Your SC politics briefing

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

We’re not saying goodbye to the 2021 legislative session — just yet. It’s more of a, we’re taking some needed time apart.

But before we do that, here’s a breakdown of some of the highlights of the week. Start with a few bills.

▪ Guns: The House agreed to every single one of the Senate’s tweaks to the “open carry with training” gun bill and even rejected a Republican member’s attempt to eliminate the requirement altogether. With the House in agreement, it heads to Gov. Henry McMaster who says he will sign it. But the new law will not happen right away. Lawmakers added a provision putting a 90-day wait period to get everyone in line.

▪ Executions: The Senate, meanwhile, agreed to House changes made to the executions bill, bringing back the electric chair and giving death row inmates a firing squad option. McMaster will sign it.

▪ Police policy reform: The House voted to mandate that police agencies have basic policies and rules. The bill won’t become law this year since it failed to reach the Senate in time, though it still has a chance of becoming law in the next year.

▪ Hate crimes: A hate crimes bill also made it out of the House this year, but the Senate failed to take it up in the remaining days before session ended. Like police reform, the bill still has a chance at becoming law next year.

▪ Elections: The Senate amended and passed a House bill to give the State Elections Commission more oversight over county election offices.

USC’s castle chipped

There were two big resignations all in a 24-hour span this week.

Start with Bob Caslen, the former president of the University of South Carolina.

Caslen had a bad week starting last weekend, when he failed to attribute a quote to another author in his commencement speech and accidentally referred to the graduating class as the latest alumni from the “University of California.”

Then we all found out that Caslen tried to resign once, but the board president rejected the offer, with some members saying they weren’t even informed. (Not a good look). Then lawmakers began publicly railing on Caslen, calling on him to resign.

And by Wednesday night, it actually happened. The university announced Caslen resigned and named Harris Pastides interim.

To add more confusion, USC announced later Pastides was actually not interim — yet because the board has to vote on him.

At least one person was in Caslen’s corner through it all: Gov. Henry McMaster.

“I think that Gen. Caslen, President Caslen did a splendid job in the two years that he was here,” McMaster told reporters during a press conference Thursday outside the State House. “He expanded the influence of the university in a number of areas.”

Go deeper: The college now has yet another issue on its hands, and one likely they probably hoped not to deal with this year.

They’ll have to look for another college president after a dramatic search two years ago, when McMaster and some in his office were criticized for their involvement in trying to get Caslen the gig. Students and some faculty alo protested the decision.

But McMaster told reporters the school needs to look forward.

“I’m sure they have processes in place now to make it very clear as to what is happening that should eliminate some of the questions.”

SC elections chief calls it quits

Marci Andino, the agency’s fourth director since 2003, announced this week she will resign, effective at the year’s end.

Andino sent a two-page letter to the board May 12, spelling out a list of accomplishments the agency had in her tenure. And she acknowledged the COVID-19 pandemic, saying her team stepped up to ensure fair and safe elections in 2020.

“I have dedicated most of my life’s work to ensuring my fellow South Carolinians had the opportunity to vote in fair and impartial elections,” part of Andino’s letter to board Chairman John Wells said. “As I near the fulfillment of the duties of my current post, I stand proud of our accomplishments. And as I plan for future opportunities, I will always remain steadfast in my dedication to the preservation of our democracy.”

Go Deeper: To anyone who has kept tabs on the elections agency, the resignation is of little surprise.

Sure, Andino was lauded by many for her 18-year tenure. But the COVID-19 outbreak and a subsequent letter Andino sent to Republican House and Senate leaders changed the temperature. That letter, which in part asked the Legislature to remove the witness signature requirement went back-and-forth in the courts and, eventually, the requirement was reinstated by the US Supreme Court.

Republican leaders, and we hear the governor, were less than thrilled. And they made it know, quite often.

McMaster’s mask order creates ‘chaos’ in schools

Two Weeks ago, Gov. McMaster had called it “ridiculous” that school districts still required students to wear masks.

So, he took it into his own hands by issue an executive order to prohibit districts and local governments from requiring them.

State Superintendent Molly Spearman then alleged McMaster had not consulted her about the order, said school districts across the state were caught off guard by the directive and had to scramble in response.

Spearman’s spokesman accused McMaster of inciting hysteria and sowing division, and asserted the order may be unconstitutional.

Despite speaking out against its timing — just a few weeks before the end of the school year — and its potential legal and public health ramifications, both Spearman and DHEC Director Edward Simmer said they would comply with the order.

Go deeper: This is about the second, maybe third or fourth time the education department and the governor have knocked heads over what the governor can legally do and not do. Unlikely to be the last. Attempts have been made to make the education superintendent a Cabinet position, putting that person directly under the governor’s responsibilities but so far that has not been successful.

Buzz Bites

▪ Former U.S. Rep. Trey Gowdy scored a regular show on Fox News.

▪ Democratic gubernatorial hopeful Joe Cunningham said Gov. McMaster should use the money received from the American Rescue Plan to pay people $1,200 to get back to work.

▪ South Carolina’s state government is about to get a lot of money — almost $2.5 billion in new COVID-19 relief, with millions more headed to the state’s counties and cities tied up in the administration’s latest round of COVID aid.

▪ US Sen. Lindsey Graham weighed into the US House GOP Caucus’ infighting after it booted Liz Cheney out of a leadership role.

“Congresswoman Liz Cheney has been a solid conservative and strong voice on national security. However, in my view, she has taken a position regarding former President Trump which is out of the mainstream of the Republican Party,” he said.

▪ The state’s Commerce Department wants to spend $8.3 million for infrastructure improvements to help open Gallo Winery’s bottling and distribution plant in Chester County.

▪ The Senate agreed to place the pay of all but two statewide constitutional officers under the purview of the Agency Head Salary Commission, opening them up to receive raises.

▪ State Rep. Brandon Newton and his wife, Allison, recently welcomed a baby boy named Wales.

What’s on the calendar

May 15

South Carolina Republican Party holds hybrid convention

May 17

New deadline for individual state income tax returns for the 2020 year

May 19-22

South Carolina Democratic Party holds its own virtual convention

June 8

House and Senate return, when the House will tackle the budget and both will find compromises on bills

Before we adjourn

There were a lot of headlines this year and a whole flurry of bills that ping-ponged between the chambers in five months.

Curious about what legislation the Legislature passed this week and what they kicked down the road?

What about the bills that Gov. McMaster signed into law? Unsure how to even navigate the General Assembly’s website?

Join me and my State House colleagues Emily Bohatch and Joseph Bustos at 11 a.m. Friday, when we will break down the legislative session and what debates you will see the Legislature take up in the coming months and in the coming new year.

You can watch through our website by clicking here or on The State’s Facebook page.

Who pulled together this week’s newsletter?

This week it was reporter Maayan Schechter (My-yahn Schek-ter), who leads The State’s State House team, covering politics, the Republican majority, elections and more. You can keep up with her on Twitter and send her tips on Twitter at @MaayanSchechter or by email mschechter@thestate.com.

Make sure to sign up for our weekly politics newsletter, The Buzz on SC Politics, that will come straight to your inbox each week. Tell your friends to do the same. For even more South Carolina-focused political news, you can chat with us on Facebook at the Buzz on South Carolina Politics, email us tips at thebuzz [at] thestate [dot] com and follow our stories at scpolitics.com.