NEWS BRIEFS: A look at news you need to know

Staff reports  |  Here’s a rundown of what happened in the Statehouse and around the state over the last week:

Hate crimes bill won’t become law this year, future uncertain. The South Carolina hate crimes bill was left on the Senate floor as the Legislature finished their work session for this year, leaving its future uncertain. More: The State | The Post and Courier.

Open carry with permit gun bill heads to McMaster’s desk.  With a stroke of a pen, Gov. Henry McMaster could spur South Carolina to become one of handful of states that allow open carry of weapons for those with training. The House and Senate passed the bill and ironed out differences this week. Under the bill, to carry openly, one must undergo concealed weapon permit training and background checks. More: AP News | The Post and Courier.

Bill bringing back electric chair, firing squads OK’d. The state legislature has sent a bill to Gov. Henry McMaster that, if signed, would make death by a surge of electricity as the default method of execution in the state. If a death row inmate doesn’t want to die by that method, he or she will have the choice to be shot to death by firing squad. More: AP/The Washington Post  |  The Post and Courier.

Plastics melting bill to head to McMaster. A bill that OK’s plastics melting as a form of recycling in South Carolina, known as pyrolysis, is likely heading to the governor for his signature. More: The Post and Courier.

South Carolina OKs constitutional convention. The S.C. House approved Tuesday a proposal that would add South Carolina to a list of states calling for a convention to propose amendments to the U.S. Constitution. More: AP News.

Caslen resigns as USC’s president. University of South Carolina President Bob Caslen has resigned his post and the board of trustees has accepted less than a week after Caslen appeared to misidentify the school as University of Southern California and plagiarized portions of his commencement speech to graduates. Harris Pastides, who served in the role before Caslen, will serve on an interim basis during a search for a replacement.  More:  AP News | The Daily Gamecock.

Vaccinated can stop wearing masks, CDC says.  Americans who are fully vaccinated against the coronavirus may stop covering their faces or maintaining social distance in most settings, the Centers for Disease Control said Thursday. The announcement is seen as a turning point in the pandemic, but there are still places where masks are required, such as airplanes and school buses.  More: The New York Times.

State to get $2.5B in pandemic relief aid. State and local governments in South Carolina are getting nearly $2.5 billion in new federal coronavirus aid. More: AP News.

S.C. elections director to resign at end of year. The executive director of the S.C. Election Commission will leave her post at the end of the year after overseeing the ballot box process for nearly two decades. More: AP News.