State House scorecard: Which SC lawmakers got the most bills turned into law this year?
With 170 members making up the South Carolina General Assembly, representing diverse constituencies and featuring a wide range of view points, it’s notable when a lawmaker successfully collects enough votes to see a bill they’ve sponsored become law.
Each year, it’s customary for hundreds of bills to be introduced in the General Assembly that never see the light of day as law. This happens for a variety of reasons, such as lack of party support for a bill or the improper vetting of a measure. In addition, a bill may pass one chamber but not the other. And sometimes, a bill can pass both the House and the Senate but still face a veto by the governor, keeping it from becoming law.
To that end, a legislator’s ability to pass primarily sponsored legislation is not a complete indication of their productivity. Besides introducing original bills, lawmakers frequently sign on as co-sponsors to other bills introduced by colleagues and often are successful in passing an array of resolutions.
But in an effort to determine just how productive the Legislature was this past session, relating to general bills passed, The State took a deep dive into legislative records to determine how many lawmakers introduced legislation as the primary sponsor and, of that group, how many were successful in getting their measure passed into law.
Beginning with the upper chamber, the state Senate naturally has a higher bill passage rate than the House, having only 46 members to persuade on an issue as opposed to 124.
In 2023, nearly 40% of the body were successful in passing their original legislation. And with the exception of state Sen. Richard Cash, R-Anderson, every senator introduced or primarily sponsored at least one bill.
State Sen. Katrina Shealy, R-Lexington, was the most productive based on the number of bills she originally sponsored that passed into law. Shealy, who was elected to the Senate in 2013, is the longest-tenured of the five women in the body. This year, she saw 11 of 29 of her general bills clear both chambers.
Next up comes state Sen. Wes Climer, R-York, who passed five out of 23 primarily sponsored bills, followed by state Sen. Chip Campsen, R-Charleston, with four out of 28 bills passed and Senate Minority Leader Brad Hutto, D-Orangeburg, with four out of 24 bills cleared.
Meanwhile, Senate Majority Leader Shane Massey, R-Edgefield, introduced 23 bills but passed none.
The fact the Senate has a overwhelming Republican majority didn’t stop state Sen. Gerald Malloy, D-Darlington, from introducing the highest number of proposals — 41 — among Democrats or Republicans last session. None passed.
But Democratic Sen. Ronnie Sabb of Williamsburg was the only senator to see 100% of their sponsored legislation passed, albeit one bill.
Here’s a look at what other Senators accomplished in terms of sponsored legislation making it into law.
Note: The first number following the legislator’s name represents the total number of bills they primarily sponsored last session. The second number represents the number of sponsored bills passed into law. This data does not include resolutions.
Sen. Brian Adams, R-Berkely: 12-0
Sen. Thomas Alexander, R-Oconee: 12-0
Sen. Karl Allen, D-Greenville: 5-0
Sen. Sean Bennett, R-Dorchester: 5-1
Sen. Tom Corbin, R-Greenville: 7-0
Sen. Ronnie Cromer, R-Newberry: 7-1
Sen. Tom Davis, R-Beaufort: 25-3
Sen. Mike Fanning, D-Fairfield: 29-1
Sen. Michael Gambrell, R-Anderson: 7-1
Sen. Billy Garrett, R-McCormick: 6-0
Sen. Stephen Goldfinch, R-Georgetown: 5-0
Sen. Larry Grooms, R-Berkeley: 15-5
Sen. Penry Gustafson, R-Kershaw: 3-0
Sen. Dick Harpootlian, D-Richland: 2-0
Sen. Greg Hembree, R-Horry: 24-2
Sen. Darrell Jackson, D-Richland: 25-0
Sen. Kevin Johnson, D-Clarendon: 2-0
Sen. Michael Johnson, R-York: 15-2
Sen. Josh Kimbrell, R-Spartanburg: 13-0
Sen. Dwight Loftis, R-Greenville: 9-0
Sen. Shane Martin, R-Spartanburg: 4-0
Sen. Margie Matthews, D-Colleton: 4-1
Sen. Thomas McElveen, D-Sumpter: 7-0
Sen. Mia McLeod, I-Richland: 17-0
Sen. Harvey Peeler, R-Cherokee: 3-2
Sen. Luke Rankin, R-Horry: 9-3
Sen. Mike Reichenbach, R-Florence: 3-0
Sen. Rex Rice, R-Pickens: 12-1
Sen. John Scott, D-Richland: 13-0
Sen. Sandy Senn, R-Charleston: 4-0
Sen. Nikki Setzler, D-Lexington: 2-1
Sen. Vernon Stephens, D-Orangeburg: 1-0
Sen. Scott Taley, R-Spartanburg: 8-0
Sen. Ross Turner, R-Greenville: 7-0
Sen. Danny Verdin, R-Laurens: 12-0
Sen. Kent Williams, D-Marion: 1-0
Sen. Tom Young, R-Aiken: 17-0
House performance
Of the 124 House members, 28 — or a little more than 20% — were successful in convincing their colleagues to support their legislation to the point of passage.
Wielding significant power and influence among a Republican super majority, House Speaker Murrell Smith, R-Sumter, takes the cake for the highest number of bills passed — six out of 18 — which he primarily sponsored.
Beyond that, the highest number of personal bills passed by any other House lawmaker was three, a record achieved by state Reps. Bill Hixon, R-Aiken; Max Hyde, R-Spartanburg; and Weston Newton, R-Beaufort.
House Minority Leader Todd Rutherford, D-Richland, much like Malloy in the Senate, filed the largest number of bills among Democrats and Republicans — 79. One passed.
State Rep. John King, D-York, was also busy last session, having originally sponsored 43 bills, the second highest following Rutherford. None of King’s proposals prevailed, however.
There were some freshman representatives who scored legislative wins, including state Rep. Heather Bauer, D-Richland, who saw one of her six proposals become law, and state Rep. Brandon Guffey, R-York, who got one of his three measures passed.
Here’s a look at what other House members accomplished in terms of sponsored legislation becoming law.
Rep. Terry Alexander, D-Florence: 0-0
Rep. Carl Anderson, D-Georgetown: 0-0
Rep. Lucus Atkinson, D-Marion: 0-0
Rep. William Bailey, R-Horry: 8-0
Rep. Nathan Ballentine, R-Richland: 5-1
Rep. Justin Bamberg, D-Bamberg: 1-0
Rep. Bruce Bannister, R-Greenville: 7-0
Rep. Thomas Beach, R-Anderson: 18-0
Rep. Beth Bernstein, D-Richland: 5-0
Rep. Bart Blackwell, R-Aiken: 5-0
Rep. Jeff Bradley, R-Beaufort: 3-0
Rep. Gary Brewer, R-Charleston: 1-0
Rep. Case Brittain, R-Horry: 1-0
Rep. Mike Burns, R-Greenville: 25-0
Rep. Joe Bustos, R-Charleston: 8-0
Rep. Paula Calhoon, R-Lexington: 4-0
Rep. Jerry Carter, R-Pickens: 4-0
Rep. Micah Caskey, R-Lexington: 3-0
Rep. Don Chapman, R-Anderson: 1-0
Rep. Bill Chumley, R-Spartanburg: 11-0
Rep. Bill Clyburn, D-Aiken: 2-0
Rep. Gilda Cobb-Hunter, D-Orangeburg: 21-0
Rep. Neal Collins, R-Pickens: 3-1
Rep. Ben Connell, R-Kershaw: 2-0
Rep. Bobby Cox, R-Greenville: 5-1
Rep. Brandon Cox, R-Berkeley: 3-0
Rep. Heather Crawford, R-Horry: 4-0
Rep. April Cromer, R-Anderson: 2-0
Rep. Sylleste Davis, R-Berkeley: 4-0
Rep. Chandra Dillard, D-Greenville: 6-1
Rep. Jason Elliot, R-Greenville: 4-0
Rep. Shannon Erickson, R-Beaufort 11-2
Rep. Raye Felder, R-York: 7-1
Rep. Cal Forest, R-Saluda: 11-0
Rep. Craig Gagnon, R-Abbeville: 1-0
Rep. Kambrell Garvin, D-Richland: 6-0
Rep. Gil Gatch, R-Dorchester: 5-0
Rep. Daniel Gibson, R-Greenwood 0-0
Rep. Doug Gilliam, R-Union: 12-1
Rep. Wendell Gilliard, D-Charleston: 8-0
Rep. Val Guest, R-Horry: 0-0
Rep. Patrick Haddon, R-Greenville: 6-0
Rep. Bill Hager, R-Hampton: 0-0
Rep. Kevin Hardee, R-Horry: 6-0
Rep. Rob Harris, R-Spartanburg: 7-0
Rep. Chris Hart, D-Richland: 9-0
Rep. Tom Hartnett, R-Charleston: 1-0
Rep. Coach Hayes, D-Dillion: 1-0
Rep. Rosalyn Henderson-Myers, D-Spartanburg: 2-0
Rep. Pat Henegan, D-Marlboro: 6-0
Rep. Bill Herbkersman, R-Beaufort: 10-0
Rep. Lee Hewitt, R-Georgetown: 7-0
Rep. David Hiott, R-Pickens: 2-0
Rep. Bill Hixon, R-Edgefield: 16-3
Rep. Lonnie Hosey, D-Barnwell: 1-0
Rep. Leon Howard, D-Richland: 3-0
Rep. Max Hyde, R-Spartanburg: 6-3
Rep. Joseph Jefferson, D-Berkeley: 8-1
Rep. Jeff Johnson, R-Horry: 7-0
Rep. Jermaine Johnson, D-Richland: 21-0
Rep. Stewart Jones, R-Laurens: 10-1
Rep. Wendell Jones, D-Greenville: 3-0
Rep. Jay Jordan, R-Florence: 3-0
Rep. Jay Killmartin, R-Lexington: 0-0
Rep. Roger Kirby, D-Florence: 2-0
Rep. Kathy Landing, R-Charleston: 2-0
Rep. Brian Lawson, R-Cherokee: 2-0
Rep. Matt Leber, R-Charleston: 1-0
Rep. Randy Ligon, R-Chester: 10-0
Rep. Steven Long, R-Spartanburg: 23-1
Rep. Phillip Lowe, R-Florence: 3-0
Rep. Josiah Magnuson, R-Spartanburg: 7-0
Rep. RJ May, R-Lexington: 0-0
Rep. Donald McCabe, R-Lexington: 1-0
Rep. John McCravey, R-Greenwood: 6-0
Rep. Annie McDaniel, D-Fairfield: 7-0
Rep. Tim McGinnis, R-Horry: 5-1
Rep. Cody Mitchell, R-Darlington: 1-0
Rep. JA Moore, D-Charleston: 18-0
Rep. Travis Moore, R-Spartanburg: 4-0
Rep. Adam Morgan, R-Greenville: 2-0
Rep. Alan Morgan, R-Greenville: 0-0
Rep. Dennis Moss, R-Cherokee: 9-1
Rep. Chris Murphy, R-Dorchester 6-1
Rep. Mike Neese, R-Lancaster: 0-0
Rep. Brandon Newton, R-Lancaster: 12-1
Rep. Weston Newston, R-Beaufort: 29-3
Rep. Roger Nutt, R-Spartanburg: 2-0
Rep. David O’Neal, R-York: 2-0
Rep. Melissa Oremus, R-Aiken: 4-0
Rep. Russell Ott, D-Calhoun: 14-0
Rep. Jordan Pace, R-Berkeley: 3-0
Rep. Fawn Pedalino, R-Clarendon: 1-0
Rep. Martin Pendarvis, D-Charleston 13-0
Rep. Tommy Pope, R-York: 24-1
Rep. Michael Rivers, D-Beaufort: 4-1
Rep. Robby Robbins, R-Dorchester: 0-0
Rep. Seth Rose, D-Richland: 4-1
Rep. Bill Sandifer, R-Oconee: 13-2
Rep. Carla Schuessler, R-Horry: 0-0
Rep. Heath Sessions, R-York: 2-0
Rep. Mark Smith, R-Berkeley: 14-0
Rep. Leon Stavrinakis, D-Charleston: 12-0
Rep. Bill Taylor, R-Aiken: 10-0
Rep. Deon Tedder, D-Charleston: 8-0
Rep. Anne Thayer, R-Anderson: 4-1
Rep. Ivory Thigpin, D-Richland: 14-0
Rep. Ashley Trantham, R-Greenville: 7-0
Rep. David Vaughn, R-Greenville: 0-0
Rep. David Weeks, D-Sumter: 1-0
Rep. Jay West, R-Anderson: 9-2
Rep. Spencer Wetmore, D-Charleston: 2-0
Rep. Will Wheeler, D-Lee: 0-0
Rep. Joe White, R-Newberry: 10-0
Rep. Bill Whitmire, R-Oconee: 0-0
Rep. Robert Williams, D-Darlington: 5-0
Rep. Mark Willis, R-Greenville: 0-0
Rep. Chris Wooten, R-Lexington: 36-1
Rep. Richie Yow, R-Chesterfield: 9-0
