Clock ticking as SC lawmakers head into final week of legislative session [Video]

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WCSC) – Medical marijuana, hate crimes, judicial reform, and energy expansion are all on the line this week at the South Carolina State House.

Those are among the bills that need to pass in the legislature by Thursday to stay alive, or else they die for the year.

State law requires the General Assembly to wrap up its work for the legislative session by 5 p.m. on the second Thursday in May, setting up a race to the finish when lawmakers gavel in Tuesday for their final week.

Thousands of bills have been filed over the course of the two-year session, ranging from many that haven’t gotten as much as a hearing to those that are just a vote away from reaching the governor’s desk.

So now lawmakers must decide which ones to prioritize as time winds down.

“We’re going to have plenty of work to do,” Senate …