South Carolina House of Representatives

The South Carolina House of Representatives is the lower house of the South Carolina General Assembly. It consists of 124 representatives elected to two-year terms at the same time as U.S. congressional elections.

South Carolina
House of Representatives
South Carolina General Assembly
Coat of arms or logo
Seal of the South Carolina House of Representatives
Type
Type
Term limits
None
History
New session started
January 12, 2021
Leadership
Speaker
Murrell Smith (R)
since May 12, 2022
Speaker pro tempore
Tommy Pope (R)
since December 2, 2014
Majority Leader
Davey Hiott (R)
since May 12, 2022
Minority Leader
J. Todd Rutherford (D)
since January 8, 2013
Structure
Seats124
Composition of the South Carolina House of Representatives
Political groups
Majority
  •   Republican (88)

Minority

Length of term
2 years
AuthorityArticle III, South Carolina Constitution
Salary$10,400/year + per diem
Elections
Last election
November 8, 2022
(124 seats)
Next election
November 5, 2024
(124 seats)
RedistrictingLegislative Control
Meeting place
House of Representatives Chamber
South Carolina State House
Columbia, South Carolina
Website
South Carolina House of Representatives

Unlike many legislatures, seating on the floor is not divided by party, but is arranged by county delegation – a legacy of the original apportionment of the chamber. Until 1964, each of South Carolina's counties was a legislative district, with the number of representatives determined by the county's population. It meets from the second week of January into May.

History

In Colonial times, there was a Commons House of Assembly.[1]

Qualifications and terms

Representatives are considered part-time citizen legislators who serve two-year terms. Representatives are elected at-large by their district, and there are no term limits.[2] Representatives must be 21 years of age before they are eligible to become a representative.[3]

Composition
Affiliation Party
(Shading indicates majority caucus)
 Total
Republican Democratic Vacant
Beginning of 2023-25 Session[lower-alpha 1] 88 36 124 0
Expected voting share 71% 29%

Leadership
South Carolina House of Representatives officers
Position Name Party
Speaker Murrell Smith Republican
Majority Leader Davey Hiott Republican

Current members
District Representative[4] Party Residence
1 Bill Whitmire Rep Walhalla
2 Bill Sandifer III Rep Seneca
3 Jerry Carter Rep Clemson
4 Davey Hiott Rep Pickens
5 Neal Collins Rep Easley
6 April Cromer Rep Anderson
7 Jay West Rep Belton
8 Don Chapman Rep Townville
9 Anne Thayer Rep Anderson
10 Thomas Beach Rep Piedmont
11 Craig A. Gagnon Rep Abbeville
12 Daniel Gibson Rep Greenwood
13 John R. McCravy III Rep Greenwood
14 Stewart Jones Rep Laurens
15 JA Moore Dem North Charleston
16 Mark N. Willis Rep Fountain Inn
17 Mike Burns Rep Tigerville
18 Alan Morgan Rep Greer
19 Patrick Haddon Rep Greenville
20 Adam Morgan Rep Taylors
21 Bobby Cox Rep Greer
22 Jason Elliott Rep Greenville
23 Chandra Dillard Dem Greenville
24 Bruce W. Bannister Rep Greenville
25 Wendell K. Jones Dem Piedmont
26 Raye Felder Rep Fort Mill
27 David Vaughan Rep Simpsonville
28 Ashley Trantham Rep Pelzer
29 Dennis Moss Rep Gaffney
30 Brian Lawson Rep Chesnee
31 Rosalyn Henderson-Myers Dem Spartanburg
32 Max Hyde Rep Spartanburg
33 Travis Moore Rep Roebuck
34 Roger Nutt Rep Moore
35 Bill Chumley Rep Reidville
36 Rob Harris Rep Wellford
37 Steven Wayne Long Rep Boiling Springs
38 Josiah Magnuson Rep Campobello
39 Cal Forrest Rep Monetta
40 Joe White Rep Prosperity
41 Annie McDaniel Dem Winnsboro
42 Doug Gilliam Rep Buffalo
43 Randy Ligon Rep Rock Hill
44 Mike Neese Rep Indian Land
45 Brandon Michael Newton Rep Lancaster
46 Heath Sessions Rep Rock Hill
47 Tommy Pope Rep York
48 Brandon Guffey Rep Rock Hill
49 John Richard C. King Dem Rock Hill
50 Will Wheeler Dem Bishopville
51 J. David Weeks Dem Sumter
52 Ben Connell Rep Lugoff
53 Richie Yow Rep Chesterfield
54 Pat Henegan Dem Bennettsville
55 Jackie E. Hayes Dem Dillon
56 Tim McGinnis Rep Myrtle Beach
57 Lucas Atkinson Dem Marion
58 Jeff Johnson Rep Conway
59 Terry Alexander Dem Florence
60 Phillip Lowe Rep Florence
61 Carla Schuessler Rep Myrtle Beach
62 Robert Q. Williams Dem Darlington
63 Jay Jordan Rep Florence
64 Fawn M. Pedalino Rep Turberville
65 Cody Mitchell Rep Hartsville
66 David L. O'Neal Rep Tega Cay
67 G. Murrell Smith Jr. Rep Sumter
68 Heather Ammons Crawford Rep Myrtle Beach
69 Chris Wooten Rep Lexington
70 Jermaine Johnson Dem Hopkins
71 Nathan Ballentine Rep Chapin
72 Seth Rose Dem Columbia
73 Christopher R. Hart Dem Columbia
74 Todd Rutherford Dem Columbia
75 Heather Bauer Dem Columbia
76 Leon Howard Dem Columbia
77 Kambrell Garvin Dem Columbia
78 Beth Bernstein Dem Columbia
79 Ivory Torrey Thigpen Dem Columbia
80 Katherine D. Landing Rep Mount Pleasant
81 Bart T. Blackwell Rep Aiken
82 Bill Clyburn Dem Aiken
83 Bill Hixon Rep North Augusta
84 Melissa Lackey Oremus Rep Aiken County
85 Jay Kilmartin Rep Columbia
86 Bill Taylor Rep Aiken
87 Paula Rawl Calhoon Rep Lexington
88 RJ May Rep Lexington
89 Micah Caskey Rep West Columbia
90 Justin Bamberg Dem Smoaks
91 Lonnie Hosey Dem Barnwell
92 Brandon Cox Rep Goose Creek
93 Russell Ott Dem St. Matthews
94 Gil Gatch Rep Summerville
95 Gilda Cobb-Hunter Dem Orangeburg
96 Ryan McCabe Rep Pelion
97 Robby Robbins Rep St. George
98 Chris Murphy Rep North Charleston
99 Marvin Smith Rep Charleston
100 Sylleste Davis Rep Moncks Corner
101 Roger K. Kirby Dem Lake City
102 Joseph H. Jefferson Dem Pineville
103 Carl Anderson Dem Georgetown
104 William Bailey Rep Little River
105 Kevin Hardee Rep Loris
106 Val Guest Jr. Rep Myrtle Beach
107 Case Brittain Rep Myrtle Beach
108 Lee Hewitt Rep Murrells Inlet
109 Tiffany Spann-Wilder Dem North Charleston
110 Tom Hartnett Jr. Rep Mount Pleasant
111 Wendell Gilliard Dem Charleston
112 Joe Bustos Rep Mount Pleasant
113 Marvin R. Pendarvis Dem North Charleston
114 Gary Brewer Rep Charleston
115 Spencer Wetmore Dem Folly Beach
116 Matt Leber Rep Johns Island
117 Jordan S. Pace Rep Goose Creek
118 Bill Herbkersman Rep Bluffton
119 Leon Stavrinakis Dem Charleston
120 Weston J. Newton Rep Bluffton
121 Michael F. Rivers Sr. Dem St. Helena Island
122 Bill Hager Rep Hampton
123 Jeff Bradley Rep Hilton Head Island
124 Shannon Erickson Rep Beaufort

Standing Committees
Committee Chair [5]
Subcommittee
Agriculture, Natural Resources & Environmental Affairs Bill Hixon (R-83)
Agriculture Bill Chumley (R-35)
Environmental Affairs Mike Burns (R-17)
Wildlife Cal Forrest (R-39)
Education and Public Works Shannon Erickson (R-124)
K-12 Jeff Bradley (R-123)
Higher Education Tim McGinnis (R-56)
Early Childhood Stewart Jones (R-14)
Public Safety Paula Rawl Calhoon (R-87)
Transportation Adam Morgan (R-20)
Motor Vehicles Doug Gilliam (R-14)
Ethics Jay Jordan (R-63)
Interstate Cooperation Mark N. Willis (R-16)
Invitations and Memorial Resolutions Dennis Moss (R-29)
Judiciary Weston J. Newton (R-45)
Constitutional Laws Jay Jordan (R-63)
Criminal Laws Jeff Johnson (R-58)
General Laws Jason Elliott (R-22)
Family, Business, and Probate Law Beth Bernstein (D-78)
Special Laws John R. McCravy III (R-13)
Labor, Commerce and Industry Bill Sandifer III (R-2)
Banking And Consumer Affairs Joseph H. Jefferson (D-63)
Real Estate Anne Thayer (R-9)
Public Utilities Jay West (R-7)
Insurance Kevin Hardee (R-105)
Administration and Regulations Carl Anderson (D-103)
Legislative Oversight Jeff Johnson (R-58)
Economic Development, Transportation, and Natural Resources Travis Moore (R-33)
Education and Cultural Affairs Tim McGinnis (R-56)
Healthcare and Regulatory Joseph H. Jefferson (D-102)
Law Enforcement, Criminal and Civil Justice Chris Wooten (R-69)
Medical, Military, Public and Municipal Affairs Sylleste Davis (R-100)
Medical and Health Affairs Marvin Smith (R-99)
Military and Veterans Affairs Bobby Cox (R-21)
Municipal and Public Affairs Joe Bustos (R-112)
Operations and Management Patrick Haddon (R-19)
Regulations and Administration Procedures Jeff Bradley (R-123)
Business, Commerce, and Administration Terry Alexander (D-59)
Education and Public Works Max Hyde (R-32)
Environment and Natural Resources Mike Burns (R-17)
Health and Healthcare Industries Carl Anderson (R-103)
Rules Anne Thayer (R-9)
Ways and Means Bruce W. Bannister (R-24)
Constitutional Budget Chris Murphy (R-98)
High Education Budget Nathan Ballentine (R-71)
Public Education Budget Bill Whitmire (R-1)
Business, Commerce, and Administration Budget Bill Herbkersman (R-118)
Economic Development Budget Leon Stavrinakis (D-119)
Criminal Justice Budget Phillip Lowe (R-60)
Transportation and Regulatory Budget Heather Ammons Crawford (R-68)
Proviso Budget Dennis Moss (R-29)
Economic Development Legislative Micah Caskey (R-89)
General Government Legislative Gilda Cobb-Hunter (D-95)
License, Fee and Other Taxes Legislative Todd Rutherford (D-74)
Property Tax Legislative Lee Hewitt (R-108)
Sales & Use Tax and Income Tax Legislative Brandon Michael Newton (R-45)
Revenue Policy Legislative Bruce W. Bannister (R-24)

Party composition over time
Main article: Political party strength in South Carolina
Year Democratic
Party		 Republican
Party		 Independent
/ Other		 Majority
1865 0 0 124 124
1868 14 110 0 96
1870 0 100 24(a) 76
1872 22 102 0 80
1874 0 91 33(b) 58
1876 64 60 0 4
1878 121 3 0 118
1880 120 4 0 116
1882 118 6 0 112
1884 119 5 0 114
1886 120 4 0 116
1888 121 3 0 118
1890 115 9 0 106
1892 120 4 0 116
1894 104 3 17(c) 87
1896–
1900		 123 1 0 122
1902–
1960		 124 0 0 124
1961 123 1[6][7] 0 122
1962 124 0 0 124
1964 123 1 0 122
1966 107 17 0 90
1968 119 5 0 114
1970 113 11 0 102
1972 103 21 0 82
1974 108 16 0 92
1976 112 12 0 100
1978 108 16 0 92
1980 108 16 0 92
1982 105 19 0 86
1984 96 28 0 68
1986 92 32 0 60
1988 88 36 0 52
1990 80 44 0 36
1992 74 50 0 24
1994 54 70 0 16
1996 53 71 0 18
1998 57 67 0 10
2000 53 71 0 18
2002 51 73 0 22
2004 50 74 0 24
2006 51 73 0 22
2008 51 73 0 22
2010 48 76 0 28
2012 46 78 0 32
2014 46 78 0 32
2016 44 80 0 36
2018 44 80 0 35
2020[8] 43 81 0 38
2022[lower-alpha 2] 36 88 0 52

(a) 21 were members of the Union Reform Party of South Carolina and the other 3 were Independents from Anderson. Two of the Union Reform members from Chesterfield were later replaced by Republicans from a resolution passed in the House.
(b) All 33 were members of the Conservative Party of South Carolina.
(c) All 17 were Independent Democrats.

Notes
  1. Members were sworn in December 6, 2022; session begins January 10, 2023.
  2. Effective January 2023

References
  1. "General Assembly".
  2. "South Carolina Legislature Online - House of Representatives". www.scstatehouse.gov. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
  3. "Candidate Qualifications - SCVotes". www.scvotes.org. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
  4. "South Carolina Legislature Online". SC Statehouse.gon. South Carolina Government. Retrieved 12 January 2020.
  5. "Standing Committees of the South Carolina House of Representatives". Retrieved February 2, 2023.
  6. Republican Charles Evans Boineau Jr., who was elected in an August 1961 special election
  7. "University Libraries - University Libraries - University of South Carolina". library.sc.edu. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
  8. "South Carolina Election Results". New York Times. 4 November 2020. Retrieved 4 November 2020.

Additional sources
  • Reynolds, John S. (1969). Reconstruction in South Carolina. Negro University Press. ISBN 0-8371-1638-4.
  • Kalk, Bruce H. (2001). The origins of the southern strategy: two-party competition in South Carolina, 1950–1972. Lexington Books. ISBN 0-7391-0242-7.

34°00′01″N 81°01′59″W

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