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May 16, 2022
Representative Randy Ligon
District 43
Serving Chester and York Counties
Dear Friends and Neighbors,
When the clock struck 5pm this past Thursday, Sine Die went into effect, marking the end of the 2021-2022 Legislative Session.
“Although many laws might sound like gibberish to non-lawyers (and even to many lawyers, for that matter), ‘sine die’ is not. It’s Latin for ‘without a day’... to describe an adjournment when the date to reconvene is not specified…” (Congressional Institute).
With a combined 27+ hours on the Floor in just three days this week, there was no shortage of work to do. Until the last minute, my colleagues and I fought to push many of our conservative agenda items over the finish line. Our successes this year will make South Carolina a better place to live, work, and raise a family for years to come.
Sine Die Resolution and Pro-Life Legislation
This year’s Sine Die resolution sets out the specific reasons the General Assembly can return until the new legislature is elected in November. This year, we will likely return to pass a final state budget once finalized, and we will review any gubernatorial vetoes.
Furthermore, we included a provision that allows us to return to debate legislation in reaction to a decision of the United States Supreme Court in the case of Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization. If, as anticipated, Dobbs overturns Roe v. Wade and pushes decisions on abortion to the states, the South Carolina General Assembly can return to accomplish what we intended with the Fetal Heartbeat Bill: protect innocent life in South Carolina by ending abortion.
Status Update on the Budget & Tax Cuts
It has been the year of tax cuts in the South Carolina House! I proudly voted for a budget and an extensive tax cut plan that was designed with the South Carolina taxpayer in mind. We carefully calculated each dollar, putting to use the historic surpluses we had available due to years of conservative budgeting and planning.
Our budget centered around 4 R’s: increasing reserves, roads and infrastructure, raises for teachers and first responders, and over $1 billion in tax relief. It passed the House and was sent to the Senate, where they developed their own version. Given the differences, the House and Senate will each send 3 delegates to meet in a conference committee where they will reconcile the differences to write a final budget that best serves our State.
As well as a budget, the Senate also created their own version of a tax relief plan in response to the House’s $1 billion tax relief plan that I supported last month. We hold that our plan better serves South Carolina taxpayers simply because it saves the taxpayers more money. Our plan focuses on collapsing the middle tax brackets to help hard-working middle earners - where the majority of South Carolinians fall.
Conservative Fiscal Planning: Raising Reserves
Part of being fiscally conservative and prepared for the future is having sufficient reserves. Raising our state general reserve fund was a priority for us this year, which helps prepare us in the face of financial uncertainty. I voted for a billthat will gradually raise reserves from 5% to 7%. It also increases capital reserve funds from 2% to 3%. Altogether, South Carolina will save 10% of revenue per year. This is another bill that will go to a conference committee for refining before being approved and sent to the Governor.
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