Thomas C. Davis

THOMAS C. DAVIS

MEMBER

Location: Beaufort, SC
Phone: 843-524-3109
Fax: 843-524-6973

Sen. Tom Davis has lived in Beaufort, South Carolina, since 1985, practicing law at the firm of Harvey & Battey, P.A. He is the senior member of the firm’s real estate department.

Sen. Davis obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree from Furman University in 1982, graduating magna cum laude and as a member of Phi Beta Kappa. He obtained a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Maryland School of Law in 1985, graduating with highest honors and as a member of the Order of the Coif, and receiving the Simon E. Sobeloff Prize for outstanding constitutional law scholarship.

He served in Gov. Mark Sanford’s administration as senior policy advisor, co-chief of staff, deputy chief of staff, and chief of staff from 2003 to 2007. During his time with the governor’s administration, Sen. Davis led the State of South Carolina’s successful negotiations with the State of Georgia to co-develop a new port on the Savannah River in Jasper County.

In November 2008, Sen. Davis was elected State Senator for South Carolina Senate District 46, which is composed of almost all of southern Beaufort County, a portion of northern Beaufort County, and a portion of Jasper County; he was re-elected to second, third, fourth, and fifth four-year terms in 2012, 2016, 2020, and 2024.

Sen. Davis was either the author of or the primary floor leader for the following bills passed by the South Carolina General Assembly and signed into law by the Governor:

Act 191 of 2014: Increased competition in private markets for wind insurance
Act 194 of 2014: Legalized social games of chance such as poker and bridge
Act 221 of 2014: Legalized the consumption of cannabis oil by those with epilepsy
Act 22 of 2015: Authorized expungement of one-time, non-violent juvenile offenses
Act 234 of 2018: Expanded nurse practitioners’ scope of practice
Act 162 of 2018: Created a cause of action against companies that defraud seniors
Act 62 of 2019: Subjected utilities to competition and promoted renewable energy
Act 32 of 2019: Expanded physician assistants’ scope of practice
Act 166 of 2022: Facilitated local governments’ purchase of greenspace
Act 228 of 2022: Cut state personal income taxes for all South Carolinians
Act 240 of 2022: Improved the state’s credit rating by increasing reserves
Act 20 of 2023: Eliminated restrictions on private investment in healthcare
Act 57 of 2023: Authorized use of tourism taxes to pay for workforce housing
Act 60 of 2023: Restructured DHEC into two cabinet agencies
Act 67 of 2023: Consolidated various state workforce training programs
Act 75 of 2023: Created death benefits for first responders killed in the line of duty
Act 190 of 2024: Enabled employees to access pay before a scheduled payday
Act 164 of 2024: Created the Hospital Care at Home program
Act 210 of 2024: Established legislative support for an energy tech hub (SC Nexus)
Act 169 of 2024: Provided a tax credit for the cost to rehabilitate an abandoned building
Act 73 of 2025: Directed solicitation of bids to complete VC Summer nuclear units
Act 23 of 2025: Provided free breakfasts/lunches for students living in poverty
Act 167 of 2026: Allowed over-the-counter dispensing of hormonal contraceptives
Act 227 of 2026: Incentivized the revitalization of dilapidated commercial buildings

In recognition of his legislative services, Sen. Davis has received awards from a broad range of public advocacy groups, including the South Carolina Club for Growth and the South Carolina Association of Taxpayers (for fiscal conservatism), the Conservation Voters of South Carolina and Sierra Club South Carolina (for protecting the environment), the Public Charter School Alliance of South Carolina (for promoting increased choice in education), and the American Association of Nurse Practitioners and the South Carolina Public Health Association (for increasing access to healthcare).

Sen. Davis chairs the South Carolina Senate’s Labor, Commerce, and Industry Committee and also serves on these other standing senate committees: Finance; Banking and Insurance; Medical Affairs; Legislative Oversight; and Fish, Game, and Forestry.

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