July 26, 2011: We returned to Columbia for the final day of this year's legislative session. Both the House and Senate approved the compromise Congressional redistricting plan that centers the new 7th Congressional district in the Pee Dee region of the state.
June 29, 2011: This week the General Assembly conveaned in Special Session to consider the Governor's budget vetoes. Key Vetoed Items - Overridden by General Assembly...
Reserve Account: We overrode the veto of the $107 million reserve account that includes areas of economic development, tourism advertising, job training and maintenance. There are critically needed funds in this account, particularly for economic development in Aiken County and throughout the state. There's ample proof that vetoing the reserve account would have been incredibly damaging. If the Governor had given us vetoes on specific line items, a more thorough consideration could have been accomplished. Issuing a veto of the entire reserve account, required the General Assembly to quickly over-turn the veto. A missed opportunity.
ETV: Earlier in the budget process the Governor agreed to a plan to pay ETV for services rendered to the state for its services to our public schools, law enforcement training and emergency services. At the last moment the Governor Haley vetoed more than 60% of ETV's budget. House Majority Leader Kenny Bingham stated, "The governor's office had asked us to do this very thing and now turned around and vetoed it." Taxpayers are supporting ETV's involvement in educating students, law enforcement training, emergency services, and making the General Assembly sessions transparent for all to observe; valuable services to the state that we would have to cut or buy elsewhere at likely a much higher cost. Tax money is not paying for ETV's programming.
K-12 Funding: In our veto override, we appropriated $56 million in non-recurring dollars for K-12 education. That translates to about $2 million for the Aiken County School District. The General Assembly is also providing supplemental funds to certain districts due to inequities in the current funding formula. The Aiken School District receives $1.6 million from this allocation. It is good to note, that this money will likely not be provided in the future after the K-12 funding formula is changed. Together, the above is $3.6 million more for Aiken County Schools this year. In addition, the General Assembly appropriated additional recurring dollars for the new fiscal year increasing per child funding $171 for the Aiken County School District.
The Arts: Both the House and Senate overrode Governor Haley's $1.9 million veto of the state Arts Commission. The vote was 105-8 in the House. This is an economic development issue -- it means jobs and a cultural environment that invites companies to locate to S.C. A new USC Moore School study shows the arts contribute $9.2 billion to the state's economy and supports more than 78,000 jobs. The arts also produce $570 million in tax revenues for SC. Had we de-funded the Arts Commission, S.C. would join Kansas as the only other state without an Arts Commission.
Elections: Believing elections are a core government function, the House and Senate voted to allow the State Election Commission to operate and help pay for the 2012 Republican presidential primary. Democrats, whose party does not plan a primary next year, asked Republicans to turn the budget rule into permanent law so that it applies to future presidential primaries, no matter the party. The State Election Commission has about $680,000 on hand. Total cost of the Primary is expected to be $1.5 million.
Key Vetoed Items - Sustained: The General Assembly sustained 9 of Governor Haley's 35 vetoes. Among the vetoes left in place:
$118,297 to pay for a nonprofit program to teach entrepreneurship,
$179,856 to help eighth-graders prepare for college
$169,487 to improve SAT college entrance-exam scores.
I'm confident this budget is a balanced spending plan focusing on restraining government growth, funding core functions of government, responsibly paying down debt and increasing the state's rainy day reserve accounts. It does not constitute 'new spending' or 'government growth'. Quite the opposite, it helps ensure financial solvency for South Carolina through savings.
Developing an effective budget while tightening our 'belts', takes cooperation, communication, consistency and credibility from the House of Representatives, Senate and the Governor's office. It's a process that needs continual improvement. I am proud to be working with my colleagues on the Aiken County Legislative Delegation; each is committed to making educated, thoughtful decisions for a healthier, strong, solvent South Carolina.
June 22, 2011: Both the House and Senate agreed on a $6 billion state budget plan (H. 3700) that provides public schools a whopping increase of more than 17% in their base student funding and gives businesses an unemployment tax break. Most importantly, it focuses on debt repayment and saving money for the next rainy day. Fiscal discipline in this budget includes an unprecedented amount of money that was not spent and instead set aside for items like debt repayment and rainy day reserve accounts. This includes $146 million to unemployment debt repayment, up to $261 million which fully funds increases to the General Reserve Fund five years ahead of schedule, $104.8 million dedicated to an additional back-up reserve account, and $198.6 million to fully fund general obligation bond payments, $196.4 million to be returned to communities to aid local government. In this finalized budget, the General Assembly clearly showed that economic development, education, responsible debt repayment and increased reserve accounts are top fiscal priorities. We continue are focus on keeping taxes low, creating a strong business climate and a quality education system to create the jobs our state needs to recover economically - and our efforts are producing real results.
June 15, 2011: The House voted 112-1 to override Gov. Haley's veto of a proposal to give the state's health agency more oversight of methadone clinics and other facilities that distribute narcotics to treat addiction. Wednesday's vote makes the bill law. The bill requires methadone facilities to get a certificate-of-need from the DHEC as part of their application process. Without that approval, methadone clinics have been springing up in SC angering neighbors. Law enforcement agencies and DHEC supported the re-regulation.
June 4, 2011: Lawsuit Abuse Reform Passes: After passing the House by a bipartisan vote of 100-7, being gutted by the Senate Judiciary Committee and then held up on the Senate calendar for months, tort reform (H.3375) finally passed the Senate. The Senate passed the comprehensive bill by a vote of 39-0. The House quickly concurred with a vote of 99-16. The bill includes a cap on punitive damages modeled after the state of Florida's cap. The legislation caps punitive damages that are greater than $500k or three times the compensatory damages awarded. If it is found that the defendant is motivated primarily by financial gain, or the defendant's actions rise to the level of felony charges, then the award can be increased to the greater of $2 million or four times compensatory damages. If it is proven the defendant intended to harm the claimant, was convicted of a felony arising out of the same act or acted under the influence of drugs or alcohol, there is no cap for punitive damages. This legislation will make SC more business-friendly and create more jobs.
'Point of Sale' Tax Reform: Working over Memorial Day, real estate agents and local governments struck a compromise on a bill changing how properties are taxed when they are sold. Real estate agents have argued 'point of sale' has scuttled real estate sales after buyers learned of their new, higher tax bills, making SC property more expensive than neighboring states. Local governments have argued that eliminating point of sale would cut their revenue by $52 million. The compromise only affects commercial properties, rental, second homes and other properties taxed at 6% of their value. The compromise makes no changes to owner-occupied homes, which only pay a portion of their property tax value under the property tax reform law.
Unemployment Insurance Tax Relief: In the final days of the session, both the House and Senate agreed on legislation to provide meaningful unemployment insurance (UI) tax relief for employers across the state. The legislation, which now heads to Governor Haley's desk for her signature, reduces state benefit weeks from 26 to 20 weeks and allows employers the option of restricting seasonal benefits. Additionally, the Senate allocated $100 million of surplus revenue in the budget to assist in paying down the $933 million debt South Carolina owes the federal government. The House provided $146 million for federal loan repayments in its version of the state budget. The budget now heads to a conference committee.
May 27, 2011: House OKs 'Arizona-style' Immigration Bill: The S.C. House approved changes to South Carolina's illegal immigration law, requiring law enforcement inside our state to discern an immigrant's legal status if detained. The bill states that if a SC law enforcement officer has reasonable suspicion that a person stopped, detained, or arrested is an illegal immigrant, the officer or his agency must verify the person's residency. The bill also makes it illegal for an illegal immigrant to ask for work or attempt to ask for work. A House amendment added to the bill makes it easier for the state to prosecute businesses that violate the 2008 Illegal Immigration reforms. The House led the fight and approved the sweeping immigration bill in 2008 that penalized businesses for employing illegal immigrants. The idea this year is to put teeth into the law to better enforce our anti-illegal immigration laws. We welcome immigrants who obey the law and take the proper path to coming to America, and penalize those who have broken our immigration laws. The bill builds off of the historic illegal immigration act passed by the House in 2008 that, at the time, was the strongest bill of its kind in the United States. Since that bill passed, the number of illegal immigrants has declined by more than 21 percent.
May 21, 2011: The Employer Free Speech Act (H.3658) was finally approved on second reading by the House on a 76-26 vote. It had been debated off and on over many weeks as many Democrats fought it claiming it was one more anti-union measure. The bill provides and a SC employer is not required to post notices informing employees of their rights to organize a union. I'm one of the 65 Republican co-sponsors.
Developing Better Teachers: The House passed a bill (H.3028) increasing new teachers 'induction period' from one to three years. Educators in Aiken County told me they believed the lengthening of that probationary period would give beginning teachers more time to develop while being mentored. I co-sponsored the bill which passed 66-43 and was sent to Senate
Teenage Drop-Out/Driving Bill: Rep. Tom Young's high school drop-out/driving bill (H.3164) barely passed the House. The vote was 55-54 on the critical second reading. Opponents took the infrequently used opportunity to argue against the bill on the perfunctory third reading; thankfully, it passed by a wider margin, 56-43, and now goes to the Senate. A 16-17 year old high school drop-out would lose their driver's license.
Saving Aiken County Big Bucks: Under a bill passed by the House this week, Aiken County's Magistrate Judges districts will be redrawn and consolidated. The number of Magistrates will be reduced from nine to six or seven which could save Aiken County government as much as $400,000 a year. The bill was initiated by Senators Massey and Ryberg. It has already passed the Senate and goes to the Governor for signing.
Conservation Bank Extended: I voted in favor of a bill that passed the House this week 95-16 that insures SC's Conservation Bank won't go out of business in 2013 when its current authorization expires. The bill (H.3083) extends the Conservation Banks life ten years.
May 19, 2011: This week's Amazon decision was the single most difficult vote I have taken as a Legislator. In the end, putting people to work and food on their table is an immediate need and requires immediate attention. However, it does not fix the longer, real job creation act of tax reform. At the last moment Amazon significantly sweetened its offer to locate its distribution facility in Lexington County by guaranteeing 2,000 jobs and increasing its investment in SC from $90 million to $125 million with an economic benefit to SC of more than $1.1 billion. My first and foremost commitment is to create jobs and grow SC's economy. There is strong evidence that to turn down this new Amazon deal would harm our state's ability to attract new business and industry. We have already heard from companies elsewhere who were closely watching this vote; a rejection of the Amazon deal would send them packing to North Carolina, Georgia, Kentucky and other southeastern states. That's a loss we can't afford.
May 14, 2011: I joined with a majority of the House in passing a bill providing fixes for the Point of Sale reassessment that was part of Act 388. While that Constitutional Amendment slashed homeowners' property tax bills by as much as 50 percent, a provision in that bill allowed for reassessed property at various stages of ownership. 'Point of Sale' has had a negative effect on our state economy. The Point of Sale repeal should also impact jobs. A recent study by economists hired by the South Carolina Association of Realtors showed that repealing the 'Point of Sale' provision could create as many 5,000 jobs and have a $4.2 billion total impact on economic activity in our state. The bill now goes to the Senate.
May 8, 2011: Tax Credit for Buying a Hybrid: The House debate centered on renewing a $2,000 tax credit for a person who buys a plug-in hybrid car. Supporters stated the incentive helps buyers purchase alternatives to gas guzzlers. I'm in favor of folk's buying hybrids to help reduce our reliance on fossil fuels, but government shouldn't be handing out the incentives. If GM and others want to sell the hybrids, and incentives are needed, they need to offer the incentives and other discounts. For a second time I took a stand on this bill and voted against tax credit; regretfully it passed.
Get it Done - Faster: The House approved a bill to shorten the annual session of the General Assembly. The bill would require us to adjourn each year on last Thursday of May instead of the first Thursday of June. I'm co-sponsoring two other bills that would trim the legislative session by more weeks. We need to come to Columbia and "Get er done".
April 30, 2011: Regulations can be more burdensome than the General Assembly intended, sometimes leading to unintended consequences and new fees on people and businesses. The bill passed by the House seeks to hold back the unintended consequences by requiring the General Assembly take a vote on regulations proposed by agencies such as DNR, DHEC and others. Currently, regulations become law if no action is taken within a certain number of days. This reform will require the entire General Assembly to pay attention to these regulations, and will require a new level of accountability to the agencies and unelected boards.
Fee Hikes: This bill (H. 3051) requires the General Assembly to approve any new administrative fees that agencies might impose - with a few exceptions for fees that are required by the federal government, require approval from multiple-state compacts, or are market-based (such as from the State Ports Authority).
April 15, 2011: Let's hope the 'Bill Wylie Entrepreneurship Act of 2011' (H.3779) wins approval in the Senate, as it did in the House. It's aimed at bringing more 'Angel' investors into SC businesses, particularly high risk start-up's. This legislation allows "Angel Investors" to claim an income tax credit for providing funding to small business start-ups. Most SE states have similar incentives. The legislation is named for the late Rep. Bill Wylie who was developing the bill when he died last fall.
April 8, 2011: The Voter ID bill passed the House again after an entire day of debate. House Republicans squashed a Senate plan for an early voting period, an amendment tacked on by the Senate. The bill we approved this week simply calls for voters to present a government-issued photo ID at the polls. The bill provides for free IDs for those who do not have them. In my view, the bill is necessary and not an imposition; photo IDs are now required for a wide range of activities, including purchasing cold medicine at pharmacies and boarding a plane.
I joined a bi-partisan group of House members who introduced a bill (H.4041) proposing a constitutional amendment stripping the governor's ability to allow bills to become law without a signature. The bill -- dubbed the "Veto Transparency Act" -- would require the governor to sign or veto a bill within 15 days of its passage or the bill will be vetoed without comment. Currently, a bill becomes law if the governor does not sign the bill after five days. The measure would have to be approved by voters in the next election in 2012.
March 30, 2011: The S.C. Fair Tax Act (H 3993) was officially introduced in the House of Representatives this week. I am proud to be a Primary Sponsor, but, I'm far from alone; within two days the bill had a total of 67 Representatives signing on as sponsors; a majority of the House! That far exceeds the initial support for any bill introduced this legislative session. It was unveiled with much fanfare in a Wednesday news conference at the State House. Every economic development expert I've spoken to tells me that if S.C. is first to enact a state Fair Tax it will be a game changer for our economy. It will propel S.C. into the top tier of states in attracting new industry and businesses. It will unbridle existing businesses to create more jobs and put people back to work. It's also the major tax reform legislation that most of us seek. It dumps S.C.'s corporate and personal income taxes, similar to Texas which is booming. (We certainly don't want to be like Illinois which just raised its personal income tax by 66%!) The Fair Tax would also REPLACE the State's 6% sales tax with a similar sales tax on all NEW goods and services. The Fair Tax rate is estimated to be 6%. This would rid the State of the archaic sales tax with its 300 exemptions. Overall, there is NO TAX INCREASE because the S.C. Fair Tax is designed to be revenue neutral; the State will collect the same amount of tax money, just more fairly.
March 16, 2011: The House approved a $5.6 billion, balanced state General Fund budget cutting the General Fund by 4 percent from this year while finding new efficiencies in state government, protecting core services, increasing the "base student cost" sent to local school districts and funding the rapidly expanding Medicaid program.
The House also included funding to combine many agencies. The Department of Corrections was combined with the Probation, Pardons, and Parole; the Arts Commission and the StateMuseum were moved to the Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism; and Consumer Affairs was given to the Secretary of State.
The budget deletes all general funds for ETV. ETV will now operate on a 'services rendered' and 'specific department billed' basis.
The budget also moves funding for the Dept. of Disabilities and Special Needs to recurring funds rather than one-time funds as it was over the past several years. The proposed budget also includes an additional $10 million to assist the Department of Commerce to recruit new business to South Carolina and $14 million in new job training for technical colleges.
The budget permanently eliminates nearly 4,700 state government positions that are vacant or have not been filled within the 12 months. With the economy and state revenues beginning to recover, we had an additional $350 million to spend on next year's budget. But it is necessary to trim services because that new revenue is not enough to offset lost federal stimulus money and the growing cost of existing services, such as Medicaid.
March 10, 2011 - S.277: The House concurred with the Senate to guarantee secret voting for union elections. The Constitutional Amendment was approved by 86% of voters in November. Both the S.C. House and Senate needed to ratify voters' decision. The House passed this a few weeks ago (H.3003) and again today in approving the Senate version of the bill. Next step -- the Governor's desk for her signature.
March 9, 2011 - H.3368: The House passed this spending cap legislation. I voted in favor of this step toward reforming the way the State does business. This bill reins in the growth of government and provides a more stable budgeting process by capping state spending using a combination of population growth and the cost of living, and mandating that number not exceed a 6% increase from the previous year. But the House passage comes with a cautionary note; it's the eighth time the House passed such a bill only to see it fail in the Senate. Thirty other states have passed similar spending caps on state spending. I am a co-sponsor of the bill.
H.3419: The House unanimously passed the 'Taxpayer Fairness Act'. I am a co-sponsor. Simply stated, the bill gives taxpayers the upper hand in disputes with the State Department of Revenue by directing DOR to resolve ambiguity in tax statutes in favor of the taxpayer. It also restricts DOR from interpreting legislation in a broader way so as to collect more taxes.
H.3041: Remember the complaints last May when Aiken County voters were asked to go to the polls two weeks before the Primary Election to vote on the school bond referendum? Your Aiken Legislative Delegation spearheaded a bill that won unanimous approval in the House. It sets specific dates statewide for referendums so elections are more efficient. The bill goes to the Senate for a vote.
March 8, 2010 - H.3716: Aiken County schools would receive nearly $2M more in state funding in this bill approved by the House that updates the 1977 funding formula for public schools. The bill would, among other things, provide more money for the poor and those learning English. The bill would not cost the state additional money; it shifts money around with some counties receiving more funding and other less money based on the new formula. The bill moves to the Senate. H.3716 calls for an Advisory Panel consisting of teacher groups to assist the DOE in formulating a plan for teacher merit pay by the end of this year. That plan would be considered by the legislature next year.
March 2, 2011: The House voted to approve a Constitutional Amendment (H.3152) to jointly elect the Governor and Lt. Governor as a team. I was a co-sponsor. It now goes to the Senate where it died in the last session. If the Senate approves it this time around, voters will get the opportunity to vote on the Amendment next year. It is possible we could have a team approach to electing the Governor and Lt. Governor in 2014.
H.3070: The people of SC are closer to having the opportunity to decide whether the Secretary of Education should be appointed by the Governor or continued to be elected-at-large, as is now done. In the second of three government restructuring moves, the House approved a Constitutional Amendment that would be on the ballot next year. I was a co-sponsor.
H.3066: Restructuring SC's government had a third element this week. With much debate, the House approved the creation of a Department of Administration reporting to the Governor. This consolidates a number of agencies under the Governor's office to improve efficiency and executive authority. I joined six other Republicans in agreeing with Democrats to move the entire Budget & Control Board to the Governor's office. That amendment failed.
Feb. 23, 2011: I voted in favor of the bill expanding SC's Charter Schools which passed the House today. I have written extensively in favor of this legislation which. While the vote was 85 to 32, Democratic minority leader Harry Ott announced his support of the state funding of Charter Schools, rather than using local school funds. Saying Charter Schools should be expanded, Ott joined with a group of Democrats voting in favor of the bill which moves on to the Senate. Next year's proposed budget includes $25 million for Charter Schools.
Feb 16, 2011: With much partisan debate, the SC House passed the 'Repeal Amendment' by a vote of 72 to 44. In the era of an overreaching federal government, the 'Repeal Amendment' (H 3507) gives states the constitutional power to repeal individual federal acts of Congress. This national movement is aimed at enacting a federal constitutional amendment allowing a super-majority of states to repeal federal laws Washington forces upon states. Protecting our citizens from an overreaching, out-of-control federal government is the reason for this constitutional amendment. The Repeal Amendment has been sent to the SC Senate for approval.
Feb. 9, 2011: Tort Reform Wins House Approval! (H 3375). The House passed another top priority for Republicans. The Tort Reform bill caps the amount of punitive damages that can be collected in a civil lawsuit. The bill would also limit punitive damages that juries can award to three times the amount of a plaintiff's costs or $350,000, whichever is greater. Proponents believe this bill will lower the cost of doing business in SC and make our state more competitive by reducing frivolous lawsuits and limiting punitive damages to realistic levels. I was a co-sponsor and voted for passage. This bill goes to the Senate where it died last year.
Feb. 9, 2011: Banning Bad Drinks (H 3246). Kids call them "blackout in a can," "six-pack in a can" and "crack in a can." After considerable debate, I joined the majority of House members voting to ban the sale of ALCOHOLIC energy drinks.14 other states have banned these energy drinks that mix alcohol and caffeine. It's marketed to young people and binge drinkers and typically sold in convenience stores.
Feb. 2, 2011: Private Transfer Fees Banned (H 3095). How would you like a developer to put a 99 year deed restriction on your home that calls for an unspecified percentage (usually 1%) to be added to the sale price of your home every time it's sold for the next Century? Think of it as a private tax. That would give folks sticker shock at the closing table. H.3095 bans the practice before it gets a foothold in SC. As the bill was coming up for debate, I heard from many constituents, mostly Realtors, who believe this Private Transfer Fee is a bad idea. I voted for passage of the bill which now goes to the Senate. In total, 17 states have banned this practice, including NC, FL, LA and TX.
Jan. 26, 2011: Beer & Wine Permits (H 3278): This bill passed unanimously. It cleans up previous legislation which mistakenly added obstacles for non-profit organizations to get beer and wine permits for festivals and special events.
Jan. 25, 2011: Roll Call Voting (H 3285). I voted to approve an Amendment to the S.C. Constitution requiring certain bills and joint resolutions to receive a recorded roll call vote at various stages of their passage by the House and Senate.
Jan. 26, 2011: I voted with the Republican majority to pass the Voter ID bill that requires citizens to present a SC driver's license, a passport or a new state photo ID at the polls. It passed 74-45 and now heads to the State Senate, where it died last year. Polls show the initiative has overwhelming support from voters and will help protect against voter fraud and preserve the integrity of our election system in SC. The bill allows voters to get a photo ID card at their local voter registration office at no expense to them.
Jan. 13, 2011: Transparency gets a boost. As it's first order of business, the S.C. House passed a statute requiring more roll call votes in the House and Senate. The bill was originally authored by now-Governor Nikki Haley and was re-submitted this year. I was a co-sponsor this time around. The bill requires recorded votes on each section of the state budget, the second (and most important) vote taken on all bills and resolutions, as well as any conference reports amd any bill amended by either the House or state Senate.
Jan 4, 2011: In the weeks prior to the start of legislative session Representatives prefile bills so the bills can be assigned to committees; that allows us to get to work when the session convenes January 11th.
The following is a summary of the bills I sponsored and co-sponsored (the title is my description not necessarily the actual name of the bill):
The SC Fair Tax Act: The Fair Tax bill is still being tweaked and will be filed later in the legislative year.
H 3235: Freedom of Information Act - I'm the primary sponsor of this bill amending SC's Freedom of Information Act calling on government agencies to be more timely with their FOI responses (30 days) and to furnish public records at a reasonable, not exorbitant fee.
H 3006: Term Limits - a resolution calling for a Constitutional Amendment limiting the terms of Senators and Representatives.
H 3050: Term Limits - another resolution calling for a Constitutional Amendment limiting the terms of SC Senators and Representatives.
H 3215: Zero-Base Budgeting - a bill providing for a zero-base budget review on a 10 year schedule for each state agency.
H 3222: Fiscal Accountability Act - a bill creating a division within the Legislative Audit Council to conduct evaluations of state programs to determine if they have outlived their usefulness or be changed to be more effective. Also calls for zero-base budgeting annually.
H 3224: Fiscal Transparency - a bill requiring state agencies to report the monies they carry forward each year in the 'other funds' category. This insures funds carried forward are disclosed to the General Assembly.
H 3067: 'Truth in Spending' Transparency - a bill calling for each state agency, department and institution and each local governmental entity to maintain an online check registry of all expenses.
H 3069, H 3070, H 3071, H 3072, H 3073 H 3184: Government Reorganization - I've joined with Rep. Tom Young (the primary sponsor) in calling for Constitutional Amendments allowing the appointment by the Governor of the State Treasurer; Secretary of State; Superintendent of Education; Comptroller General; Agricultural Commissioner; and Adjutant General rather then their election statewide as is currently done.
H 3152: Joint Election of Governor & Lt. Governor - a Constitutional Amendment requiring the Governor and Lt. Governor run together as a ticket.
H 3091: Shorter Legislative Session - a bill shortening the Legislative session by one month.
H 3004: Legislative Transparency - calls for roll call votes on certain spending bills.
H 3229: Illegal Aliens Enforcement - to provide for procedures for verification of a person's immigration status and to provide for warrantless arrest of those suspected of being in the United States illegally.
H 3011: Freedom of Choice in Health Care - a resident must not be required to obtain or maintain individual health care insurance.
H 3269: Freedom of Choice in Health Care - a Constitutional Amendment prohibiting individuals and employers from being compelled to purchase health care insurance or from paying penalties and fines for paying directly for lawful health care services.
H 3044: Business & Job Development - calls for nonrefundable income tax credits allocated by the Department of Commerce for qualified investments.
H 3014: High School Diplomas - creates a 20 unit diploma and a 24 unit Advanced Diploma for college-bound students.
H 3028: Teacher Contracts - lengthening the Induction contract period from 1 to 5 years for public school teachers.
H 3032: School District Consolidation - calls for school districts to be comprised of at least 2,500 students.
H 3041: School Bond Elections - calls for school bond elections be held on the primary or general election dates.
H 3164: Reducing High School Drop-Out Rate - a bill requiring school attendance or early graduation as a condition to drive a motor vehicle before the age of 18. I join Rep. Tom Young in his re-introduction of his bill that passed the House but failed in the Senate the last session.
H 3023: Speeding the Legislative Process - requiring a bill having 65 or more sponsors to be considered within 30 days by a committee.
H 3005: Accountability & Conflict of Interest - prohibits members or candidates for State Boards and Commissions from contributing money to a Legislator, his family or business.
H 3026: Abortion Consideration Time - a bill lengthening from 60 minutes to 24 hours the time between and Ultrasound and when an abortion is performed.
H 3054: Allowing Generosity - a bill allowing any restaurant to enter into an agreement with a church or charitable organization that feeds the needy so they may donate surplus prepared or unprepared food.
H 3060, H 3061: Charitable Raffles - a joint resolution calling for a Constitutional Amendment allowing for charitable raffles and a bill setting out the terms, conditions, procedures and requirements under which charitable raffles may be conducted.
H 3163: Regulating Mopeds - a bill defining mopeds as a motor vehicle so they can be regulated.
H 3225: Grandparent's Rights - a bill that calls for Family Courts to consider Grandparent's rights in determining the best interest of a minor child in a custody proceeding.
H 3103: Showing Patriotism - a bill allowing a homeowner or tenant to display the US flag.
H 3250: Veteran's Day - a bill providing that Veteran's Day must be recognized as a holiday for all local schools, colleges and universities.
H 3056: Slandering an Individuals' Military Service Record - prohibits a person, including a candidate for public office, from knowingly making fraudulent statements regarding a person's record of military service.
Nov. 17, 2010: Voted in favor of Bobby Harrell to be Speaker of the House. He won re-election on a vote of 112-5. I carefully considered my decision on this vote while hearing from a few constituents and others. Along with the entire Aiken Legislative Delegation, I supported Harrell because of his record of leadership and his conservative accomplishments. I am confident of my vote and believe Bobby Harrell has and will provide the leadership, character and integrity we need to meet the significant challenges being faced by South Carolina in the next two years.
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