, retail and compounding; he currently manages compounding labs for Plantation Pharmacy in Charleston. The committee approved his appointment by voice vote.

Bills and committee actions (votes at a glance)

- S.161 (pain‑parity / opioid alternatives) — Subcommittee amendments were adopted to (1) confirm that the Department of Health and Human Services may include FDA‑approved alternatives on its preferred drug list without a legislative mandate, and (2) change a physician duty to an offer of educational material prepared by DHHS rather than a required physician obligation. The committee reported S.161 favorably as amended (voice vote).

- S.221 (South Carolina Kratom Consumer Protection Act) — Committee members heard that the subcommittee had no controversy but later received information from stakeholders (including Wanda Crotwell). The committee agreed to carry the bill over to allow additional input; no final vote was taken.

- S.236 (anesthesiologist assistants) — The committee adopted a favorable subcommittee recommendation to change the physician supervision ratio for anesthesiologist assistants from the current 2:1 to 4:1 (bringing South Carolina in line with approximately 19 other states) and to remove an in‑person BME certification appearance requirement. The committee reported the bill favorably by voice vote.

- S.170 (surgical smoke) — The committee adopted a negotiated amendment that clarified the definition of smoke‑evacuation equipment and established staggered compliance dates so smaller rural hospitals would have additional time to implement equipment. Major hospital systems were assigned an earlier compliance date (effective July 1, 2026) while smaller hospitals meeting specified exceptions would have until 2027. The committee reported S.170 favorably as amended (voice vote).

Procedural notes: Most actions were taken by voice vote and recorded as “ayes have it” in the transcript; the committee did not provide roll‑call tallies in the hearing record.

Why it matters: The actions advance nominee confirmations to a regulatory board that affects pharmacy practice and move several public‑health bills to the full Senate, including statutes intended to address opioid alternatives, workplace safety for operating room staff, and professional scope for anesthesiology assistants. The carryover of the kratom bill signals further stakeholder engagement is expected.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Senate Medical Affairs Committee -- Senate Medical Affairs Committee Thursday, March 6, 2025 9:30 am ","oneSentenceSummary","The committee approved two statewide pharmacy board appointments and issued favorable reports on multiple health‑related bills; it carried over a kratom bill for further study.","taxTitle","Medical Affairs, Standing, Senate, Committees, Legislative, South Carolina","taxId",17644,"location","South Carolina","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6283069,"Senate Medical Affairs committee sends vaping bill to Senate after debate over FDA registry and in‑state producers",1368,632000,2000000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2591014-9c54a1602a22668737930aff1524e53a&start=632&end=2000","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2591014-9c54a1602a22668737930aff1524e53a/thumbnail_632000.jpg","/articles/6283069/South-Carolina/Senate-Medical-Affairs-committee-sends-vaping-bill-to-Senate-after-debate-over-FDA-registry-and-instate-producers","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6283069-563382e7261d0aa82ba4fd7e6cc868cf/orig.mp4?Expires=1771147612&Signature=i2nRsVB7LSR6BT-j~yH0ATqn-NklXPX4KJ2yTGPTaeHfmwM~9KSfnD-GDQx8~TW-M1Huw36pvLF5sfhugjP4Ku4KkGOx3lAZqNlm9KoWrTNc6w2Bm2hixtM9~dNymlN5LzRg9O8IbPjsGRxZVV6E1mYRj8amiTsyqCVXYQsRB5k26W0Pl5ptVczYm8b7LX44cSgVkQ2cyZY-tGdpqhv5rfJ4HH9TtE0rQ1SaYj48nvMVYVthQEScqGgWDFA5ImBzMycws-MzyQk93CPw7eMkM7ndIydyxuT5M~8cVjgIv52pAGOx8OR9xwBnYHUpKWqpG9hfnBeKE4UdW8unxYZKTg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senate Medical Affairs Committee Chairman Senator Garrett on Oct. 12 said the committee would report S.287, a bill governing ENDS (electronic nicotine delivery system) products, favorably to the Senate after adopting an amendment requested by the attorney general's office.

The amendment requires that “the results of all compliance checks and enforcement actions shall be reported to the attorney general,” an addition staff identified as requested by the attorney general and accepted as part of the committee recommendation.

The bill would make acceptability of ENDS products contingent on their disposition with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA): products that are FDA‑approved, those pending FDA review, or those subject to an appeal or stay. Committee members debated whether relying on the federal FDA approval list would effectively bar smaller South Carolina manufacturers from selling lower‑nicotine products while larger companies with FDA‑cleared products would dominate the market.

Senator Kimbrell, the bill sponsor and senator from Spartanburg, described the measure as “familiar text” and said the amendment from the attorney general’s office simply organizes enforcement and reporting among multiple agencies. He moved the subcommittee recommendation, which the committee adopted.

Multiple senators urged work on amendments that could preserve in‑state businesses while preventing illicit imports. A senator identified in the record as the senator from Charleston argued that many FDA‑approved products are produced by large national companies and said the bill as written risks creating a de facto monopoly for those firms; she asked that South Carolina consider options to allow in‑state manufacturers with equivalent products to sell while awaiting FDA review. Another senator noted examples of in‑state manufacturers producing lower‑strength products (around 3–6 milligrams of nicotine) and contrasted those with some products discussed in committee that deliver 48–60 milligrams, which committee members said is roughly equivalent to one to two packs of cigarettes.

Lawmakers discussed practical options including: keeping the FDA registry requirement but creating a South Carolina provisional registry or time‑limited allowance for products pending FDA review (one suggestion was a one‑year provisional allowance), and expanding federal border enforcement to keep illicit imports out of state. Committee staff noted the attorney general’s office had not volunteered to create a state FDA‑style approval agency and warned that establishing such a body would require funding and a separate infrastructure.

After discussion, the committee accepted the attorney general’s amendment and voted to report S.287 to the Senate “favorable as amended.” The record shows a voice vote; no roll‑call tally was recorded in the transcript.

Why it matters: S.287 would set the state’s regulatory standard for which vaping products can be sold in South Carolina. Committee members said the bill addresses youth access and illicit imports, but several senators pressed for protections for lawful in‑state manufacturers who lack FDA clearance or face lengthy federal review processes.

Next steps: The bill will go to the full Senate with the committee’s favorable, amended report; committee members indicated they expect to continue working on possible floor amendments to address provisional sales or state processing for in‑state producers.

","The committee voted to report S.287 favorably as amended, adding a requirement that compliance checks and enforcement results be reported to the attorney general. Lawmakers debated whether to rely solely on the FDA approval list or create a South Carolina registry or provisional pathway for in‑state manufacturers pending federal review.","actionData","errors"]

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Senate Medical Affairs committee: appointments and bills — votes at a glance

Senate Medical Affairs committee sends vaping bill to Senate after debate over FDA registry and in‑state producers