Senn chairs the Charleston County Senate Legislative Delegation. She serves on the Senate Corrections and Penology; Judiciary; Labor, Commerce and Industry; Medical Affairs, and Transportation Committees.[3]
Senn also serves on the following Joint Committees: the South Carolina Youth Smoking Prevention Advisory Commission and Palmetto Pride PRT.[4][5]
Senn won a runoff in the Republican primary to replace incumbent Paul Thurmond, who did not seek re-election. She won the general election with no Democratic opposition.[6]
Senn lost the Republican primary to state representative Matt Leber.[8][9]
Positions
Education
In 2021, Senn drew criticism from conservatives due to her support for masking schoolchildren.[10] Senn called for a special session to reconsider the state's ban on mask mandates in schools.[11]
Elections, Health, Law Enforcement
In 2023 and 2024, Senn co-sponsored the following bills, all signed into law by Governor Henry McMaster: a bill to provide for the extension of an election protest filing deadline the State Health Facility Licensure Act;[12] the South Carolina First Responder Line of Duty Death Benefit Fund; and a bill requiring tuberculosis testing in nursing homes.[12]
Guns
In 2017, Senn voted against constitutional carry, and in 2021, she was the only Republican in either chamber to vote against the Open Carry with Training Act.[13][14] In 2020, Senn received a 17% rating from the NRA Political Victory Fund, while in 2016, she was one of only a few Republican politicians in the entire United States to receive a 0% NRA rating.[15]
Economy
In 2024, Senn was among legislators pushing for a study committee to review and provide remedies for insurance costs on small businesses.[16]
Abortion
Senn supports the legalization of abortion. She has stated that the issue surrounding abortion access "[has] been about control"[17] In 2023, she joined with a Democrat, an Independent, and two other Republican women state senators, calling themselves, "The Sister Senators": Sen. Mia McLeod (I-Richland), Sen. Katrina Shealy (R-Lexington), Sen. Penry Gustafson (R-Kershaw), Sen. Margie Bright-Matthews (D-Colleton) and Senn herself. They blocked the passage of a bill that would have banned almost all abortions in South Carolina; with exceptions for rape/incest (first-trimester only) and medical emergencies.[18] Senn, Shealy, and Gustafson were all defeated in their primary elections the following year.[19]
