South Carolina legislators are talking about the Education Scholarship Trust Fund Act, rural water infrastructure, nonalcoholic beverages containing hemp and more in this legislative session, three Lexington lawmakers said on Jan. 16.

The 1st regular session of the 126th South Carolina General Assembly convened on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025, with lots of turnover from the previous session. Three Lexington County area lawmakers then spoke to locals on Jan. 16 during a Legislative Breakfast hosted by the Lexington Chamber and Visitors Center.

Majority Leader of the Senate Sen. Shane Massey started the morning talking about potential adjustments to the Education Scholarship Trust Fund Act, which Gov. Henry McMaster signed into law in 2023, allowing qualifying parents the option to apply for a $6,000 scholarship enabling “a customized, flexible education for their child,” according to the S.C. Department of Education.

The conversation will be about the qualifying standards, Massey said, adding that legislators have already been looking at different income levels of South Carolina families taking advantage of this act.

District 87’s Rep. Paula Rawl Calhoon said rural water infrastructure will be on the table this session, too, since Lexington County is growing, so with that comes heightened water needs.

“Our community recently was awarded funding for rural water infrastructure,” Calhoon told locals. “The Joint Municipal Water and Sewage Commission received funding, the Town of Batesburg-Leesville received funding, and we are also gonna put a treatment plant on Lake Murray.”

2023 reporting from the Chronicle details the Town of Batesburg-Leesville having received nearly $14.3 million in funding from the state and DHEC to replace the water system.

“In 2022, the Town of Batesburg-Leesville and JMWSC entered an agreement to connect the two systems so that Batesburg-Leesville can buy water from JMWSC,” according to the S.C. Rural Infrastructure Authority. “After being placed under a DHEC Consent Order in 2013, Batesburg-Leesville needed to secure a safe, reliable source of drinking water for its customers. This 40-year contract is designed to meet that need. The agreement also includes a commitment to consider regionalizing the Batesburg-Leesville system by franchising the rights to sell water and sewer services within the town to JMWSC.”

District 69’s Rep. Chris Wooten said he wants to further regulate the availability of nonalcoholic beverages containing hemp currently legal in South Carolina, saying that it’s too easy for young people to access them.

Lawmakers also said during the breakfast that they plan for change in addressing fentanyl impacts, retail crime, gang activity, tort reform, energy, roads, tax reform, impact fees and alcohol liability.