Ways and Means adopts 18 proviso amendments, tables free-speech proviso

The House Ways and Means Committee on Tuesday considered and adopted a package of proposed proviso amendments that adjust funding and program language across education, public health, public safety and housing.

The committee, chaired during the session by the presiding member, approved 18 amendments by voice vote and tabled one. Among the actions were a requirement that the Education Oversight Committee add outputs to a parental satisfaction survey (Amendment 1), a transfer of Imagination Library funds to First Steps (Amendment 2), expansions for developmental education and therapy services for students with multiple disabilities (Amendment 3), and a transfer of the Emergency Communications Network and related staff and funds to the State Law Enforcement Division (Amendments 13 and 14).

Representative Ballantyne won approval for a proviso allowing lottery tickets to be sold via vending machines, with the proponent saying such machines could 'join the other 48 states' and bring additional scholarship revenue while offering ID-scanning technology to prevent underage sales. Representative Collins successfully offered a proviso directing Education and DNR to develop an age-appropriate, voluntary gun-safety program for districts (Amendment 19). A $150,000 annual grant from the South Carolina Forestry Commission for rapid invasive-plant response (Amendment 11) and a $75,000 National Fish and Wildlife Federation grant to DNR (Amendment 12) were also adopted.

Several policy changes were procedural or clarifying: Amendment 6 expanded the definition of hospitals to include conversions to rural emergency hospital designation and provided certain code exceptions during emergencies; Amendment 9 aligned telehealth policy with Act 120 of 2024 for behavioral health services; and Amendment 16 strengthened Department of Social Services efforts to identify potential fraud in state- or federally funded childcare providers and to report findings to legislative leaders and the governor.

Representative Cobb Hunter’s proposal to add brief free-speech protections for students, faculty and staff at higher-education institutions generated extended debate about how 'lawful' speech would be defined and concerns that a short proviso could supplant more comprehensive bills. Representative Hyatt moved to table Amendment 17 for further work; the motion carried by voice vote.

Votes at a glance (by amendment number): - Amendment 1 (Collins): adopted (require outputs for parental satisfaction survey). - Amendment 2 (Whitmire): adopted (transfer Imagination Library funds to First Steps). - Amendment 3 (Whitmire): adopted (increase funding for Meyer Center, Pattison’s Academy). - Amendment 4 (Ballantyne): adopted (allow lottery vending machines). - Amendment 5 (Hewitt): adopted (transfer blood-borne screening from MUSC to DPH). - Amendment 6 (Hewitt): adopted (rural emergency hospital definitions and exceptions). - Amendment 7 (Cobb Hunter/Dillard): adopted (allow Palmetto Excel Goodwill partnership operations). - Amendment 8 (Kaske/Valentine): adopted (higher-ed AI exemption and permitting pilot clarification). - Amendment 9 (Newton): adopted (telehealth alignment with Act 120 of 2024). - Amendment 10 (Kaske): tabled (enrollment multiplier limited to two-classification moves). - Amendment 11 (Lowe): adopted ($150,000 forestry rapid-response grant to DNR). - Amendment 12 (Loe): adopted ($75,000 NFWF grant to DNR for delisting work). - Amendment 13 (Kaske): adopted (delete proviso placing Palmetto 800 MHz program under Admin). - Amendment 14 (Philip Lowe): adopted (move first-responder system to SLED, transfer employees/funds). - Amendment 15 (Newton): adopted (allow 301s reimbursement for gambling treatment training). - Amendment 16 (Bannister): adopted (DSS fraud identification/reporting requirement for childcare providers). - Amendment 17 (Cobb Hunter): tabled (free-speech proviso for higher ed; more work requested). - Amendment 18 (Stabanakis): adopted (expand Housing Made at Home program provisions). - Amendment 19 (Collins on behalf of Hadden): adopted (optional age-appropriate gun-safety program for districts).

The committee concluded that members would reconvene as needed to adopt appropriation lines after adjournment. No individual roll-call tallies were recorded in the transcript; outcomes above reflect voice-vote results and tabling motions as announced on the floor. The meeting adjourned with plans to continue line-item adoption the following day.