COLUMBIA, S.C. — A bill aimed at consolidating six South Carolina health care agencies was blocked on the final day of the legislative session. Despite strong support in both chambers, the bill was halted by a procedural objection from a member upset over being mocked by colleagues.
Republican Rep. Josiah Magnuson, a long-time opponent of the bill, argued it would create a health care czar with excessive power during emergencies, similar to the COVID-19 pandemic. In the final minutes before the session’s 5 p.m. deadline, the House required unanimous consent to take up the bill one last time. Magnuson objected, standing firm even as Republican Sen. Tom Davis, the bill’s sponsor, engaged in a heated discussion with other party members.
Magnuson, a member of the conservative Freedom Caucus, later expressed his frustration, stating that he and his colleagues had been ridiculed throughout the week. He described an incident where a colleague mocked him with a puppet resembling him, wearing a tin hat with a Freedom Caucus sticker. Magnuson accused Davis of insulting the group, which often uses obstructive tactics to influence legislation.
“They have basically ridiculed me,” Magnuson said. “They have completely eradicated any credibility they have with me.”
The bill was intended to follow up on last year’s restructuring of the state Department of Health and Environmental Control, which separated its environmental functions. The 2024 proposal aimed to create a new Executive Office of Health and Policy, consolidating agencies that manage Medicaid, services for older adults and those with mental health issues, public health, and substance abuse programs. This new agency would fall under the governor’s cabinet.
Republican Gov. Henry McMaster supported the bill, and it had significant backing from Republican leaders, including Senate Finance Committee Chairman Harvey Peeler and House Speaker Murrell Smith. The Senate passed it with a 44-1 vote, and the House approved it 98-15.
After the session ended, Davis expressed his disappointment. “I’m interested in delivering good health care options for the people of South Carolina,” he said. “And we had some people over in the House today that failed the people of South Carolina over petty political differences.”
The bill faced challenges from more conservative senators who attempted to add amendments preventing businesses from mandating vaccines not approved by the federal government. Others were concerned that the new agency director would have too much power in health emergencies, such as the ability to quarantine or require vaccinations. Supporters of the bill argued these fears were unfounded.
The bill’s defeat was seen as a victory for the Freedom Caucus, which often feels marginalized in legislative processes. Caucus Chairman Rep. Adam Morgan called it a flawed bill from the beginning. “Sometimes your bills die,” Morgan said. “You play stupid games, win stupid prizes.”
House Speaker Smith criticized the move, emphasizing the need for cooperation in the legislature. He pledged that the bill would remain a priority and noted that the General Assembly would reconvene soon. “It will be a six-month delay, but I don’t think that disrupts anything we are doing,” Smith said.
