TaylorSCHouse.com

January 27, 2012: Rebuffing – Sexting – Texting and…Horses?

If you're new to this weekly newsletter, I welcome you. We've garnered quite a following - nearly 5,000 people receive this e-mail and the list grows weekly. As a former TV news guy, I report the news from the S.C. State House from my perspective. Even though the report can get lengthy, consider it your 'news briefing digest'. I hope you'll scan it like a newspaper and spend time with the issues that most interest you.

DHEC Rebuffed for Port Vote: The House unanimously approved legislation that would stop the SC Department of Health and Environmental (DHEC) from making decisions regarding the dredging of the Savannah port. Controversy has been swirling since DHEC's board decided to give Georgia a permit to dredge the Savannah River to a depth of 48 feet so they can expand their port. You can tell by the vote that legislators thought it was a horrible economic and environmental decision which placed Charleston's port at a competitive disadvantage and jeopardized the very existence of a future port in Jasper, SC. One of every five jobs in our state is directly tied to our ports, and this issue is too important to ignore.

House Republicans Unveil Right to Work Act of 2012: I stood with Gov. Haley and fellow Republican legislators as we unveiled sweeping legislation designed to protect the rights of SC's workers. The 'Right to Work Act of 2012' (H.4652) will strengthen our state's business environment so more jobs can be created. Every South Carolinian should have the right to work and make a living for his or her family without being forced to join a union or pay dues. Among other things, the legislation requires employers to display a poster that informs workers of our state's 'Right to Work' protections. The legislation also increases labor organization transparency and requires written authorization for any union dues to be deducted from a worker's paycheck.

More People Working: We received encouraging news this week that SC's unemployment rate has dropped to its lowest rate since 2008. It's the fourth straight month unemployment has declined; we're now at 9.5%statewide (Aiken County stands at 8.5%).

Aiken County Scores Another Economic Success! Pactiv, a maker of food service and food packaging, announced plans to expand its existing operations in Aiken County. The $5.5 million investment is expected to generate 25 new jobs over the next three years. In the past year, South Carolina has recruited more than $4.7 billion in investment and more than 13,000 new jobs in the manufacturing sector.

Sexting Bill: Some kids (and adults) like to share explicit sexual pictures on their phones. It's call 'sexting'. The House judiciary committee effectively killed a bill aimed at discouraging underage 'sexting' citing too many legal questions.

Driving/Texting Ban: A House sub-committee, on which I serve, took testimony this week on a bill (H.4451) that would ban texting while driving. We heard from AAA, the Trucker's Association, Automobile Manufacturers and law enforcement who all favor the bill. SC is one of only 8 states having no statewide driving texting ban. The bill carries stiff fines. It's likely the bill will be debated in the House in a few weeks.

School Success Story: SC's Superintendent of Education, Mick Zais, visited Wagener-Salley HS yesterday. I invited him to see first-hand how strong and innovative leadership has transformed that high school. Wagener-Salley was FAILING 3 years ago; now it is succeeding!

AIKEN HORSE ALERT! The House of Representatives passed legislation that gives better protection to landowners from being held responsible if a horseback rider is injured while riding across private property. H.4475 passed unanimously and heads to the Senate. The legislation was sought by Aiken equine interests.

Wanna Vote? Prove Your Citizenship: New SC voters would have to show proof of their U.S. citizenship, under a bill that's moving through the State Senate. The measure requires South Carolinians registering to vote to present a driver's license, birth certificate, passport or tribal verification when registering to vote. Currently, new voters do not have to show any proof of U.S. citizenship. They attest to their citizenship when filling out paperwork to become a voter.

Signs of Better Times: SC's tax revenues continue to grow. We learned this week that an earlier estimate showing the state will have an extra $900 million for next year's state budget (starting in July) is a solid estimation, according to the state Board of Economic Advisors.

SC Fair Tax Draws Support: The S.C. Fair Tax Act (H.3993) gained two more legislative sponsors this week. There are now 67 co-sponsors of the Fair Tax in the House.

Tax Climate in SC: The Tax Foundation has released its 2012 State Business Tax Climate Index. Their Index allows us to gauge how state's tax systems compare and how tax rates help or harm competitiveness of a state's business environment. Unfortunately, SC ranks # 36 overall. We can do better; tax reform is coming.

Great Cookin': I snuck into the kitchen at Houndslake CC so I could check on the 'Celebrity Chef's' from Aiken High School's culinary team. They prepared a gourmet dinner for guests attending their fundraiser. This annual event is a wonderful opportunity for the students to get 'real world' experience and for us to enjoy their award winning food! They're state champions !

New Leader for DHEC: Catherine Templeton has been selected to head the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control. She is currently director of SC Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation and gained a reputation for tightening the reins on LLR. The S.C. Senate must sign off on Templeton's appointment as DHEC Director.

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January 20, 2012: Legislative Update

The most important message I can deliver today can be summed up in two words: GO VOTE! Tomorrow (Saturday) is the Republican presidential primary election in S.C. It's our opportunity to help determine the future of America. Vote as if your way of life depends on it - it does!

My Conservative Vote: Let me be clear - I think highly of Gov. Rick Perry. I've walked him around the streets of Aiken and proudly introduced him at his recent 'Rally in the Alley'. I believe Rick Perry has the experience, intelligence, talent and the heart and soul to be a strong, effective President. Regrettably, the Perry campaign faltered and never recovered. That's unfortunate; we must move on. With our 'First-in-the-South' primary this Saturday, SC voters have a large voice in who will be the Republican presidential nominee. I'll cast my vote for Newt Gingrich. In my opinion, he's the best non-Romney candidate in the field and a man with the intellect, experience and savvy to give Barrack Obama the defeat he deserves.

The State of Our State: Governor Nikki Haley delivered her annual State of the State address Wednesday evening to a joint legislative session. She highlighted her first year in office by touting $5 billion of business investment in SC and almost 20,000 new jobs. She promised to fight for more SC jobs, block unions from expanding in the state and reject federal health mandates (ObamaCare). She also urged consideration of her executive budget that calls for 4.5 percent increase in spending. Her budget proposal sets spending caps, cut taxes for some citizens and businesses and creates a $25 million fund to improve the state's ports.

Tax Reform Reality: Gov. Haley's tax reform proposals are a good start, but don't go far enough. The House GOP Tax Reform Committee (on which I serve) presented its recommendations to House Republicans this week. I also had the opportunity Monday to address the first SC Tea Party Convention held in Myrtle Beach where I outlined our tax reform goals. Our committee proposes to eliminate two-thirds of the current sales tax exemptions, lower the high property tax burden on businesses and reduce personal income tax rates. It's comprehensive and real reform that will help businesses grow and create jobs while helping secure SC's economic future.

Fiscal Fitness Agenda Passes Committee: In the state Senate, a so-called 'Fiscal Fitness' agenda passed committee and heads to the full Senate for a vote. The agenda encompasses several legislative initiatives, including a state constitutional spending cap, a deficit prevention act and a trust fund protection act. The plan also calls for broad-based regulatory reform so that regulations and fees require a vote from the General Assembly.

Casino Revenue: A group of SC House Democrats is exploring the feasibility of gambling casinos in our state as a way to bring in more revenue and create more jobs. The proposal revealed by Rep. Boyd Brown (D-Fairfield) while appearing on WIS-TV.

Budget Preview: I joined other members of the House earlier this week getting a preview of the upcoming state budget proposals. We heard from 10 departments. Whew! Here are a few education highlights recommended by Education Superintendent Mick Zais:

1) Continue the base student cost at $2,790.

2) $5 million for school bus maintenance; our school bus fleet is one of the oldest, if not the oldest.

3) Purchase of new textbooks; the General Assembly suspended the purchase of new textbooks for the two years.

One Step in the Right Direction: The consolidation of school districts in many areas of SC would save money and increase efficiency by cutting administration costs and eliminating unnecessary duplication. At the request of the several school districts in Marion County, the House unanimously passed a bill (H.4632) consolidating the school districts in that county into one district. It takes effect this July.

Controversial Port Dredging Issue: You've probably seen news stories regarding Gov. Haley and the controversial DHEC decision to allow Georgia to proceed with dredging the Savannah River for their port. House debate started yesterday on a joint resolution (H.4627) to suspend DHEC's authority in this issue. Debate continues next week.

Furlough of House and Save Money: We can't seem to get the Senate to agree to legislation that would permanently shorten the legislative session. House leadership has found a way. During this session we will be furloughed for three weeks, saving an estimated $150,000.

Lawsuits and Horse Trails: Horseback riding on trails in Aiken County is growing in popularity and the Aiken Chamber of Commerce is developing an integrated trail system. The Chamber's Equine Committee pushed for legislation that would better protect landowners from being held responsible if a horseback rider is injured while riding across private property. The bill (H.4475) was sponsored by Rep. Tom Young and co-sponsored by Rep. Clyburn, Rep. Hixon and me. This week, the House Agriculture Subcommittee approved the bill. It now goes to full committee.

An Invitation to President Obama: The House agreed to a Resolution to invite President Obama to address the SC General Assembly. The Democrat's initiative now goes to the Senate.

Business Advocate: I was honored this week to receive the SC Chamber of Commerce 'Business Advocate Award'. It's given to legislators who have a 100% business-friendly voting record in the previous year's legislative session. In my view, it's all about freeing up businesses to create jobs.

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Jan. 13, 2012: Saying No & Standing Up

The South Carolina General Assembly reconvened this week. We have much to accomplish to improve our state's economy to insure we are best positioned to create jobs in the private sector. Beginning with this newsletter, I'll be reporting each Friday on the news from the State House. Even though the report can get lengthy, consider it your 'news briefing digest' on state government. I hope you'll scan it like a newspaper and spend time with the issues that interest you.

Sometimes it's Best to Say NO: On the first day of the new session, the SC House killed legislation that would have expanded government. The House upheld Gov. Nikki Haley's veto of a bill creating a regional council that was intended to improve economic and education opportunities along rural I-95. I was one of a handful of Representatives who originally voted against the bill last spring because it created another needless bureaucracy. However, it passed the House and Senate and Haley vetoed the bill arguing it unnecessarily increases state government and duplicates what the state commerce and education departments already do. The Senate voted to override her veto. This week the House sustained the veto and the legislation failed.

States' Rights - Standing Up to Big Brother: Also on the first day of the session I stood with Gov. Haley, Speaker Harrell, Attorney General Wilson and other legislators in announcing plans to file a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Justice's decision to block the SC voter ID law. The law would require voters to show a photo identification card issued by the S.C. Department of Motor Vehicles or a U.S. military ID or a U.S. passport. Last month, the U.S. Justice Department said the law would prevent minorities from voting. It was the first voter ID law to be rejected by the department in 20 years.

Voter ID - Dead People Voting in SC! Democratic state legislators fought the Voter ID bill claiming voter fraud doesn't exist in SC. The facts don't support their claim. The S.C. Department of Motor Vehicles director estimates more than 900 people who were recorded as having voted were actually deceased and he has turned that data over to the SLED for investigation. DMV director Kevin Schwedo testified before a S.C. House subcommittee this week stating that his staff analyzed the records of more than 239,000 voters who do not have a state driver's license or identification card, and discovered that about 37,000 of them were deceased.

Curbing Government Over-Regulation: This week I joined as a co-sponsor of a bill (H.4575) that would sunset all regulations issued by SC departments and agencies. Current law calls for regulations to be "periodically reviewed" by the agencies, but that doesn't happen systematically. This common sense bill requires that all regulations expire five years from the time they took effect. It would then be up to the agencies to seek legislative approval to renew the regulations. Regulations may be warranted when enacted, but many times they outlive their usefulness and purpose. This measure would get those unneeded 'regs' off the books.

Privatize School Buses: Good government most often is less government. Government shouldn't do things that could be better and more efficiently performed by the competitive private industry. I co-sponsored a bill this week that calls for the privatization of SC's public school bus system. SC is the only state operating a bus system. It also has an aging bus fleet with many buses 20+ years old.

School Choice Bill Returns: I joined other legislators as a lead sponsor of the new school choice bill (H.4576). The bill is similar to one that was derailed last year. It offers tax credits and scholarships so parents have more choice in where and how their children are educated. Children learn differently and parents deserve the flexibility in making educational choices rather than being locked into a one-size-fits-all educational model. The goal is to truly educate and equip our children with the knowledge and skills they need for the future. You will be hearing a lot more on this topic in the coming months.

Some Good News for Schools - But Not ALL Good: Education Week is out with its state rankings for public education. SC's public schools tied for 23rd place; that's above the national average. Overall, SC received a grade of C+. Teachers were given a B+, but K-12 achievement was given a D. Neighboring states, Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, Tennessee, as well as a few other southern states, got better grades than SC's public schools in this evaluation.

State Senate Panel Approves Unemployment Bills: A SC Senate legislative committee approved bills that would require people laid off in SC to pass a drug test to receive unemployment benefits and volunteer 16 hours weekly with a charity or public agency to keep receiving a check. (I co-sponsored a similar drug testing bill introduced in the House last June.) Sen. Paul Campbell said his bill requiring community service will help people find jobs as they hone their skills. The bill advances to a full Senate committee for debate.

More Good Economic News: BMW is making another huge investment in SC. The German automaker is making a $900 million investment to expand its Upstate facilities over the next three years and will be adding 300 new jobs. The move will ramp up production at the plant to at least 300,000 cars this year and introduce a new X4 model. Gov. Haley said, "BMW has once again provided tremendous evidence that South Carolina is a blueprint for significant economic development success."

Honoring Officer Scotty Richardson: The SC House and Senate passed a concurrent resolution honoring and remembering the supreme sacrifice made in the line of duty by Aiken Master Public Safety Officer Scott Richardson, and to express to his family the profound appreciation of a grateful state for his life sacrifice and service. We look forward to presenting Officer Richardson's family with the framed resolution when they are able to visit the State House.

What's Ahead for Your Legislature? These are the MAJOR issues we will be tackling during this legislative session:

Pension Reform - the retirement system's unfunded liabilities will be addressed.

Comprehensive Tax Reform - I've been working on the House GOP Tax Reform Committee and we will soon be presenting our recommendations.

Reforming the Department of Transportation: Creating a Department of Administration overseen by the Governor's office - The House of Representatives passed this legislation last year; it awaits Senate approval.

On the Presidential Campaign Trail: I was honored to host Gov. Rick Perry during his visit to Aiken Wednesday. He dropped in on five downtown businesses and met many of the folks who gathered on the street to support him. Gov. Perry was greeted with a standing-room-only crowd for his rally at the municipal building. One Republican activist, who has spent time with nearly all the presidential candidates, wrote me this: "I believe Gov. Perry captured this politically savvy town's heart and soul." He went on to write, "Everyone loved what he had to say and how he said it. I fear some are overly concerned about his debate skills. He's a smart man and has steadily improved in the debate department. By the time he has gone through the next several months of campaigning he will be an ace debater and will catch Obama by surprise when Obama doesn't have his TelePrompTers."

For Republicans - A Challenging Presidential Process: It is incumbent on Republicans to get involved in the political process and vet the candidates. Once you have made up your mind, work for your choice. But when all is said and done.....it's most important for all Republicans to work side-by-side to insure a Republican is in the White House in 2013.

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Dec. 23, 2011: Finding Our Way at Christmas

I hope your heart is full of holiday spirit.

For me, Christmas is a season for reflection. I am thankful for my family and friends and being allowed to serve in the S.C. General Assembly. I also feel most fortunate to be an American; sometimes we take for granted that precious gift of citizenship.

Yes, we are troubled by our dysfunctional national government. There is discontent with our political leadership. But, this isn't the first time in our nation's history we have been significantly challenged.

I have faith there will be a re-awakening of the American spirit.

We each need to do our part and stand-up for what's right. We must not let a tiny minority take us off-course.

While we may have lost our way, this Christmas season is a good time to reflect on where we are going.

John Adams wrote, "Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other."

To get our country back on course, we need to bring wisdom, virtue, equity, humanity and common sense back to government and our decision making process so we can best solve the real problems that confront us at all levels. The general principles on which the Founders of our country achieved independence, were based on religion. The further we distance ourselves as a country from those solid values the further our freedoms will erode.

To those who are having a difficult time, I pray that this Christmas season grants you the strength to never give up. With faith, courage and hope, every dream is achievable. If you dream, dream to succeed. May God bless you with determination and happiness. And most importantly, may the essence of CHRISTmas live in all our hearts throughout the year.

God bless you & Merry Christmas!

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Dec 19, 2011: South Carolina is ending the year on a brighter economic note. In my last newsletter I highlighted several encouraging economic forecasts for SC. Here's more.....

S.C. Economy Continues to Recover: By measuring the state's sales and income tax collected, SC's economy is continuing its slow recovery. The state's general fund revenue was up 6% in November from the same month a year ago. We're apparently buying more - sales tax collections were up nearly 5%. Personal income tax collections were up 4% while corporate income tax collections were up a whopping 118%.

More Tax $$$, More Government Spending? I hope not! We all recognize the tendency for government to increase spending when more of your dollars are collected in taxes. Previous estimates show the legislature will have $900 million more available for the 2012-2013 state budget. Unofficial estimates now put that at 1.3 billion! In my view, priority #1 is to adequately fund core functions of government. Just one example: recession cut-backs diminished our state trooper ranks by nearly 20%. Most importantly, we need to save and put more money in the state's rainy day fund.

Forecasting the 2012 Legislative Agenda: WRDW-TV, Ch. 12, Augusta, asked me for my thoughts on the next legislative session starting in January. View the news story: http://bit.ly/vAkWxP What are your objectives for the next legislative session? Please call or e-mail me with your ideas and suggestions.

Major Pension Reform: With SC tackling reform of its state pension program in the coming year (see story in The State newspaper), it's important to keep an eye on what other states are doing. Take for example Rhode Island. Lawmakers in Rhode Island had a choice, keep their state's pension system as is, forcing big tax increases, service cuts, or both, or change the pension system to improve solvency and control the growth of future obligations. Last month, Rhode Island lawmakers chose the latter. They approved reforms that require certain state workers and teachers to move some of their retirement funds into a 401(k)-style account. They also suspended annual cost-of-living raises until their pension funding levels reach 80 percent. They raised age requirements and re-amortized the pension system debt to lower and smooth future payments. Employee contributions will also rise.

Booming BMW! Production up 80% at BMW's S.C. Plant. The German automaker will produce more than 270,000 units at its Spartanburg plant this year. BMW's operations in SC have increased production by 80% through the first 11 months of the year, outpacing any other car and truck manufacturer in North America. About 70% of BMW's production is exported to more than 130 global markets through the Port of Charleston.

The Port of Charleston is Critical to SC's Economy: The Army Corps of Engineers recently held a public meeting about its harbor deepening study, giving the public an opportunity to comment and ask questions about the harbor deepening study. With the Panama Canal expansion set to be completed in 2014, East Coast ports will be open to larger ships that require deeper drafts. About 80% of the ships on order now are post-Panamax, meaning they are too large to fit through the canal today. Experts say South Carolina's deepening project will drive economic investment and jobs in SC.

Thank you for the privilege of serving you. Should you have any questions or comments, please don't hesitate to call or write.

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Dec. 9, 2011: It is nearly time to begin the second half of the 119th legislative session. We head back to Columbia January 10th. When we're out of session I report less frequently, but when there is NEWS, I want to share it. And today, I have plenty to share!

Good Economic News! More jobs are coming to SC and employees will get raises - those are some of the highlights I heard while attending the economic forecast session at USC's Darla Moore School of Business. According to USC economist Doug Woodward, "The state's economy is looking pretty good.....South Carolina is in relatively good shape and if there is growth in the U.S. economy we are positioned to do fairly well." The major soft spots are home sales and new construction.

Surprising many, the state's recovery in jobs is being led by manufacturing (i.e., Boeing, Bridgestone, Continental Tire, Amazon and many smaller companies). SC is leading the SE in manufacturing growth. Manufacturing currently represents 10 percent of our jobs and SC Commerce Secretary Bobby Hitt is targeting 15 percent, a 50% increase.

Sadly, unemployment will remain higher than desired. Rather than focusing solely on the unemployment number however, the economists' projections incorporated the leading economic indicators for SC.

Commerce Secretary Hitt says, "There's a buzz about South Carolina." He's right and there's evidence the buzz is deserved.

According to the latest projections by the Federal Reserve Bank, SC is one of two top states that shows growth over the next six months in excess of 4.5 percent. Add to that, a top business magazine ranks SC the 4th Best State in the Nation to Do Business. (View the complete USC Economic Report)

Boeing Taking Off in SC! The Boeing/NLRB/union legal battle has been front page news most of this year, but this week's resolution is buried on the inside pages. The Unionized Boeing Machinists in Seattle have approved a four-year contract extension. The union has promised to drop its opposition to Boeing's SC plant in our right-to-work state. The first 737 Dreamliner will roll out of the Charleston facility next summer!

State's Credit Rating AAA! More good news - Moody, the credit rating firm, has restored SC's top rated AAA credit to 'stable status'. Earlier this summer, Moody had issued warnings to five AAA rated states saying the debt problems with the federal government could affect their credit worthiness. According to State Treasurer Curtis Loftis, "This affirms our ranking among the best states in the country when it comes to handling our debt obligations." It also allows the refinancing of a series of bonds saving SC taxpayers $24 million.

Justices Tackle Landmark Sales Tax Case: The SC Supreme Court has heard arguments challenging the states' many sales tax exemptions as unconstitutional. The plaintiff's claim the exemptions starve public education of funding. State officials argued that it is not the role of the courts to determine whether the exemptions take too much or too little revenue from public education. That's a policy question appropriately addressed by the General Assembly. While the Justices' decision looms large and could throw our taxing and revenue system into chaos, alternatives are in the works. The House GOP Tax Committee on which I serve, is moving swiftly to recommend reforms in sales tax exemptions, and property and income taxes. This will be big news starting in January.

Taxpayer Hero! Another legislative scorecard has arrived. Its timing makes it an early Christmas present. The SC Club For Growth has released its Legislative Scorecard for 2011 and I was named one of the Taxpayer Heroes in the House of Representatives. (View the complete scorecard)

It's a Wrap! During November I traveled across House District 86 conducting 6 Town Hall meetings. I heard from constituents in Wagener, Windsor, Monetta, New Ellenton, Cedar Creek and from those in Aiken County's NE area. Thanks to all who attended; for taking the time to ask tough questions and provide your ideas on how to improve SC. If you didn't have an opportunity to attend one of these sessions, please submit your comments or suggestions Bill@TaylorSCHouse.com You can also view my legislative summary.

Have You Ever Heard of a Non-Sectarian Prayer? That's what the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals is trying to require. Their ruling bans invocations or prayers before a legislative body from referencing a deity. Twenty one SC senators have joined others in filing an Amicus brief with the US Supreme Court asking them to review the ruling. The case originated in North Carolina.

SC Immigration Battle Goes to Court: The battle between federal and state governments over SC's immigration law will move to a Charleston courtroom December 19th. The U.S. Department of Justice filed a lawsuit asking for an injunction to prevent SC's immigration law from taking effect Jan. 1. The judge is not expected to make a decision on the day of the hearing but is expected to rule before January 1.

Thank you for the privilege of serving you. Should you have any questions or comments, please don't hesitate to call or write.

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Nov. 23, 2011: Thanksgiving is a time to take stock; a time to count our many blessings a time to express our gratitude.

There is a tendency in life to dwell on the negative. As example, it would be easy to look to Washington D.C. to witness our dysfunctional political process, although democracy has always been noisy, as opposed to neat and orderly. In our homes, our TV's seem to be a window onto a world in chaos. Admittedly, there are real problems and challenges that must be met, but the sense of a troubled world is magnified by the ability of television news and the Internet to quickly aggregate and bombard us with images of chaos.

In these harsh times perhaps we should return to the basics and appreciate all we have. Many of us will sit down to a meal surrounded by family and friends. Our Taylor family will experience that on Thanksgiving at Aiken's Community One Table where thousands will gather to celebrate. Will each of us sincerely give thanks for all we have received?

Most of us have roofs over our heads and food on our tables. We have family that is a great blessing when others are lonely. We give thanks for friendship and what it means in our lives. Our good health contributes to our joy of living. We have the freedom to apply our skills and talents in pursuit of happiness.

We should give thanks for living in a democracy where we can express our feelings through the ballot box. We should be thankful for the fact that we can walk down the street without fearing a hand on our shoulder snatching us off to imprisonment and torture. We must also remember and praise those who keep us safe: our soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines, as well as our law enforcement officers and first responders.

As American's our blessings far outweigh our burdens. Let us reflect this Thanksgiving and praise God from whom all blessings flow.

Thanksgiving Day comes, by statute, once a year; to the honest man it comes as frequently as the heart of gratitude will allow. ~Edward Sandford Martin

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Nov 11, 2011: On this Veterans Day, it is with great respect and reverence we say THANK YOU to all the men and women who have served in America's armed forces. Our magnificent Soldiers, Sailors, Airman and Marines continue to protect us with courage and character that has ensured our freedoms for 235 years. Salute a veteran today and say thank you for keeping us free.

I'm respectfully at Silver Bluff HS this morning. We began with a Sunrise Service and will honor veterans at a 9:30 a.m. program with students and faculty. This year Silver Bluff is paying special honor to wounded warriors.

Jobs Success Story Revealed: Is S.C. a great place to do business? Absolutely! Look no further than MTU-Detroit Diesel right in our own backyard. That renowned company moved from Detroit to Aiken County last year and they couldn't be happier. In a briefing from company executives this week, they reported that the efficiencies they have experienced here are prompting them to consider additional investments and jobs.

MTU has already exceeded their initial pledge to create 250 jobs and invest $45 million. And their plans show them continuing to grow. 80 percent of those jobs have been filled by local people with only 50 engineers and senior staff transferring from Michigan. The engine manufacturer is producing more engines than ever in far less time. Since moving from Detroit, time to produce one custom-made engine has been cut by more than half to 13 days and the defect rate is the lowest ever. More and better engines produced in half the time!

MTU executives credit the S.C. work force and the willingness of workers to train, innovate and get the job done right the first time. They also praise the positive business climate that Aiken County leadership has maintained. The MTU success story means future prosperity for Aiken County and S.C.

Speaker Harrell Visits Aiken, Sounds Tax Hike Alarm: S.C. House Speaker Bobby Harrell addressed the Aiken County GOP this week. He sounded the alarm on the serious challenge of the law suit the Supreme Court will hear later this month that would eliminate all state sales tax exemptions. Sounds good until all of us start paying taxes on groceries, drugs, electricity, etc. With one costly decision the state Supreme Court could reak havoc by initiating the largest tax increase in S.C.'s history - nearly $3 billion! Click here for Aiken Standard story.

Adjustments to State Retirement Program: The State Budget and Control Board voted to cut retirement benefits for the state's 137,500 retired teachers, police officers and state employees. The 4-0 vote reduced the annual cost-of-living increases for retirees from 2 to 1 percent. The benefit cut comes against the backdrop of concern about the estimated $19 billion shortfall in the state pension fund. Retirement system reforms are a top priority of the legislature in the coming year.

'Talk-To-Taylor' Town Halls: My Town Hall sessions are in full swing this month. These past two weeks I've met with residents in Wagener and Windsor. We reviewed the accomplishments of the last legislative session and looked forward to the agenda for next year. Most of the time is spent with Q&A. I hope you'll join me at one of the upcoming Town Halls:

NE Aiken County: Monday, Nov. 14 7:00 p.m. Aiken Shrine Club, Hwy 1 N.

Cedar Creek: Friday, Nov. 18 4:30 p.m. Cedar Creek Community Center

New Ellenton: Tuesday, Nov. 22 7:00 p.m. New Ellenton City Hall

Monetta: Monday, Nov. 28 7:00 p.m. Monetta Town Hall

Aiken GOP to Host Bronze Elephant Reception & Dinner: It has never happened before! All five Republican Congressmen from S.C. will be together in Aiken November 19th for the Bronze Elephant Dinner. Don't miss it! Reserve your seats today!

Tim Scott - Dist. 1

Joe Wilson - Dist. 2

Jeff Duncan - Dist. 3

Trey Gowdy - Dist. 4

Mick Mulvaney -Dist. 5

Join the GOP for an evening of gourmet food, fabulous auction items, dancing and the inside scoop on politics and old fashioned Republican Hospitality!

The event will be held at Houndslake Country Club starting at 6:30 p.m. Reserve your seats today! $100 per person. Take advantage of the 25% DISCOUNT by placing your order now! RSVP to Nancy Boykin 803-642-9668 or rsvp@aikengop.com.

Thank you for the privilege of serving you. Should you have any questions or comments, please don't hesitate to call or write.

I need to hear from you! That's why I'm launching a month-long series of Town Hall meetings across House District 86 which is comprised of two-thirds of Aiken County.

I'll briefly report on the accomplishments and challenges of this year's legislative session and look ahead to the agenda for the next session beginning in January. Most importantly, I'll be available to hear issues of concern to you.

My Free Mobile App: With nearly half the U.S. population equipped with a SmartPhone, I've launched a free, web app you can use on-the-go. It contains my latest legislative update, polling to get your opinions on hot topics, as well as links to my current postings on Facebook, Twitter and You Tube. It also provides an easy way to give me feedback. It's simple to download and easy to use.

Get Started: On your SmartPhone go to www.TaylorSCHouse.com. You'll automatically be re-directed to my mobile app. Just click on the tab at the bottom and bookmark the app by saving it to your Home Screen. It's a web app and it's free!

New Website Debuts: Along with the launch of the mobile app, my legislative website has been re-designed and updated daily. You'll find news articles and my views on current topics, as well as my complete voting record. Please check it out: www.TaylorSCHouse.com. Let me know what you think.

As you may know, Yucca Mountain in Nevada has a close connection to Aiken County. That nearly-finished nuclear waste repository was supposed to accept the reprocessed nuclear materials from SRS, but Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) got President Obama to shut it down. Now the Republican presidential candidates seem to be playing politics with this issue that strikes close to home for us.

Yucky Answers: On the SC Radio Network I was asked my opinion on the responses from all the GOP Presidential candidates for ducking the Yucca Mountain issue during their Las Vegas debate this week. Disappointed would be an understatement. I was blunt: "It's there. It's been built. We have spent billions of dollars to do it. It is now the world's largest wine cellar, unopened and unused. There's no point in going someplace else when it's right there."

Your Right to Know: Freedom of Information is essential for a government that is truly transparent and can be trusted. Yesterday, the lead story in 'The Nerve' reported on my efforts to insure all government agencies in SC are more open to requests for information. In the article I stated, "We're all about openness and transparency. If we can use my bill as a vehicle to get some attention, I think we'll get a lot of people to testify on this."

SC Pension Woes: A SC Senate sub-committee came to Aiken this week to hear from citizens concerned with solving the long term funding of the state retirement program. The plan has an estimated $19 billion shortfall. In 1999 state retirement contributions roughly equal to benefits paid. In 2010 there were $1.3B in contributions and $2.1B in payouts. The Senators got an earful. The hearing began with a briefing to bring everyone up-to-speed on the issues. Finding a solution to making the retirement system solvent is finally a high priority.

Potholes or Taxes? On my weekly radio appearance on News Radio 1380, I frequently talk about how little we spend to repair and improve SC's roads. It's simple math - it takes about $800 million annually to keep pace and we spend about $400 million in state money. The good part of the equation comes at the gas pumps; we have one of the lowest gas taxes in the country (16-1/2 cents per gallon). That's the money that goes to support road improvements. Last month, DOT Sec. St. Onge said he was going to begin the education of legislators and citizens alike to find solutions to the estimated $29 billion shortfall over the next 20 years in road funding. That public dialog began this week.

Potential Bombshell: The S.C. Supreme Court will hear arguments by early December for a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the state's sales tax exemptions. SC's 6 percent sales tax mostly goes to pay for education. But for 60 years, the legislature has approved so many exceptions to the sales tax that the state actually exempts more sales from sales taxes than the sales that are subject to the tax. Those filing the suit claim the exemptions are unconstitutional. The Supreme Court's decision could likely cause an upheaval sending the legislature scrambling for solutions. This could be the biggest state story of the next year. Stay tuned.

S.C. tire industry on a roll to become No. 1: SC currently ranks #3 among the states in daily tire production capacity. With the completion of the Bridgestone and Continental Tire manufacturing facilities, tire production in SC should increase 50% easily pushing SC to No. 1 in North America.

S.C. Suing EPA: SC has joined 24 states in a lawsuit seeking to delay the EPA's enforcement of new clean-air regulations covering coal-fired power plants. The suit asks the court to delay by one year the Nov. 16 deadline for when the EPA puts the new rules into effect. The suit contends that the new regulations would have a dramatic, negative impact on our state.

State House Redistricting Approved: Plans submitted for redrawing districts for the S.C. House have been approved by the U.S. Justice Department. The plan submitted for the redrawing congressional lines are still awaiting approval from the federal government.

Congratulations Cedar Creek Development and Woodside Plantation: A recent edition of 'Where to Retire' revealed its "Short List: 50 Best Master-Planned Communities in the United States". Cedar Creek and Woodside Plantation were both honored. Retirees today have their sights set on a dynamic and fulfilling retirement lifestyle, seeking out communities with friendly neighbors and amenities to keep their minds and bodies active. Aiken County is fortunate to have TWO on the list.

Charming Charleston named No. 1 tourist destination in US: I have long told friends and visitors that I thought Charleston was the San Francisco of the southeast. The readers of Conde Nast Traveler have agreed and named Charleston the No. 1 tourist destination in America displacing perennial winner San Francisco, which held the title for 18 years.

The SC legislature is in recess until January. However, I'm always available. Send me an e-mail or call me on my cell phone. To keep track of me, follow me on Facebook and Twitter or connect your SmartPhone to my mobile app (www.TaylorSCHouse.com) and save it to the home page of your phone.

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Thankfully, Columbia is a long way from Washington D.C. and South Carolina's government finances are on relatively solid ground thanks mainly that our state constitution requires a balanced state budget annually. Of course, that doesn't mean state government always spends wisely, but at least we don't follow the failing path of the federal government. Regardless, we do have a hefty concern...

The Retirement System Burden: The chief concern is the unfunded liability of the state's pension fund. The latest estimate places the unfunded liability at $17 billion! We must deal with this significant financial priority now rather than later.

Public Hearing: Members of a select Senate Finance subcommittee arrive in Aiken this Wednesday to conduct a public hearing in an attempt to find out what they could do to improve the state's massive pension system. This is your opportunity to be heard.

This special subcommittee is conducting a "top to bottom" review of the entire pension system that covers not only state employees, but teachers, county and municipal employees, including our police officers.

Critical Issues: The state's retirement system is currently worth about $27 billion and gaining. But over the past few years, thanks to the national and international recessions, the value of its retirement fund has been on a scary rollercoaster ride. The most critical issues being looked at:

Differing Views: Whilelegislators have differing views on the severity of the problem and the solutions, there seems to be one area of common ground - those currently in retirement or nearing retirement will have their benefits protected.

Come to Wednesday's Hearing: Every citizen in S.C. has a financial stake in this critical issue. The retirement system's financial problems must be addressed and these statewide public hearings are a good starting point for developing solutions. You are welcome to testify before the panel or just listen and learn. See you there!

October 5, 2011: News You Can Use

As a Representative, it's my honor to keep you informed and I endeavor to use every communications method practical. Today, I'm pleased to launch two initiatives:

Free Mobile App: With nearly half the U.S. population equipped with a SmartPhone, I've launched a free, web app you can use on-the-go. It contains my latest legislative update, polling to get your opinions on hot topics, as well as links to my current postings on Facebook, Twitter and You Tube. It also provides an easy way to give me feedback. It's simple to download and easy to use.

Get Started: On your SmartPhone go to www.TaylorSCHouse.com. You'll automatically be re-directed to my mobile app. Just click on the tab at the bottom and bookmark the app by saving it to your Home Screen. It's a web app and it's free!

New Website Debuts: Along with the launch of the mobile app, my legislative website has been re-designed. There's much more current content, for the website is updated daily. You'll find news articles and my views on current topics, as well as my complete voting record. Check it out: www.TaylorSCHouse.com. Let me know what you think.

We're having a party and you're invited. Here's your invitation: http://www.taylorschouse.com/evite.html Hope to see you there.

Now, onto other News...

Gov. Coming to Aiken TODAY: Gov. Haley comes to Aiken this evening for a stop on her statewide Town Hall tour. She will be at the Aiken Municipal Building, in the Alley, 6:30 p.m. Come early. She'll issue her legislative report card for the previous session and will describe her agenda for the 2012. It's no secret that the Republican House members from Aiken County all received A's. I appreciate 'report cards', but the most important one is at the ballot box from the 40,000 residents I represent. Here's the story from this morning's Aiken Standard:

The Medicaid Challenge: Tony Keck, who took the reins of SC's Medicaid program earlier this year, came to Aiken to meet with Sen. Shane Massey, Rep. Tom Young and me. We gained great insights into the Medicaid and ObamaCare challenges that confront our state. A few things to consider:

1) SC's Medicaid expenses were in the range of $300 million a few years ago. This year we'll spend $1.1 billion and it's predicted we'll be spending $1.5 billion in two years. And remember, SC contributes only 30% of Medicaid expenses; your federal taxes are paying the other 70%. It won't be long before total Medicaid costs (fed & state) in SC are larger than the entire General Fund budget.

2) Medicaid's growth is fueled by unemployment. Many had insurance but dropped it to utilize Medicaid.

3) In healthcare overall, the Institute of Medicine finds that wasted health care dollars are caused primarily by unnecessary procedures, inefficiently delivered services and excessive administrative costs. Those three areas combine to be 7 times greater than fraud.

I'm impressed with Tony Keck's knowledge, experience and his current efforts to improve SC's Medicaid services while making it more cost efficient. He (and we) has a Herculean task to provide services to needy children, the disabled and those who truly need assistance without breaking the bank.

Tax Reform Update: While the House of Representatives is out of session for 2011 and reconvenes in January, the legislature is staying busy on many fronts. The House GOP Caucus Tax Reform Committee is meeting weekly. We have been hearing from a number of tax experts on how to reform our state tax structure. Property taxes are high on the list. The 10.5% property tax rate paid by business and industry stifles the state's economy and job creation.

Chukker Creek School Traffic: If your child attends Chukker Creek Elementary, you've encountered traffic jams at drop-off and pick-up times. This is a problem ! Parents and school officials have asked for help. Rep. Tom Young and I have teamed with Sen. Ryberg to find a solution. We've asked SCDOT to recommend solutions as quickly as possible. State law requires a traffic study before any changes can be implemented, so it may be later this fall when we hear back from SCDOT. In the meantime, patients and caution is recommended.

Chicken Farm Hearing: The controversy surrounding the proposed chicken farm on Wire Road will be heard next Monday, October 10th. DHEC will conduct a public hearing into the issue. The session will be held at Aiken Middle School starting at 6:30 p.m. For more insight, here's the recent story from the Aiken Standard: http://www.aikenstandard.com/local/0928-chicken-houses-wire-road

Fred Humes' Accomplishments Recognized: South Carolina's highest honor, The Order of the Palmetto, was awarded to Aiken's Fred Humes for his many successes in driving economic development and jobs. For two decades Fred led the Aiken-Edgefield Economic Development Partnership which has brought thousands of jobs to Aiken County. I was honored to offer my praise for Fred during his recognition ceremony. Rep. Roland Smith presented the Order of the Palmetto on behalf of Gov. Haley.

Thank you for the privilege of serving you. Should you have any questions or comments, please don't hesitate to call or write.

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September 14, 2011: Reflections on 9/11

I hope you are enjoying the crisp early morning air after a sweltering summer. Even cooler days will be coming by this weekend. Like many folks, fall is my favorite time of year, just ahead of spring. I find autumn weather refreshing and most importantly, its high school and college football season. It just doesn't get any better.

We Need a God-Centered Government: This has been a reflective time for many of us as we observed the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. I had the privilege of addressing a marvelous 9/11 service sponsored by the South Aiken Church of God this past Sunday. My message: We are losing our way and we must bring God back to the center of government. I challenged the audience to stand-up, speak-up, find their fervor and become the foot soldiers in battle to save America. I invite you to view my brief remarks on You Tube: http://www.youtube.com/user/taylorschouse?feature=mhee

Taxes & Jobs: Your South Carolina legislature is in recess until January, but the work of a legislator is never done, even during recess. This summer and fall I continue to return nearly weekly to the Capitol to study taxes. Speaker Harrell appointed me to the House GOP Tax Reform Advisory Committee. Our goal is recommend tax reform and write the legislation. We're looking to tackle tax reform on all fronts; individual, corporate, property and sales taxes. Based on our committee discussions and our agreed upon direction, I think the committee is misnamed. We should be called the 'Job Creation Committee'. Let's fix our state tax structure so everyone pays their fair share at the lowest possible rate and our state's economy is invigorated to make S.C. a beacon for job creation!

Grandparents - I Need to Hear From You! Do you know that as a grandparent in S.C. you have no official status in the custody proceedings that involve your grandchildren? I believe grandparents should at least be recognized and have legal status in these delicate family matters so judges can consider them as part of the solution. I'm a sponsor of the Grandparent's Rights Bill (H.3225) and I'm CHAMPIONING for passage of this bill next session. I'm eager to hear from grandparents. I know there are many stories that need to be told in support of this legislation, so please write or e-mail me with your personal stories, comments or suggestions. Thanks in advance.

Highway 39 Road Work Delayed: The SC-DOT reports that the project to repair and repave SC 39 from New Holland to the Town of Wagener has been postponed. Due to DOT funding issues, the work will be delayed until the late winter or early spring of next year (2012). The SC 39 project joins the list of other road projects across the S.C. that has been delayed.

Salute to Chancellor Hallman: This afternoon, USC-Aiken Chancellor Tom Hallman announced he will be retiring at the end of the school year next June. Dr. Hallman has led USCA since 2001 and has been at the University since the early 80s. His ten years of leadership has greatly benefited the University and all of Aiken County. Fortunately, Tom and his wife, Susan, plan to remain in Aiken where, no doubt, he will continue his valuable public service here.

Medicaid Issues: In a few weeks I'll be meeting with Tony Keck, Director of South Carolina's Department of Health & Human Services (DHHS). That department oversees Medicaid which has exploded in spending in recent years. As a legislator I often hear from Medicaid recipients as well as providers (doctors and hospitals). If you have questions, concerns or comments, please e-mail them and I'll present them during our meeting.

Another Legislative Report Card: The S.C. Policy Council has released its 'Report Card' on the recent legislative session. In my view, it's pretty much on target, although I would quibble with a few of their observations. I recommend it to you as worthwhile reading.
Link: http://scpolicycouncil.com/pdf/bestworst2011.pdf

Thank you for the privilege of serving you. Should you have any questions or comments, please don't hesitate to call or write.
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August 25, 2011: Since the S.C. House of Representatives will not reconvene until January, I'll stay in touch via these newsletters every few weeks. As always, if you have questions, comments or concerns, call or write my anytime.

Hurricane Irene: Irene is taking aim on the coast - it appears S.C. will miss the brunt of the storm. North Carolina and states further north are bracing for the worst. Gov. Haley reports that S.C. resources are ready to assist N.C. as needed - it's what good neighbors do. Aiken County Red Cross volunteers are also preparing to mobilize. I, too, am making preparations. I've spent time this week readying my Emergency Mobile Shower Unit (www.EmergencyMobileShower.us) in case it is needed to help first responders and disaster victims.

Here are some helpful resources to get the latest updates and information on Hurricane Irene or other storms:

SC Emergency Management Division: http://www.scemd.org/: SC EMD website http://twitter.com/emdsc: SC EMD (@EMDSC) on Twitter http://www.facebook.com/SCEMD: SC EMD on Facebook Family Disaster Plan: Tips for preparing family's disaster plan 2011 SC Hurricane Guide (pdf): General information on evacuation & shelter

Planning for the 2012 Legislative Session: Hurricane Irene scuttled plans for the House GOP Caucus to meet in Myrtle Beach this weekend. The annual session is the starting point for formulating our legislative agenda for the next session. We continue to face challenges on many fronts. Please write me with your ideas: Bill@TaylorSCHouse.com.

Tax Reform: The House Republican Caucus Tax Committee has scheduled two more meetings in September to explore tax reform ideas. On September 12th we'll hear from the S.C. Assn. of CPAs. They will discuss how our tax code aligns to the federal code. On September 26th we'll hear from Clemson Economist Holley Ulbrich, on her studies of S.C.'s tax code.

Gov. Perry, SRS & the Fair Tax: Recently, about 20 Republican legislators met with Texas Gov. Rick Perry. We underscored the importance of SRS to our region and the problem of keeping nuclear waste there with the closing of Yucca Mountain. He assured us that as President he would open Yucca Mountain or find another suitable nuclear repository. On the Fair Tax, I asked; he answered. Gov. Perry says he supports the Fair Tax. He stated, "It's simple, it will work. Every state, except NH, has a way to collect the sales tax. I'm for it." 'Nuff said!

S.C. Fair Tax Gets National Publicity: Following my recent address to the Red State Gathering in Charleston, the following article was published: Fair Tax is Another Good Conservative Idea. (http://www.redstate.com/nikitas3/2011/08/18/south-carolina-fair-tax-is-another-good-conservative-idea/)

SPECIAL NOTE - Aiken County Property Taxes: Next Tuesday (Aug. 30th at 6:30 p.m.) taxpayers will have another opportunity to voice concerns regarding the recent property tax assessment process. The session will be held at the Aiken Electric Coop on Wagener Road. The last meeting at the County Building was Standing Room Only so get there early. For a primer on property tax reassessments check out: Aiken Standard article.

Unemployment: This is a case of good news/bad news. While July's unemployment rate in S.C. was up to 10.9%, Aiken County is 2nd in the State with the lowest unemployment rate (9%). Here's a link to S.C.'s latest unemployment trends and statistics: http://www.taylorschouse.com/insight.php

DOT Update: The SC-DOT's 'cash flow' crunch has been addressed. I attended a briefing from DOT Secretary. St. Onge where he admitted SC-DOT had been too aggressive in road projects this Spring and Summer. Current projects are being completed. Starting of new projects has been slowed so contractors can get paid on time. The Fed's sped-up payment of $52 million they owe S.C. to help alleviate the cash crunch. Bottom line -- DOT doesn't need a state bail-out; they are curing their own problem. DOT has put in place new practices to manage cash flow so this episode won't be repeated.It's expected a Senate Committee will call hearings in September to examine DOT's financial practices.

S.C. Final Accounting Report for 2010-2011 Fiscal Year: Comptroller General Richard Eckstrom released his final accounting for the last fiscal (2010-2011). General Fund revenues were $519.9 million, far more than projected when the year started. The best news - the General Reserve Fund is fully funded for the first time since 2006. The report notes the problems associated with the under-funded liabilities in the state's retirement system for state employees. This is an issue the legislature must tackle.

SRS Draft Strategic Plan: The DOE has released the draft 2011 SRS Strategic Plan with details regarding how DOE will start moving toward and achieving a future vision for SRS. The plan outlines how current missions support site operations. It identifies high level assumptions and strategic objectives that will drive planning as DOE looks to transform SRS for future missions. The goal is to effectively utilize the site's physical, technological and human assets.

Two New Libraries: I was pleased to be on hand this past Sunday for the ceremonial ground breaking of the New Ellenton Public Library. The facility will be four times larger than the current rented facility. The project is being funded by the Capital Projects Sales Tax. A similar ground breaking was held in Wagener where the current library is doubling in size.

Thank you for the privilege of serving you. Should you have any questions or comments, please don't hesitate to call or write.

August 15, 2011: It's the off-season for the legislature; we don't reconvene until next January. That doesn't mean all is quiet. Here's an update on several key issues.

Comprehensive Tax Reform is being approached on two fronts - and that's good news, in my view. Today, Gov. Nikki Haley pledged to offer her tax plan to the legislature in 2012. She told the Associated Press, "We need to look at the entire tax structure and you will see us propose to the General Assembly where we need to go with tax reform in South Carolina so that it is permanent, long term and competitive with the rest of the country." The Tax Advisory Committee of the House Republican Caucus, of which I'm a member, has also been holding public hearings to determine its tax reform plan. According to sources, Haley wants to use her panel as a means of unveiling her support for the SC Fair Tax. If true, I say HOORAY! Hopefully, we'll learn more when Gov. Haley speaks at Tuesday's GOP luncheon group here in Aiken.

SC Fair Tax on National Platform: The Fair Tax was center stage this past weekend at the RedState Gathering in Charleston. Just prior to Gov. Rick Perry's announcement of his presidential candidacy, Congressman Rob Woodall (R-GA) and I addressed the luncheon crowd about the merits of the Fair Tax. Here's a brief video clip of my comments at RedState. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCLlkpwZxlU

Department of Transportation (SCDOT) Money Woes: It was front page news around the state this weekend that the SCDOT is having financial problems and is asking the federal government to speed up payment of monies due the agency down-the-road. The agency reportedly has $28 million on hand and owes nearly $120 million. Contractors are not being paid for road work in a timely manner. DOT is working on several alternatives for helping its cash flow. Those alternatives are being considered this week and should be resolved later this month. I will be attending a legislative briefing Wednesday afternoon with Secretary St. Onge and his staff in Columbia. I'll know more about solutions after that session.

Back to School: Students in the Aiken Public Schools returned to the classrooms today. I know they were met by enthusiastic and dedicated teachers ready to educate. I, too, will be returning to the classroom. Letters are being sent to every elementary school in House District 86 offering them to take part in my program: The State House to the School House. Many third graders around the state visit the State Capitol as part of their curriculum; however, it's rare for any schools from the 86th District making the trek to Columbia because of the expense. So, I am again bringing the State House to them. Equipped with the video presentation they would see on their State House tour, I'll talk to them about state government and answer their many questions. It's great they have so many questions! I'm looking forward to it.

My Report Cards: I received my second 'report card' for this legislative session. The South Carolina Chamber of Commerce released its annual legislative scorecard. I scored a '100' and was named a '2011 Business Advocate Award Winner' by the State Chamber. View Chamber Scorecard: http://www.taylorschouse.com/onlinescore.php Earlier, I received a score of 93.44 (out of 100) from BIPEC, a member-driven, politically nonpartisan Business and Industry organization. That ties me for the 4th highest score, topping 117 other House members. View BIPEC Report Card. http://www.taylorschouse.com/score.php I'm grateful to both these important organizations in recognizing my support of business growth and job creation.

July 29, 2011: The General Assembly returned to Columbia this week for one day to approve the redistricting plan for Congressional districts in SC.Our state's population growth over the past decade awarded us a 7th seat in Congress; the state Congressional map had to be redrawn to make room. Both the House and Senate approved the outline of a new 7th Congressional District that will be anchored in Horry County and includes the Pee Dee region.

Aiken County is in One District: Aiken County will no longer be split between two Congressional Districts. It will be in the 2nd District, the seat now held by Rep. Joe Wilson (R). The 2nd District becomes more compact in this plan and covers all of Aiken, Barnwell, Lexington counties and parts of Richland and Orangeburg.

Governor Haley will sign the congressional reapportionment bill into law during a ceremony this Monday in Myrtle Beach, the heart of the new 7th District. But this won't be the end of the political drama. SC is under the scrutiny of the Voter Rights Act, therefore the plan must be approved by the U.S. Justice Department. It is expected the that SC Democrats will challenge the plan in court.

Federal Debt Debate Rolls into S.C.: Gov. Haley held her first financial summit this week. Moody's Investor Service, a credit-rating firm, received an update on the state's financial health. Last week, Moody's warned that if the federal government did not increase its more than $14 trillion debt ceiling, it would lower its debt rating for SC and four other states. South Carolina, for instance, has large numbers of poor residents on Medicaid, seniors on Social Security and Medicare, and massive military installations. Haley told them, "There is an absolute stark contrast in where we are going in our financial condition in the state of SC and where the federal government is going. While they continue to go somewhat in chaos, we continue to go in a more independent, solid way." Facing a projected $800 million deficit at one point, Haley noted the state finished its June 30 fiscal year with a surplus because of higher-than-anticipated revenue collections and spending cuts by several state agencies, including a reduction in the amount paid to Medicaid providers. The goal for 2012, Haley said, is for the state to continue to limit its Medicaid costs and address its under-funded retirement system. "We have had to do a lot of work this year, but we've gotten a lot done," Haley said. "Next year will be even better."

Boeing Battle: President Obama has remained silent on the National Labor Relations Board's complaint against the Boeing Company that would kill South Carolina jobs. But now that Congressman Tim Scott has introduced legislation to rein in the NLRB and protect SC employers and workers, the White House has made it clear it opposes Scott's bill that would reduce the NLRB's powers. Gov. Haley weighed in saying, "For months, the people of our state have waited on answers from the president, and they haven't gotten any. Now, what we're seeing from this administration - as it allows union bullies to put themselves in between our companies and employees - is a president who is more concerned about protecting his own political allies than growing our economy. I urge members of Congress to take the pro-jobs position, and pass Congressman Scott's bill."

Good News - Bridgestone Expands in Aiken County: Hopefully, you read or heard about the good economic news that came to Aiken County recently. Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations will expand its facility in Aiken County with a $135 million investment creating 122 full-time jobs. That will expand their present facility of 266,000 square feet. The plant will begin producing an additional 4,750 passenger and light truck tires per day beginning in the second quarter of 2013. Bridgestone has given Aiken County another reason to celebrate.

Thank you for the privilege of serving you. Should you have any questions or comments, please don't hesitate to call or write.

July 26, 2011: A chief focus for me as a legislator is helping the private sector create jobs so South Carolina's economy expands and everyone prospers.

Today, our legislative 'report card' was released by BIPEC (Business and Industry Political Education Committee), a member-driven, politically nonpartisan Business and Industry organization dedicated to promoting and protecting the free, private and competitive enterprise system through research and education.

I'm pleased to report I received a score of 93.44 (out of 100). That ties me for the 4th highest score, topping 118 other House members.

Elected representatives must be held accountable for their voting; accountability and transparency are the hallmarks of BIPEC's much respected report card initiative. For every legislative session for 26 years, BIPEC has used roll call votes and bill sponsorships on business and industry issues to calculate a vote score for every member of the South Carolina General Assembly. Legislators are graded on issues including property taxes, health care and tort reform, local and state regulatory fees, licenses and corporate income taxes.

We should all be grateful to BIPEC for 'keeping score' and informing South Carolinians how their legislators measure up in this vitally important area.

For my part, I realize that government delivers stability while business innovators provide results. I will continue to do my best to help South Carolina expand and prosper by enabling the private sector to propel our economy.

July 14, 2011: The legislature is in recess for several weeks. Here's the latest...

Special Legislative Session: The House of Representatives remains in Special Session. We will return to Columbia July 26th for one day to vote on the Congressional redistricting plan IF a single plan can be agreed upon by House and Senate negotiators. Failure to approve a plan will send Congressional redistricting to a three judge federal panel to decide. That would be most unfortunate.

Caylee's Law: I have received hundreds of e-mails requesting support for the creation of Caylee's Law. That law would make it a felony for a parent, legal guardian or a caretaker to not notify law enforcement of the disappearance of a child within 24 hours so proper steps can be taken to find the child before it's too late. Legislation is currently being drafted in the S.C. General Assembly and I will be supportive as we determine if a new law is necessary.

It Takes 1,000s of Hand - Joplin Recovery: While the political wrangling in Washington has reached new and disgusting heights, I have had the opportunity to experience 'The Real America'. The outpouring of good hearted American volunteers renews ones faith in our collective national values. In the past seven weeks 42,000 volunteers have helped clean rubble from the six mile path of destruction caused by the F-5 tornado that killed 159.

There is resilience in the Heartland of America. In only seven weeks, the debris from nearly 800 homes has been removed clearing the way for rebuilding plans. A thousand more homes still need demolition. Wednesday, I was fortunate to be teamed with members of the St. Louis Rams football team. On one day alone 400 volunteers were in the field and 15 home sites were cleared. One Joplin lady said of the volunteers, "If it weren't for you, I would have moved away." Joplin demonstrates a 'can do' spirit and is on the re-bound.

The volunteer coordination is being led by AmeriCorp. These are amazing young people serving in what some call our 'Domestic Peace Corps'. As I wrote in a column in the Aiken Standard last month, Joplin needs help now and later -- recovery is a very long process. If you feel the calling to help, just do it! It's as easy as showing up and going to work for a day, week or month.

Connect with AmeriCorp in Joplin AmeriCorps Volunteer Hotline: 417-625-3543 Facebook: Joplin Tornado Relief Service Twitter: @AmeriCorpsJTRS

Listening: I had the opportunity to listen to many impassioned Aiken County neighbors last Saturday at the 'Rally in the Alley' sponsored by the Aiken County Tea Party. What a opportunity for so many to take to the stump and express their passion on national, state and local issues.

Learning: For the next few days I'm in Memphis attending the Southern Legislative Conference. This annual event is an opportunity for me to learn from experts about the challenges faced by states and discuss potential solutions. It's also a chance to meet and discuss issues with legislators from the 15 other Southern states.

Thank you for the privilege of serving you. Should you have any questions or comments, please don't hesitate to call or write.

July 1, 2011 Legislative Update: Thanks for the compliment! "No pork included in this year's budget" was the pronouncement from Governor Haley after reviewing this year's state budget as submitted by the General Assembly. The Governor acknowledged the fiscal restraint the General Assembly used in developing the budget by only vetoing 35 items amounting to approximately 3% of the $6 billion General Fund budget.

South Carolina and Financial Solvency...

This year's budget comes in tens of millions of dollars below proposed growth caps. It's a conservative budget that sets aside unprecedented appropriations for debt repayment and increasing rainy day reserve accounts. These are savings and show sound fiscal responsibility. Here are the savings and debt repayment:

$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 $198.6 million to fully fund general obligation bond payments.

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.

Save the Money! Following Wednesday's budget session, several members of your Aiken County Legislative Delegation sent a letter to the Aiken County School Board stating: "We strongly encourage the Aiken County School District to set aside the additional $3.6 million in the funding and save it for any future funding shortfall. We think that doing this will be the wisest use of these funds considering the current status of the economy."

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.

The Bottom Line...

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. As always, thank you for the privilege of serving you. Should you have any questions or comments, please don't hesitate to call or write.

June 23, 2011: Big news comes from this week's Special Legislative Session, but first, I'll share some very encouraging economic news.

Bragging Rights for Being #50! It's usually not a good thing to end up at the bottom of state rankings, but this time it's terrific! That's because being the 50th ranked state means SC taxes its citizens at the lowest rate per capita of all states. The ranking comes from the prestigious Tax Foundation, a Conservative think tank that's been around since 1937. The average state tax burden in America is $2,339; SC's average tax is $1,577 - 33% lower. In case you're wondering - Alaska is #1 at $7,145. Most southeastern states are ranked in the 40-50 range.

$20 Billion in Tax Cuts: South Carolina's low tax burden is a direct result of the more than $20 billion in tax cuts that have passed since Republicans gained the majority in the House in 1995. The Board of Economic Advisors reports the tax reductions have grown steadily over the 15 years.

We Can Do Even Better - Tax Reform Underway: I'm pleased to report that the Republican House Caucus is targeting tax reform for SC with the goal of introducing legislation next January. I'm honored to have been selected to serve on the 'Caucus Tax Policy Advisory Committee'. We wasted no time getting started holding an organizational meeting yesterday. Our goal is to review the current state tax codes and regulations and to make recommendations to the GOP Caucus regarding needed changes so tax reform can top the legislative agenda next January.

S.C. #1 for Economic Growth Potential: Our state has recently been ranked #1 for 'economic growth potential' by Business Facilities magazine. It also ranks #4 among all states for having the 'best business climate'. We also rank #3 in 'automotive manufacturing strength' ahead of Michigan!

State Budget Approved...

Job Creation, Debt Repayment & Education Made Top Priorities: Both the House and Senate agreed yesterday 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. The measure is headed to Gov. Haley, who can use a line-item veto if she chooses. The legislature returns next week to vote on sustaining or overriding each of the Governor's vetoes.

House Speaker Bobby Harrell said, "This year's more transparent budget process has produced fiscally conservative spending decisions that address our citizens' needs and responsibly plans for our state's future. A focus was placed on targeting core government functions. Plans to repay debt, increase reserve accounts and add to the base student cost were all funded."

Budget Highlights: Fiscal discipline in this budget include 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.

The "news naysayers" will surely write about the size of the budget, even though the General Fund is $1 billion less than two years ago. Little credit will be given to our decision NOT to spend this year's recently announced revenue surplus on legislative wish lists. I joined those voting to direct money to debt repayment, education and funding increases to the General Reserve Fund five years ahead of schedule. It's also important to note that this revenue surplus was the result of increased private sector economic activity and not from any kind of tax increase.

By keeping taxes low, getting government bureaucracy out of the way and cutting government spending to balance our budget, we have created a competitive and fair business climate that is allowing our state's economy to grow out of this national recession.

Putting the Budget in Perspective: 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.

Also in the Legislature This Week...

House Passes Illegal Immigration Bill for the Final Time: S.C.'s House voted 69-43 to agree with the Senate's changes in the Illegal Immigration Enforcement Act and send the bill to Gov. Haley. Her spokesman says she will sign it. The bill requires police in SC to check suspects' legal status and mandates that all businesses check their hires through a federal online system. The bill expands on an anti-illegal-immigration law passed in 2008 that was considered among the nations toughest. The bill requires officers to call federal immigration officials if they suspect someone is in the country illegally. The question must follow an arrest or traffic stop for something else. The measure bars officers from holding someone on that suspicion.

Government Reform Hits Senate Roadblock: Seventeen senators, mostly Democrats, have blocked a bill that would add a cabinet-level Department of Administration to the General Assembly's extended session. Adding the bill to the session's agenda would require the support of two-thirds of state senators or 31 votes. The proposal won only 25 votes in the Republican-controlled Senate. It's a priority issue for Gov. Haley.

Good News for Banks Mill Rd Travelers...

Banks Mill Repaving: The resurfacing of Banks Mill Road between Cedar Creek Church and Cedar Creek Subdivision was scheduled to begin this week. In addition, the County Transportation Committee (CTC) let a contract which includes the repaving of Banks Mill Road between Pine Log and Citadel. That particular contract has a completion date of June 30, 2012.

As always, thank you for the privilege of serving you. Should you have any questions or comments, please don't hesitate to call or write.

June 17, 2011: The first week of the Special Session of the South Carolina Legislature was brief, but the House had scored a few major accomplishments.

House Approves Congressional Redistricting: The map centers the new 7th Congressional District in Horry County, brings in part of the Pee Dee and runs along the North Carolina line. The plan approved by the House puts all of Aiken County in Congressman Joe Wilson's 2nd district.

The State Senate still must decide on its version of congressional districts. YOU STILL HAVE A CHANCE TO VOICE YOUR OPINION -The Senate will hold a public hearing on its redistricting plan at 5 p.m. Monday, June 20, in Room 308 of the Gressette Office building on the State House grounds. The House and Senate plans will be different and will have to be hashed out in a conference committee. A compromise plan must be signed by the governor and approved by the U.S. Justice Department.

House District 86 Stays In Aiken County: A move was made this week to extend House District 86 into Lexington County. Thankfully, the amendment failed and the House District I serve remains entirely in Aiken County. The final plan has District 86 shifting east to include the entire southeast portion of Aiken County, which includes the Wagener, Perry and Salley precincts. The Redds Branch precinct, just east of the City of Aiken, will also be added. The area just south of Aiken (Woodside Reserve, College Acres, Chukker Creek and Beaver Creek) will move to Rep. Tom Young's 81st House District. The rural area west of New Ellenton will be included in Rep. Roland Smith's 84th House District.

Senate OKs New State Senate Districts: The SC Senate approved new district lines for state Senators on a unanimous vote. Veteran Democrat Senator Nikki Setzler (District 26) takes a larger portion of Aiken County including the eastern and northern portions of the county into the City of Aiken.

Government Restructuring Uncertain: State Senators decided yesterday to put off until next week a vote on whether to consider a bill to create a state Department of Administration which would oversee much of the day-to-day function of state government replacing many of the duties of the state Budget & Control Board. The restructuring bill is a top priority for Gov. Haley.

Illegal immigration: Next Tuesday the House will debate a final plan on new immigration-enforcement legislation that has been amended and approved by the Senate. The bill allows state and local law enforcement officers to check immigration status if they suspect a person is an illegal immigrant. If that person is in the country illegally, the law enforcement officer would report his or her identity to federal authorities. The bill also would shut down businesses that refuse to follow the law. The House will likely agree to the changes and the bill will go to the Governor for her signature.

The State Budget: Also on tap next week is approval of the state budget. A House and Senate committee has been working this week to find a compromise between various budget plans. One of the biggest sticking points is whether the state should shift more money to public schools or to pay down debt the state incurred by borrowing from the federal government to pay unemployment benefits.

Governor's Veto Overridden: 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.

Senate overrides Governor's veto of I-95 council: State Senators have overridden Gov. Haley's veto of a bill meant to coordinate efforts to increase opportunities in poor, rural communities along Interstate 95. The Senate voted 30-10 this week to void Haley's veto. The measure returns to the House next week.

Crack Down on Copper Thieves: The Senate agreed with the House and passed the bill aimed at halting the epidemic of copper thefts across the state. It bans recyclers from paying cash to people who sell them scrap copper. The bill also requires anyone selling scrap copper and other metals to get a free-of-charge permit to do so from their local sheriff. The bill needs the Governor's signature.

Top Cop Chosen: The State Law Enforcement Division will be led by Mark Keel, who now runs the state Department of Public Safety. Keel is a veteran of SLED. Gov. Haley said she picked Keel because of his experience and knowledge of the agency. The appointment needs Senate confirmation.

Inspector General: Gov. Haley has appointed a replacement inspector general, Jim Martin, to head up the uncovering of waste, fraud and mismanagement in state agencies. Haley's first pick for the job resigned after six weeks. The toll-free number to report waste and fraud is 1-855-SC-FRAUD.

As always, thank you for the privilege of serving you. Should you have any questions or comments, please don't hesitate to call or write.

June 10, 2011: It was nice to be in Aiken County all week. The legislative reprieve was courtesy of the S.C. Supreme Court. The Court ruled Monday that the legislature should remain in recess for a week and not be called into 'Emergency Session' by Governor Haley. Ideally, the legal flap between the Governor and the State Senate was just a political 'dust-up'. It is my hope that when we resume in Special Session next Tuesday the Senate will move forward swiftly with the government reform bills we have already approved in the House.

On the Calendar: When we return to Columbia next week the legislature will be taking up the budget conference report, the governor's budget vetoes, finalizing the plan for redistricting and hopefully, the restructuring reform bills that will get passed out of the Senate. I'll update on our progress. A reminder - I post updates daily on Facebook, so connect with me there at my TaylorSCHouse page on Facebook for 'Breaking News'.

Budgeting for Public Education: I reported some encouraging news to the Aiken County School Board at their meeting this week. The current Base Student Funding Rate (money coming from the state) is $1,618 per student. When the Conference Committee settles differences in the House and Senate versions of the budget, it's likely that Base Student Funding will increase to about $1,900 per student next year - that would be an increase of more than 17 percent! That means the Aiken County public schools would get an additional $6.7 million over this year.

Miserable Economy: In reality, it's difficult for most of us to see and feel the economic recovery the 'experts' say we're experiencing. Unemployment is still nearly 10% in SC and the real unemployment figure is much higher because the percentage does not include those who have given up looking for work. The Consumer Price Index stands at 3.2 percent annual increase, but we're all are experiencing sticker shock at the gas pumps and grocery aisles. The U.S. 'Misery Index' has increased 57 percent (4.43 points) since President Obama took office. That's the highest Misery Index since Jimmy Carter was in office. Link: http://www.miseryindex.us/indexbyPresident.asp. Regardless, I have a little encouraging news to report. Read on....

Good Economic News: Economic activity in SC rebounded in 2010, and at a faster pace than in most other states, according to a new report from the U.S. Department of Commerce's Bureau of Economic Analysis. The real gross domestic product - an inflation-adjusted measurement of goods and services produced - grew by 2.6 percent in SC last year, led by a rebound in manufacturing, particularly in the automotive sector. While matching the national rate of GDP growth, SC ranked 21st among states for GDP growth. In the Southeast, SC's economic growth exceeded that in Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi and Arkansas, but trailed the growth rate in North Carolina.

SC Scores High with CEO's: The bosses who have a big say in where their companies locate, rank South Carolina among the top states to do business. In the annual ranking by 500 CEO's, SC jumped two positions to #8 on the list of best states to do business. That's up from #10 last year! Link: http://chiefexecutive.net/best-worst-states-for-business

Good Tax News: SC is ranked #11 as one of the best states in terms of the cost of taxes on entrepreneurship and small business. North Carolina is #38, and of course, California is near the bottom. Full Report: http://www.sbecouncil.org/businesstaxindex2011/report.pdf

American-German Chamber of Commerce: I attended a dinner this week in Aiken of the American-German Chamber of Commerce here in Aiken. Business and government executives from Germany were here to get better acquainted with Aiken County and SC and to strengthen relations. We 'pitched them' in joining German-owned MTU in making Aiken County a place to do business. SC is the second largest exporting U.S. state to Germany behind #1 California.

Amazon Gets Busy: Online retailer Amazon has ramped up its online recruiting efforts to hire employees for its new Lexington County distribution center that will create 2,000 jobs within three years. The company has posted online hundreds of job openings which will include medical and dental coverage for workers and a number of other employee benefits. Amazon resumed its project this week after the sales tax collection exemption it sought took effect after Gov. Haley let it become law without her signature. The new law says Amazon will start collecting sales tax from SC online shoppers in 2016.

'Partial' Tax Reform Proposed: A tax reform bill has been filed in the SC House that would cut the state's sales tax 2-cents by eliminating most exemptions. That's certainly a step in the right direction. The BIG STEP is to adopt the SC Fair Tax Act and ELIMINATE ALL sales taxes! Why take a half step when you can take a whole step? Reform Now! Learn More: http://scthenerve.wordpress.com/2011/06/07/house-bill-calls-for-lowering-state-sales-tax-and-eliminating-exemptions/

VAT Tax? Even in political retirement, some 'Old Pols' campaign for raising taxes. Former SC Sen. Fritz Hollings this week urged for the creation of a national Value Added Tax (VAT). Senator, we would be better and more competitive with a Fair Tax, not a VAT.

How's that $timulu$ Working? While focusing on economics in this newsletter, I want to share with you a report on how President Obama's stimulus plan didn't work as promised. Click here to see a graph showing promises not met: http://www.economics21.org/blog/revisiting-unemployment-predictions

Fair Tax Petition: Support the national Fair Tax; sign this online petition: http://www.petitiononline.com/HR25Reps

Boeing Battle: Hats off the SC Attorney General Alan Wilson who, along with the Texas Attnory General, is helping lead 16 states in challenging the NLRB's complaint against Boeing. Here's the latest: http://www.scag.gov/archives/5451

Trimming Medicaid: Medicaid payments to doctors in SC will be reduced by up to 7 percent starting July 1. The estimated savings for the state is $125 million for the next fiscal year. Beginning July 1, patient co-pays will increase from $2.30 to $3.30 -- the maximum amount allowed by federal law -- for doctor, clinic, home health and optometrist visits. And for the first time, people enrolled in some programs for the elderly and disabled will be required to make co-pays for some medical services.

State House District 86 Moves East: The SC House of Representatives has completed hearings on re-drawing the boundaries for State House districts. The population growth in Aiken County and the state means each State House District gets more people and boundary lines adjusted. The final plan has House District 86 shifting east to include the entire Wagener, Perry and Salley precincts in the southeast portion of Aiken County as well as the Redds Branch precinct just east of the City of Aiken. The area just south of Aiken (Woodside Reserve, College Acres, Chukker Creek and Beaver Creek would move to Rep. Tom Young's 81st House District. The rural area west of New Ellenton would be included in Rep. Roland Smith's 84th House District.

Here's the proposed map for House District 86: http://redistricting.schouse.gov/FilesSubmittedJune72011/HouseDistrictMaps/HD-086.tif

June 4, 2011: The news coming from Columbia these past couple of days may be confusing and frustrating for citizens who want to see positive accomplishments from their state government. Allow me to sort it out.

Minutes after the General Assembly recessed from its regular session Thursday, Gov. Haley held a press conference ordering lawmakers to return to Columbia this Tuesday, specifically calling on the State Senate to finish government restructuring legislation. Everyone recognizes the Senate has had a slow, deliberative pace this year. On the other side, the House of Representatives accomplished its lengthy Republican agenda.

What's left for the Senate to complete in next weeks special session? The major government restructuring items already passed by the House. They include creating a Department of Administration, and the approval of constitutional amendments allowing the Superintendent of Education to be appointed by the Governor and enabling the Governor and Lieutenant Governor to run on a joint ticket.

I'll be back at my desk in the House Tuesday morning along with my Republican colleagues. It's uncertain if House Democrats will boycott the session or if there will be enough members present for a quorum so we can conduct business. If enough members show up we will await the Senate to take action on the key government restructuring items that are pending. However, the Senate's participation is in doubt. Senate President Pro Tempore Glenn McConnell said the Senate will not return Tuesday and questioned the Governor's authority to call a special session. The state Supreme Court may be called on Monday to rule concerning the Governor's authority.

All this is nonsense and political stagecraft, in my view. I watched Gov. Haley's confrontational news conference held moments after adjournment. It was unnecessary. There was no good reason to create a predictable political firestorm when the legislature is already scheduled to return in special session starting June 14. That agenda includes the finalizing the state budget, approving the once-a-decade redistricting plan and voting on bills currently being worked out in conference committee. With a little forethought and collaboration, the restructuring bills in question could have been added to the agenda for that special session. We have a Republican Governor and a Republican majority in both the House and Senate; the goal is to work together to accomplish good things for South Carolina and limit the political grand standing and brinksmanship.

A Recap of the Hectic Final Week of the Regular Session...

Drug Testing Bill: Under a bill filed in the House just before we adjourned the session Thursday, South Carolinian's must submit urine, blood or hair samples for drug testing before receiving cash benefits from the state. If they fail the test they will be banned for 6 months from receiving benefits. A second failed test results in a three-year ban. The SC legislation is modeled after a bill signed into law in Florida this week. Aiken Rep. Tom Young is the primary sponsor, but he was far from alone. I was the first person to sign on as a co-sponsor and by the time it was filed it had a total of 67 sponsors, a majority of the House. The bill will be taken up next January.

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.

Amazon Deal Gets Final Approval: Amazon received the go ahead vote from the House allowing the online retailer to open a distribution center bringing 2,000 jobs to SC by the end of 2013. House members approved the Senate version of the deal 90-14. The bill heads to Gov. Haley who continues with her opposition by letting the measure take effect without her approval.

Unfinished Business: Unfortunately, some items that were very close to becoming law, notably the illegal immigration reform, remained in limbo because of Senate inaction during the final week of the session.

Looking Back Over the House Session...

The House Republican Caucus celebrated the completion of its ambitious 2011 agenda as the SC House adjourned sine die. The House GOP agenda focused on creating jobs, improving education, transparency and government reform, new pro-life protections, limiting government power, and illegal immigration reform. Because of the Republicans' effectiveness - other important legislation made it through the House - items like Voter ID, Tort Reform, the Repeal Amendment, and others. There were 20 additional pieces of legislation under those topics passed in the 19-week session.

In the coming weeks I will use this newsletter to provide a thorough recap of the accomplishments and failures of the regular legislative session. Also this summer, I will be holding Town Hall meetings around House District 86 to report in-person on the session and get your input. I look forward to these sessions.

May 27, 2011: On this Memorial Day weekend may we all pause from the fun festivities to recognize the true meaning of the holiday - to honor members of our Armed Services, past and present. The men and women in uniform we honor serve today in perilous places as well as those who have sacrificed in the past to protect our nation and earn our freedom. Our gratitude is heartfelt.

Join us Saturday afternoon at 1:00 p.m. in downtown Aiken for the Annual Memorial Day parade. We'll be in the parade with two units. Of course, our trusty, red campaign Jeep will lead the way followed by our Emergency Mobile Shower Unit (http://www.emergencymobileshower.us). Hope to see you there!

Now, here's this week's legislative update...

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.

GOP Agenda Completed by the House! The illegal immigration bill is the capstone to the 17-point House Republican Caucus agenda for 2011, and we made sure to approve the Senate version of the bill so there would be no delay in getting this item to Governor Haley's desk. The agenda was intended to be a two-year agenda. We approved touchstone conservative issues such as a state spending limit, Voter ID, lawsuit abuse reform, shortening the legislative session, and the Repeal Amendment. Only three of the items - Illegal Immigration Reform, Voter ID, and Roll Call Voting - have been approved by the Senate.

Senate OK's Amazon Deal: A deal reached in the wee hours of this morning in the SC Senate paves the way for online retailer Amazon to open a distribution center employing 2,000 people. The state Senate agreed give Amazon a five year sales tax exemption it wants for the project. Senators had been debating the measure for two days. Resistance came from about 12 of 46 Senators, but they signed on when all sides agreed that Amazon will simply send customers in SC notices that sales tax is owed on purchases. SC law requires residents to pay sales tax on online purchases. That change sends the bill back to the House where we will vote on it next week.

The State Budget: It took the Senate more than a month to pass their proposed version of a state budget. Their spending plan grew by hundreds of millions of dollars over the more conservative House version we passed last month. Ours was $5.3 billion. The Senate's budget proposal now heads to the House where we will likely spend time chopping back the expansion in spending. A House-Senate committee will work out differences between the House and Senate budget proposals. The Governor then will have the chance to approve or veto the spending plan.

School Choice Bill Dies: The debate on School Choice was a non-starter. Opponents, nearly all Democrats and a few Republicans, maneuvered to kill the bill only minutes after it was introduced on the House floor. However, supporters mustered 59 votes (63 is a majority); that's the most ever for a school choice bill in SC. The initiative would have allowed state tax credits to donors who finance K-12 scholarships for low income students to attend non-public schools. It was similar to bills passed in other states that provided scholarships to poor children trapped in underperforming or failing schools and special needs children. With so much support, another version of the bill will likely be introduced next year.

Congressional Redistricting Hearings: Claude O'Donovan was one of only two Aiken residents to testify this week in Columbia before the House Judiciary sub-committee charged with creating new Congressional Districts. SC adds a 7th Congressional District which causes a dramatically different state-wide map. For the past decade, Aiken County has been split between the Second (Cong. Joe Wilson) and Third (Cong. Jeff Duncan) Congressional Districts. Under the proposed House plan, all of Aiken County would be in the Second Congressional District with all of Lexington and Barnwell counties and portions of Richland, Calhoun, Orangeburg, and Fairfield counties. O'Donovan testified that Aiken County would be better served by having representation from two Congressmen, especially retaining Jeff Duncan for his expertise on energy issues because Aiken County is the home of SRS.

Banning Speeding Cameras: By a vote of 99-1, House members agreed to ban camera-issued speeding tickets. The Senate already has approved the measure, aimed at the town of Ridgeland, which uses cameras to catch speeders on Interstate 95. State law already bars speeding tickets based only on photographic evidence. The bill goes to the Governor for her veto or approval.

State House Visitors: We were fortunate to have many State House visitors this week. Yesterday, third graders from St. Mary's School in Aiken toured the State House. Earlier, a group of certifiable 'smart kids' were in the House gallery where I introduced them to a standing ovation from Representatives. It was Aiken Middle School's Academic Team - the Aiken County Champions who were undefeated in the recent academic competition.

Fellow Americans On Our Minds: Please keep the folks in Joplin MO, and others hit by ravaging storms this past week, in your thoughts and prayers. I've been working with Governor's office to provide assistance. Governor Haley has been in contact with the Governor of Missouri to offer assistance. It is most important that our SC Faith-Based Oraganizations muster a response, as I know they will. Our family will do our part.

As always, thank you for the privilege of serving you. Should you have any questions or comments, please don't hesitate to call or write.

May 21, 2011: The State House moves forward on so many fronts, while the Senate is bogged down. Much of the House work must be approved by the Senate, yet progress is slow on that side of the building. Time is running out. The holdup in passing a budget proposal through the Senate threatens to maroon other major legislation until next year. Several major casualties would be: 1) making changes to the state's jobless benefits system, aimed at saving businesses money 2) tort reform 3) Point of Sale tax reform 4) Charter School expansion, and many other bills passed by the House.

Critical Example - The Senate Budget Debate Drones On: Senators finished another week accomplishing little on the budget. They return Tuesday for more debate. The House passed its version of the budget ($5.2 billion) in two days in April. The Senate version has grown to $6 billion!!! Senate leadership says there's no chance now to get a compromise version of the budget worked out with the House and deal with possible vetoes by Gov. Haley before the Legislature adjourns June 2. The House will be back in session nearly all of June to ensure a budget!

BIG NEWS - S.C.'s New Congressional Districts Unveiled: During the June legislative session we'll approve redistricting plans for SC's Congressional districts and the State House and Senate districts. Because of SC's population growth over the past decade a 7th Congressional district is being added. It will likely be centered on Myrtle Beach and the Pee Dee. The shift puts all of Aiken County in Joe Wilson's 2nd District removing Jeff Duncan's 3rd House District north. The House Judiciary sub-committee will hold hearings all next week to review the plans. It's likely they will hear public testimony on our Congressional districts Tuesday at 9:00 a.m.

Here's the proposed Congressional map for the entire state: http://redistricting.schouse.gov/CongressionalPlan/Proposed%20US%20Congressional%20Draft.tif

Here's the proposed 2nd District Congressional map: http://redistricting.schouse.gov/CongressionalPlan/US-002.tif

State House District 86 Moves East: The population growth in Aiken County and the state means each State House District gets boundary lines adjusted. The proposed plan has my House District shifting east to include the Wagener, Perry and Salley precincts in the southeast portion of Aiken County as well as the Redds Branch precinct just east of the City of Aiken. The area just south of Aiken (Woodside Reserve, College Acres, Chukker Creek and Beaver Creek would move to Rep. Tom Young's 81st House District. The rural area west of New Ellenton would be included in Rep. Roland Smith's 84th House District.

Done! Voter ID Signed: Gov. Haley today signed into law the Voter ID legislation (H.3003) this week. I was one of the many co-sponsors of the House bill. The Governor said, "If you have to show a picture ID to buy Sudafed, if you have to show a picture ID to get on an airplane, you should show a picture ID when you vote."

Employer Rights Wins: 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.

Illegal Immigration Bill Advances: The SC House of Representatives will soon have floor debate on the new immigration bill (S.20) that requires police officers to check the status of people they suspect are in this country illegally. The measure was approved by the House Judiciary Committee. The bill states the citizen check must follow a stop or arrest for something else; people can't be held on suspicion only.

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

Very Close Call: 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: A bill passed by the House this week 95-16 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. The Conservation Bank started as a grass roots effort. It combined many individuals, groups, and businesses to find ways to preserve greenways, open space, and parks in urban areas. The objective is to promote balanced growth, well-being and quality of life in SC. It also funds the preservation of, and public access to, wildlife habitats, natural areas, historical sites, forestlands, farmlands, watersheds, open space, and urban parks. The bill now goes to the Senate.

Bringing the State House to Aiken County: Friday morning I visited Oakwood-Windsor Elementary School and met with the third grade classes. Great kids with lots of questions! State government is part of the third grade curriculum; however, it's rare that any elementary school in my House District visits the Capitol. Therefore, I have initiated a program to bring the State House to them. Equipped with the video presentation they see on their State House tour, I tell them about state government and answer their many questions. I hope to continue this practice next school year.

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. Amazon Means Jobs! 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.

Foothold: If they come, it's likely that Amazon's Lexington distribution facility will be a foothold in our state. There are indications Amazon is looking to expand to other parts of SC with similar distribution facilities as they have in other states. Potentially, that means thousands more direct and indirect jobs. Hopefully, Amazon will come to SC and serve as a beacon in attracting other companies from around the country. After careful consideration, the entire Aiken House Delegation voted in favor of the new Amazon deal. Aiken County's Chief economic developer, Will Williams, wrote: "I am very encouraged by the SC House of Representatives' vote regarding Amazon. Our Aiken County House Delegation showed a tremendous amount of courage by voting in favor of this bill. None of them made their vote without thorough consideration of all the issues and how it would impact both our County and State. This will lead to the creation of other indirect jobs outside of the 2,000 promised by Amazon. I would like to thank them for their commitment to economic development in Aiken County and the State of South Carolina."

What's The New Deal? Many of the details of the original deal were murky and unknown to me and other legislators at the time of the original vote three weeks ago. Fortunately, since the first vote defeating the sales tax exemption, Amazon's feet were held to the fire and improvements were made. Here's a recap of the 'deal points' - the new Amazon deal:

1. The terms of the legislation are very specific and require Amazon to meet its promises, or it forfeits the safe harbor sales tax exemption.

2. The legislation increases Amazon's minimum guarantee from 1,249 to 2,000 full-time jobs at an average salary of $33,000 per year, with health benefits.

3. Amazon upped from $90 million to $125 million its minimum capital investment guarantee.

4. The economic benefit from the Amazon deal is $1.1 BILLION, according to an economic analysis done with the same methods as the Boeing deal.

5. Amazon will not be opening retail shops in our state. The Lexington facility is only a distribution center to speed deliveries throughout the Southeast.

6. The safe harbor sales tax exemption ends on January 1, 2016. This is not an open-ended deal.

7. More on the cost-benefit analysis (based on the 1,249 jobs number) shows the estimated revenue "loss" by the Amazon deal is $2.6 million in sales tax to the state. The Amazon jobs will bring $5.3 million in income tax revenue. This gives the deal a positive of $2.6 million to the state General Fund.

The Kicker: If the incentives were not approved, Amazon would still never pay sales tax in SC and will still be selling items to people in our state, but Amazon would not provide the 2,000+ jobs to our citizens. This bill means Amazon will begin paying sales tax in 2016 - which actually puts Amazon on a track toward leveling the playing field with other businesses in our state. This was a promise made to a company by the Sanford Administration. Other projects across the state have stalled because of the delay on the Amazon deal. As state business recruiters strive to bring businesses to SC it's critical they have the confidence of those potential businesses so they can negotiate in good faith. I certainly don't agree with the way this deal was negotiated; I hope our Governor and Commerce Secretary will keep that disapproval in mind. In the meantime, approving this new deal was the right thing for the thousands of families across the SC who will be able to find solid, well-paying jobs.

Jobs First! Jobs First! Jobs First! I hope the Senate concurs with the House and thousands of our neighbors are soon employed.

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May 16, 2011: The heart and soul of the South Carolina Fair Tax Act is job creation and tax reform. Both are urgently needed in the Palmetto State. Fair Tax momentum is building. Just last week at its state convention, the S.C. Republican Party overwhelmingly approved a platform resolution supporting the SC Fair Tax. That's mainstream endorsement of the Fair Tax. After the legislature adjourns this summer you will likely be reading and hearing a lot more about the S.C. Fair Tax. Governor Haley will ramp up and lead the discussion of true and meaningful tax reform. Here's your chance to get ahead of the discussion. The front page cover story in Sunday's Aiken Standard highlights the pros and cons of the S.C. Fair Tax. I invite you to check it out: http://www.aikenstandard.com/local/0515-state-fair-tax/

Last month the S.C. Fair Tax Act (H 3993) was introduced in the House of Representatives. I am proud to be a Primary Sponsor, but I'm far from alone. The bill has a total of 65 sponsors; a majority of the House! That's enough support to theoretically pass it today. When South Carolina becomes the first state to enact a Fair Tax it will be a game changer for our economy. It will propel us into the top tier of states in attracting new industry and businesses. It will also unbridle existing businesses to create more jobs and put people back to work. It is also the major tax reform legislation most of us seek. It changes the method of tax collection from what you earn to what you spend. It would tax new goods and services and be collected at the point of sale. It jettisons South Carolina's corporate and personal income taxes and makes us similar to Texas which is booming. The Fair Tax replaces the State's 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 South Carolina of the archaic sales tax with its many exemptions.

Overall, there would be no overall tax increase because the South Carolina Fair Tax is designed to be revenue neutral; the State will collect the same amount of tax money, just more fairly. With so much initial legislative support for the Fair Tax, I believe it will become a significant part of the tax reform debate this summer and beyond. The South Carolina Fair Tax will be good for each of us because it will usher in a fairer system of state taxation and help improve our state's economy, making South Carolina more attractive for business and industry. More businesses results in more jobs and opportunities and a healthier economy.

May 14, 2011: All state government offices were closed this past Tuesday in observance of Confederate Memorial Day. When we assembled Wednesday, it was full steam ahead! Here's this week's Legislative Update.

At Last - Voter ID Goes to the Governor: The legislation heads to the Governor to be signed. SC joins numerous other states in passing Voter ID legislation. The Texas House passed a similar bill this week by an overwhelming majority.

Point of Sale Tax Reform: The House passed 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.

Immigration Bill: This bill moved out of committee. The bill has two major parts. The first part requires a South Carolina law enforcement officer to verify the person's immigration status if the officer has reasonable suspicion that a person stopped, detained, or arrested is an illegal immigrant. The second part bans an illegal immigrant from applying for work in SC. The bill is complimented by a tough 2008 SC illegal immigration bill that caused a 21% decline in the number of illegal immigrants, according to a recent study.

Let Parents Choose: A bill designed to help parents choose independent schools for their children is headed to the House floor. Seven Democrats failed to show up at the scheduled committee meeting in an attempt to prevent a quorum from being attained. The move was unsuccessful. This proposal offers:

1. Tax credits to donors that finance K-12 tuition scholarships for low-income students to attend private schools.

2. Modest tax credits for families paying out of pocket for independent school tuition or home-schooling.

3. Only new students transferring into independent schools or entering Kindergarten would be immediately eligible.

The Incredulous Boeing Battle: Gov. Haley went to Washington this week and along with Republican senators demanding that the Obama administration weigh in on the National Labor Relations Board's complaint against Boeing, saying the complaint could jeopardize thousands of South Carolina jobs and the future of free enterprise in the country. The NLRB complaint alleges that Boeing decided to build a new 787 Dreamliner plant in South Carolina, a so-called "right-to-work" state, in retaliation against union workers in Washington state who had engaged in past strikes.

New School Busses: The Senate's budget designates $12 million for the purchase of new school busses. The state school bus fleet is ancient with some vehicles dating back to the mid 1980's. Our buses lack many safety features that 1990 and later models have. The safety of our children is in question here.

Government Consolidation Stalled: Aiken County Representative Bill Hixon (R-North Augusta) pushed for passage of a bill that would make the Department of Natural Resources part of the governor's Cabinet. It stalled in a House subcommittee Wednesday.

Opposing Executive Pay Hikes: One state legislator wants to see that executives of a state-owned utility not get pay raises when state workers are being laid off and furloughed. Rep. Jim Merrill said he will seek to rescind raises approved for Santee Cooper executives and bar them from getting a raise in any year that state employees don't get a cost-of-living increase. Merrill said, "It's the wrong signal to send right now. It's already a subsidized state agency."

More Wine Please! A bill that could encourage more wineries in SC won approval in a House subcommittee. The bill would scrap a requirement that SC wineries predominantly use South Carolina grown fruit or berry juice in their wine, allowing the producers to offer a greater variety of popular wines and allowing them to be more competitive.

Kids ATV Bill - It's Done: With a stroke of her pen, Governor Haley signed into law the bill making parents liable for ATV safety. It's called 'Chandler's Law' and requires training and safety gear for riders 15 and younger. Parents and guardians of children can be charged with a misdemeanor and fined up to $200 if they let their child operate an ATV in violation of the standards. The law brings SC into line with some 45 other states.

...And the Debate Goes On: The Senate continues 'deliberating' and debating the state budget and it will continue next week. The Senate so far has piled on $800 million to the house version. Conservative Republican senators say that's no good. The original House budget plan we sent the Senate was closer to $5.2 billion. We need to get back to where we started and tighten our belts. When the Senate version of the budget heads back to the House, I assure you I'll review it with a sharp knife.

You Need to Know - On the Air: Yesterday I joined Tony Powers on his 'Power to the People' talk show on WNRR 1380, North Augusta. It was the debut edition of my weekly 'Legislative Update' which will usually air on Friday's in the 5:00 p.m. hour. It's one more way to keep folks tuned-in to state government so they have a voice. The program can be heard on-air or on the web at: http://wnrr1380.com

On the Web: I was the 'lead-off hitter' on the infamous 'Pub Politics' webcast this week. The setting for the 'talker' was near right field at the annual House vs. Senate softball game in Columbia. It's risky to be sitting between two famed pundits, one a Dem and the other a Republican. It's also tough to get a turn at the mike with those two guys. :>) Regardless, we had some fun -- they talked a little smack and I made a few serious points. You're welcome to join the fray: http://www.pubpoliticslive.com/2011/05/episode-57-play-ball/

Meghan Mast: It was a delight to be 'Shadowed' at the State House last Wednesday by Meghan Mast, a high school senior from New Holland. She got to view the inner-workings of the legislature and was welcomed by Speaker Bobby Harrell. If you know a high school student who in interested in getting an up-close view of the legislative process, please have them contact me.

May 8, 2011: New - No Wisconsin Here: This bill prohibits collective bargaining between the State of SC and its employees, unions or associations. I believe it's important to maintain SC's right to work status, keep us business-friendly and avoid the mistakes made by other states. I'm a co-sponsor.

New - Presidential Candidates - Do You Meet the Requirements? A bill was introduced aimed at making certain that candidates for President are legally qualified. The bill (H. 4185) requires that candidates seeking to participate in SC's Presidential Preference Primary must provide a sworn affidavit that he/she meets all the requirements for holding the office of President. I'm pleased to be a co-sponsor.

New - A Better Way to Elect the President: The National Popular Vote legislation (H. 4154) has been introduced in the House. This bi-partisan initiative has been passed in 8 states and is gaining momentum. The goal is to guarantee the Presidency to the presidential candidate who receives the most popular votes in all states. Under the U.S. Constitution, states have exclusive and plenary power to allocate their electoral votes, and may change their state laws concerning the awarding of their electoral votes. It would not do away with the Electoral College, just reform the system so presidential candidates couldn't ignore smaller states; they would have to campaign in all states rather than a few pivotal ones . All our votes would count! Learn More: http://www.nationalpopularvote.com

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 Thurs. of May instead of the first Thurs. 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 it done".

But Not This Year: Despite voting to trim the legislative session, we voted to extend this year's session by several weeks. We need the time in June to resolve the critical, once-a-decade redistricting of Congressional, State House and Senate Districts.

Budget Debate: The SC Senate has spent more than a week debating the state's proposed budget. The spending plan locks in spending cuts for welfare and Medicaid programs. During debate, Senators voted to allow the state health plan to continue covering abortions in cases of rape and incest and to protect the mother's health. When finished with the budget, which may end up being $100M larger than the House version, the budget comes back to the House for our consideration.

Budget Disclosure: The House unanimously approved a Senate bill (S. 312) requiring oversight of federal matching funds. State agencies will be required to disclose the details of any federal monies included in their budget submissions. Sometimes, these federal 'gifts' come with costly strings attached. Legislators are requiring full disclosure so we know how the federal funds impact the state budget.

School District Efficiencies: Bills that would require school districts to centralize some administrative tasks and use stock architectural plans for construction have stalled in a House Committee, but will return next year. One measure would require counties with multiple school districts to centralize all purchasing, personnel and financial duties. State Superintendent of Education Mick Zais supports the concepts.

Charter School Popularity: Twenty community groups have filed applications to open charter schools across SC. Eleven of the 20 applications would be sponsored by local school districts. Those that get the OK will open in 2012. More than 16,000 students attend the state's 44 public charter schools; nearly twice as many students as were enrolled two years ago.

Light Bulb Bill Gets Brighter: A Senate committee has approved legislation that would allow SC to make and sell traditional incandescent bulbs. We've already approved the legislation in the House. Manufacturers begin phasing out traditional incandescent bulbs next year under a federal energy law that encourages production of more energy efficient compact fluorescent, halogen and LED bulbs.

Early Voting: State Senators have approved a bill allowing for 11 days of early voting prior to SC elections. The Senate's early-bill bill now goes to the House.

Tort Reform Push: Gov. Haley and legislative allies are putting more pressure on the Senate to pass a bill capping damages in civil lawsuits. Gov. Haley said she had spoken with companies that are waiting on the Senate to cap lawsuit awards before announcing new jobs in the state. The House-approved version of the bill, dubbed tort reform, would cap punitive damages at $350,000 or three times compensatory payments, whichever is greater. Senate Democrats are threatening a filibuster to hold up the bill.

A New Chief Budget Writer: The House Ways & Means Committee has selected Rep. Brian White, (R-Anderson) to replace Rep. Dan Cooper to be its Chairman. Cooper has resigned from the House. White will be one of the five members of the State's Budget & Control Board.

Relief for Contractors:This Senate bill (S 431) more clearly defines the protection contractors would receive when buying commercial liability insurance. A recent SC Supreme Court decision took from them the protection provided by insurance that aids in defending against construction defect lawsuits. I heard from local contractors who stated their companies would likely be forced out of business without this new legislation.

Wal-Mart's Good News: In the wake of Amazon's decision to pull out of SC, Wal-Mart announced it is "expanding and accelerating" its growth plans in various parts of the state, creating 4,000 new jobs and investing $400 million.

Speaker Bobby Harrell and SRS: As a result of his recent visit to Aiken and briefing on SRS, SC House Speaker Bobby Harrell wrote Secretary of Energy Steven Chu in support of maintaining operations at H Canyon. Speaker Harrell wrote that DOE's proposed reduction of that facility "is a flawed decision that has significant negative consequences for the State of South Carolina and our Nation." He added that modifying H Canyon would result in "hundreds of talented and hardworking South Carolinians, who have operated the facility safely for more than 50 years, will be laid off. The skills and expertise of these workers will be difficult if not impossible to replace." The Speaker called on DOE to maintain the facility in a high state of readiness. Read Speaker Harrell's letter: http://www.taylorschouse.com/speaker.php

Retirees Grow: SC Census data shows retirees account for the largest population gain over the last decade. The number of SC residents ages 55 to 74 years old jumped by about 300,000; that's about half of the state's total population increase. SC's overall population has gone up by 15% (610,000 people). The Census has SC at 4.62 million residents. That makes SC the 10th-fastest growing state in the country and the 24th most-populous.

April 30, 2011: 'Crossover Week' is when legislation must pass either the House or Senate in order to be considered by the other before the end of the legislative session in June.

Regulatory Reform: 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).

Voter ID: The House approved the conference report for the Voter ID legislation - after a compromise was hammered out by the House and Senate. Please encourage your Senator to address and approve this conference report. They should be reviewing it the week of May 2.

Workman's Comp Insurance: The House approved legislation that extends and lowers the rates employers must pay to replenish our state's unemployment insurance trust fund. Because of our high unemployment rate, the General Assembly reformed the unemployment system and created 20 levels of payment (depending on a company's previous record of layoffs). The state needs to pay back federal loans that were secured to ensure we could continue to pay unemployment benefits to workers. Some companies saw significant increases in their unemployment insurance rates, but 53% of companies will see lower rates. The compromise will stretch out the payments from the higher-rate companies while still paying the federal government back in a timely manner. We look forward to working with the Senate and the Governor's Office to get this legislation approved and this problem solved.

Mopeds are Motor Vehicles: Mopeds are currently not considered motor vehicles. Often they are referred to as 'liquor-cycles' because those who lose their licenses for vehicle DUI violations often resort to using them as transportation. We passed a bill designating mopeds a motor vehicle. I'm a co-sponsor of this bill which is supported by law enforcement. The bill heads to the Senate.

ATV Safety Bill Passes: An all-terrain vehicle safety bill passed both the Senate and House. It bans drivers 5 years old and younger and requires helmet use and safety instruction for other young drivers. The refined bill (H.3562) allows exceptions for children who are on family farms, are hunting or are on private property under the direct supervision of their parents or guardians.

High School Driving/Dropout Bill: Rep. Tom Young's bill (H. 3164) was briefly debated before some procedural moves delayed a vote. This bill prohibits possession of a driver's license until age 18 unless the young person is enrolled in, or has completed, high school. It's getting late in the session and prospects for this year are not good.

No Facebook for Inmates: This bill (H. 3527) restricts use of social media for inmates. It passed the House. Stopping Copper Thieves: H. 3660 will make copper thief a felony with jail time. It also requires copper sellers to obtain a free permit from their local Sheriff.

Help for Constables: Few people realize how many hundreds of hour's volunteer Constables give to SC law enforcement. They don't get paid and they buy their own equipment. We passed legislation allowing a $3,000 annual tax deduction. A small compensation for their dedication.

Solar Tax Credit: I was conflicted on this bill offering tax credits for solar energy equipment (H.3346). I support green energy sources reducing our reliance on fossil fuels, but this is another case of government supporting a specific private enterprise through a tax break. I voted against this bill. It won approval and goes to the Senate.

School Flexibility: The House passed H. 3035 giving local school districts latitude in setting their school calendars. It can be based on the required 180 days of instruction or the equivalent number of hours. We also approved H.3663 giving school districts the option of putting report cards online in a secure manner suspending the requirement of printing report cards.

SC's Fishing Laws: The House unanimously passed the 'Fresh Water Game & Fishing Act' (H.3864). It codifies and updates SC's many fresh water fishing regulations that date back to the 1950s. 18 groups representing sportsmen and state agencies worked on the revisions.

Troublesome Precedent - Incredulous Action Federal Government Telling Private Industry Where They Can Do Business: The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) seeks to prevent Boeing from locating its aircraft plant in SC. Last week's stunning announcement was a gratuitous attempt by President Obama to reward his union allies. It would represent one of most brazen government intrusions in the free market that we've ever seen. If left unchecked, it would deprive SC of thousands of jobs. It would also confer to the federal government veto power over future corporate relocation decisions. Sen. Jim DeMint has signaled his intention to grind the U.S. Senate to a standstill if this assault on South Carolina (and other right-to-work states) is not dismissed.

Prisons, Probation Merger Unlikely this Year: Plans to merge the state's prison and probation agencies are beingsidelined this year. A state senator who oversees that portion of the state's $5.8 billion state spending plan told the Senate that the merger won't happen this year.

Unemployment Stats: Unemployment in SC has dropped for the third straight month. Overall, unemployment has dropped to 9.9%. The good news is that Aiken County is nicely below that with 7.8% unemployment.

Haley's Report Card: Gov. Haley visited the Aiken Rotary Club Monday and offered her report card on her first 100 days in office. WIS asked the Governor to grade herself on her first 100 days. Her reply, "Effort, absolutely A+!"

One Congressman or Two? I've heard from many of you concerning Aiken County's representation in Congress. The SC Legislature is in the midst of re-districting; the once-a-decade project of drawing new Legislative and Congressional districts. We need to hear more concerning Aiken County's representation in Washington. Currently, Aiken County is served by two Congressmen, Joe Wilson (SC-2) and Jeff Duncan (SC-3). Do you think AikenCounty is best served by two Congressmen or one? Why? Send your e-mail to me: Bill@TaylorSCHouse.com. All input will be forwarded to the SC House Judiciary Committee and assist them in their deliberations.

REMINDER -- Transparency is a Click Away: You're welcome to check my up-to-the-moment voting record and the legislation I've sponsored at: http://www.taylorschouse.com/recorded.php. As always, thank you for the privilege of serving you. Should you have any questions or comments, please don't hesitate to call or write.

April 15, 2011: The SC Legislature is in the midst of re-districting - that's the once a decade project drawing new Legislative and Congressional districts. There have already been hearings in Aiken County concerning this project, but we want more input. Aiken County is currently served by two Congressman, Joe Wilson (SC-2) and Jeff Duncan (SC-3). Do you think Aiken County is best served by two Congressman or should there be one. Why? Send your e-mail to Bill@TaylorSCHouse.com All input will be forwarded to the SC House Judiciary Committee responsible of this project.

Voter ID Bill Stalled in Senate - AGAIN: There's a very good chance the 'SC Election Reform Act' will not become law this year. That's disappointing. The Senate refused to go along with the House version of the voter ID bill. Previously, the Senate added early voting and other provisions. The House version, passed again last week, simply calls for voters to present a government-issued photo ID at the polls and nothing more. The bill now goes to a conference committee, but, in my opinion, prospects for a compromise are dim.

School Choice Bill - Major Move: After several hearings, a sub-committee voted unanimously to send the School Choice legislation (H.3407) to the full Ways & Means Committee for debate. The bill calls for state tax credits in certain circumstances to qualifying families for children to attend non-public schools. The bill is modeled after a similar law operating successfully in Florida for 10 years. Here are the answers to some FAQ's: http://www.taylorschouse.com/faq.php

HS Drop-Out's & Driving: The House will soon debate Rep. Tom Young's bill calling for SC teens under 18 to lose driving privileges if they drop out of school or skip too many classes. My House Education Committee unanimously approved the measure this week. I'm one of those who believe the legislation will encourage students to think seriously about the consequences they'll face if they don't stay in school. Of course, there are provisions in hardship situations. The House passed the same legislation last year, but that action came too late to meet a procedural deadline for bills to reach the Senate. The state Department of Education supports the measure saying there will be no additional costs to the agency.

Teacher Contracts - Not So Fast: SC's school districts would be able to try out new teachers for a longer period under legislation approved by the House Education Committee. Currently, there's a one-year induction contract that requires teachers to show they meet state standards. The legislation, unanimously sent to the House for debate, lengthens the induction contract to three years. School districts support the longer period giving them more flexibility without having to commit to a continuing contract. Advice I received from Aiken County teachers and administrators was helpful for voting for the bill.

Employer Free Speech Act: There's a delayed vote on this important legislation (H.3658). The bill exempts businesses from a proposed federal rule requiring them to notify workers of their rights to unionize. It is co-sponsored by 64 of the House's 124 members, including me. The National Labor Relations Board's proposal requires businesses to post the 1935 federal law that guarantees employees' right to collectively bargain, distribute union literature and engage in other union activities without punishment.

Angel Investors Welcome: 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.

Tax Credit for Hybrid Cars - DEFEATED: This bill (H.3059) would extend an existing program offering an income tax credit to those purchasing a plug-in hybrid vehicle. The tax credit is $2,000 and according to the Department of Revenue, only ten taxpayers claimed the tax credit in '08-'09 for a total of $18,910. Sponsors of the bill recalled it yesterday, so it will be debated again.

Sportsmen Alert: The House Agriculture Committee approved the 'Fresh Water Game & Fishing Act' (H.3864). It codifies and updates SC's many fishing regulations that date back to the 1950s. It will soon be debated by the full House.

Roll Call Voting: Gov. Nikki Haley signed the bill this week requiring more roll call votes in SC's House and Senate. I sponsored and supported this legislation. By the way, all my votes can be found on this website.

Supporting SRS: We began the week with a visit to Aiken by SC House Speaker Bobby Harrell. He received an executive briefing on the ever-changing missions at SRS. The Speaker joins the Aiken legislative delegation with his commitment to expand the all-important National Lab and protect and grow the unique and valuable nuclear asset.

Fair Tax Support: Speaking to the Aiken Rotary Club on Monday, SC House Speaker Bobby Harrell explained why he's signed-on supporting the SC Fair Tax Act. Check out what he says on this You Tube audio: http://www.youtube.com/user/RepBillTaylor?feature=mhum

Tax Day Rally - Today: Later today I'll address the Augusta Tea Party's 'Tax Day Rally' explaining the merits of SC's Fair Tax. It starts at 5:00 p.m. Several thousand people are expected to attend; I hope you will join us.

Another SC Government Merger: The House voted to merge the State Arts Commission and the State Museum Commission into a Cabinet-level agency. The arts and museum agencies will report to the state Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism. The consolidation could save the state $450,000 annually. The bill heads to the Senate. Gov. Haley seeks to eliminate the Arts Commission's $2 million in state funding.

State to Study Retirement System: SC Budget and Control Board Director Eleanor Kitzman will wait for the results of an independent analysis of the state's retirement system before proposing any long-term changes to benefits, contributions or investments. Changing the benefits of state government workers has become a high-profile issue. Gov. Haley favors changes saying the state can't afford the benefits it has promised state workers. The study is to be completed by September.

Drill Team Champions - AGAIN! The Silver Bluff High School Navy ROTC Drill Team was honored by the House yesterday. They are the State Drill Team Champions(again)! Congratulations to these outstanding and dedicated teen leaders.

Aiken High School - Simply Delicious! Aiken HS's Award-Winning Culinary Team took center stage at the State House Wednesday for the annual 'Taste of South Carolina' luncheon. For the second consecutive year they were one of only four high schools invited to participate. They can make some meeean crab cakes and chocolate covered strawberries.

SC-ETV under Fire: Starting with her 'State of the State' message, Gov. Haley has taken aim on de-funding ETV. What most folks don't know is that taxpayers are not paying for ETV's broadcasts -- they are funding vital educational services in our public schools, law enforcement training and emergency services. If you wish to know the FACTS, take a few minutes and watch this video.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tooY1VFmLWY

We're on Furlough: The House of Representatives is on furlough this coming week. The furlough saves the state an estimated $50,000. Should you have any questions or comments, please don't hesitate to call or write.

April 8, 2011: Another busy week at the S.C. State House. Here's my Legislative Update...

Voter ID Bill: 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. Urge your state Senators to approve it Tuesday.

School Choice Bill: The bill (H. 3407) allowing state tax credits in certain circumstances to qualifying families for children to attend non-public schools has inched forward in the legislature. It got hearings in House and Senate Committees this week. A Senate panel voted 5-1 to move the debate to the full Education Committee. A House Committee heard testimony and will soon schedule another hearing after assessing the financial impact of the legislation. The bill is modeled after a similar law which has been operating successfully in Florida for 10 years.

Teen Drop-Out Bill: Rep.Tom Young's bill (H.3164) to keep teenagers under 18 in school by taking away their driving privileges if they drop-out or don't finish, barely passed out of sub-committee this week on a vote of 3-2. It likely moves on to a full committee next week. I testified before the committee in favor of the bill which has wide public support.

Victory for Sportsmen: Rep. Bill Hixon, of North Augusta, won final legislative approval for his bill that calls for SC to join the Interstate Wildlife Compact. It is like the driver's license compact. In the event you travel to another state and have a game or fishing violation, you will be treated as if you were in your home state; accept the citation from the officer and continue on your way. In the past, SC-DNR made a non-resident violator post bail on the spot or go to jail. The bill goes to the Governor for her signature.

No Double Dipping: Joined Gov. Haley for a bill signing ceremony at the State House yesterday. The legislation forbids people from double-dipping; being employed by a Board or Commission while serving on the Board or Commission. The bill was championed by Rep. Rolland Smith and sponsored by the entire Aiken Legislative Delegation.

Must Have the Gov.'s Signature: 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.

Committee Approves Property Tax Break: A House panel has agreed to give a big property tax break to businesses and homeowners. The House Ways and Means Committee approved a measure that bars sharp property value increases from showing up on tax bills when a home or business is sold. But the legislation still must clear the House and faces tough sledding in Senate. This is the much-discussed 'Point of Sale' issue.

Medicaid Cuts OK'd by House: The South Carolina House voted to repeal a 2008 proviso, or budget law, that forbids the state Medicaid agency from cutting reimbursement rates to health providers; Gov. Haley quickly signed the bill, her first.

Bright Idea! I joined a majority of legislators in throwing a lifeline to traditional incandescent light bulb. The House approved legislation, 76-20, that would allow companies to manufacture the old-style light bulbs in SC. It's an alternative to the federal energy standards. Federal energy standards have manufacturers turning to compact fluorescent, halogen and LED bulbs and phasing out traditional 100-watt incandescent bulbs next year. Proponents say more efficient bulbs cost too much and light provided is insufficient. The Incandescent Light Bulb Freedom Act allows manufacturers to make the traditional bulbs and stamp them as "Made in South Carolina." They could only be sold in the Palmetto State. The measure needs routine final approval next week before heading to the Senate.

Efficiency Merger: The merger of the state Museum Commission and the Arts Commission into the state's parks agency was approved by a House Committee this week. The move is estimated to save about $500,000. The measure now moves to the House floor for debate. Vehicle Smoking Ban: Believing a bill would reach too far into people's private lives, a proposal to fine drivers or passengers who puff away with a child under 6 in the car is going nowhere. A House subcommittee voted unanimously to adjourn debate on the bill.

Drunk on a Moped? Driving drunk on a moped would become illegal in SC under a bill given initial approval by a House Committee. Current state law specifically excludes mo-peds from the definition of a motor vehicle. The measure would remove the exclusion, allowing officers to charge drunken mo-ped drivers with driving under the influence.

Golf Carts: The full House approved a bill that would allow golf carts to operate on state roads two miles from the entrances of their gated neighborhoods. Current law allows golf carts to operate two miles from a person's home, which in some case, would still be inside their neighborhood. The legislation goes to the Senate.

Report Waste, Fraud and Abuse: There's a toll free phone number that South Carolinians can call anonymously to report waste, fraud and abuse they see in state government: 1-855-SC-FRAUD.

JOIN US - Aiken Re-Districting Hearing: This is your opportunity to speak-out on the redistricting of Congressional and State House districts in 2012. The House Judiciary Elections Laws Subcommittee will hold a public hearing this Monday, April 11, at 5:30 p.m. at Aiken Technical College. The panel will listen to any interested citizen who would like to provide input for consideration of Congressional and House districts for the next decade in SC.

April 1, 2011: It was quite a week at the State House. We returned from furlough week and dove into action with major legislation being introduced.

SC Fair Tax Introduced: 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 65 Representatives signing on as sponsors; a majority of the House! That exceeds the initial support for any significant bill introduced this legislative session. It was unveiled with much fanfare in a Wednesday news conference at the State House.

Here's what the Augusta Chronicle wrote: Calling it a "jobs bill," Aiken Rep. Bill Taylor announced legislation aimed at implementing a new tax structure in South Carolina, one that replaces income tax, corporate income taxes, and other taxes with a single tax on new goods and services. "For both the citizens of South Carolina and the businesses, April 15 will just be another day," Taylor said. "There won't be a state income tax." Under the proposal, a consumer would not pay taxes on used items. The bill, H. 3993 is dubbed "The Fair Tax," and exists in the Senate as S. 274. Sen. Larry Grooms, R-Bonneau, the chief sponsor on the Senate bill, told onlookers Wednesday that the proposals would spur growth. "It's ludicrous to tax the very thing that you work hard for -- income," said Grooms. "We're going to create an opportunity for people to make money in South Carolina. We're going to grow our economy, and the only way we're gonna be able to do this successfully is to become the first state to pass the Fair Tax." Here's a link to a well-written story including a video of the Fair Tax news conference: http://pundithouse.com/2011/03/sc-fairtax-launched-with-63-co-sponsors/

A Jobs Bill & Tax Reform All in One: 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 5% sales tax with a similar sales tax on all NEW goods and services. The rate is estimated to be 6%, a penny difference. 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.

Roll Call Voting Approved (Again): Thursday, the S.C. House unanimously passed H3004, the Roll Call bill, 110-0. The House originally passed this bill the first week of the legislative session. The Senate approved and modified it, so the House had to ratify it. It's Governor Haley's signature transparency legislation. Medicaid Payments Cut: The House joined the Senate when it voted yesterday to cut by 3 percent state payments to doctors and hospitals who treat the poor and disabled. The Department of Health and Human Services will be able to institute the cut early next month to save money. Gov. Haley pushed hard for the cuts.

Protecting Babies: The House passed the Born-Alive Infants Protection Act. It protects babies by stating that any baby that has been born alive is to be legally considered a person and would be automatically be granted full protection under the U.S. Constitution. The proposed law mirrors federal law, but covers all S.C. hospitals and medical facilities not covered under the federal statute.

Abortion Rights: Health insurance companies would have to cover abortions only if people pay a separate premium for them, under a bill approved by the S.C. House this week. The measure expands the rights of doctors to refuse to perform an abortion. The provision is part of the bill exempting S.C. from having to provide abortion coverage in state-based insurance exchanges that are to be created under the federal health care law. It prevents taxpayers from paying for elective abortions. At least five states have already opted out, as the federal law allows.

House OKs merging Probation, Corrections agencies: The S.C. House gave key approval this week to proposal to merge the state Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services into the state Department of Corrections. The bill is backed by Gov. Haley and now heads to the Senate.

Safer Intersection: Hats off to SC-DOT for the effective, low cost fix to a poorly designed Aiken County intersection. I put forth the problem of Wire & Cooks Bridge Rd interesection to the new Secretary of DOT recently. Shortly after that the sharp corner was rounded and the pavement painted to make it safer. Kudos!!!

Goodbye Pot Holes: I was pleased to inform many of the folks in the Cedar Creek area that DOT has is scheduled to resurface Banks Mill Road from Cedar Creek Church (Old Dibble Road) to White Pond Road this summer.

On the Schedule: It's going to be a busy weekend here in Aiken and there's a good chance I'll see you at one of these events. Later today I'm participating in the New Ellenton/Jackson Leaders Institute at Silver Bluff High School. This evening we'll kick off the third leg of Aiken's Triple Crown with the Chamber of Commerce event "Polo Asado & Tango". Saturday we all need to gather at Holly Tractor for the charity BBQ and Saturday afternoon it's the big polo event. Saturday evening we're heading to Ridge Spring-Monetta HS to participate in the auction/dinner benefiting their FFA program. Hope to see you at one of these events.

March 25, 2011: The S.C. House of Representatives is on furlough this week allowing for moments of reflection. I will reprise the first half of this legislative session in this newsletter, but first, "Breaking News!"

The S.C. Fair Tax Bill to be Introduced: Next Wednesday, March 30th, I'll be filing the S.C. Fair Tax legislation in the House of Representatives. Rep. Tracy Edge and Rep. Eric Bedingfield join me as primary sponsors. There will be a 2:00 p.m. news conference at the Capitol and many legislators will join us as co-sponsors. It is time for a robust debate on tax reform in S.C. The goal is to eliminate some taxes, lower others on individuals and businesses and share the tax burden widely, making for a true Fair Tax. You'll be hearing much more about tax reform and the S.C. Fair Tax in the coming weeks.

The First Half... The House's passage of the state budget last week is the traditional end of the first half of the legislative session for the year. And what a first half it has been for conservatives! Ten weeks complete and nearly a dozen major conservative reforms have been sent to the S.C. Senate. Here's a quick run-down on a few major topics:

State Budget: We passed a balanced state General Fund budget that included cuts totaling 4 percent. We slashed 4,700 unused, but still funded, government positions. We increased classroom spending while cutting the education bureaucracy. We increased spending on job recruitment and job training. We protected other essential government services such as law enforcement and healthcare. We consolidated numerous government agencies. It's a conservative budget that we achieved without raising taxes.

Lawsuit Abuse Reform: House Bill 3375 gives businesses and individuals new protections from frivolous lawsuits. Under the provisions of the bill, people who win lawsuits are entitled to a maximum punitive damage award of $350,000 or three times the actual damages awarded, whichever is greater. Preventing the abuse of businesses through the legal system and preserving access to it for people who have been legitimately wronged is important to improving our state's business climate. Another part of tort reform is fully funding our state's court system - avoiding delays that cost clients more in legal fees and ensuring more rapid case resolution.

Government Restructuring: For the fourth time since 2004, the House approved several major government restructuring bills. The first moves five divisions of the Budget and Control Board to a new Department of Administration: general services, employee insurance programs, the State Information Technology Division, procurement services, and the state energy office. These offices provide administrative services, rather than providing services directly to the people of South Carolina. The House also approved resolutions giving voters the right to decide if the Governor and Lt. Governor should run on the same ticket and whether the state Superintendent of Education should be appointed, rather than elected. If approved by the Senate, South Carolina voters will get the chance to decide both questions during the 2012 election.

"Repeal Amendment": The Repeal Amendment is a resolution calling for a Constitutional Convention that will specifically deal with a Constitutional amendment to allow two-thirds of the legislatures of the states to repeal a federal law. The Repeal Amendment is a way for us to regain our constitutional right to state sovereignty that Congress has eroded over the years. Our state and federal constitutions were created to protect the people from the government, and by doing so, ensure the preservation of liberty. That protection of individual rights and state sovereignty is precisely why the House supports the Repeal Amendment.

Voter ID: The House approved, for the fourth time, a provision that requires voters to show a photo ID to prove their identity when they vote. We have recently received this bill back from the Senate and are anxious to reconcile the two versions of the bill when we return to session on March 29th.

Higher Education Transparency: This legislation requires all state Colleges and Universities to post a monthly registry of all expenditures and dollar amounts online, and prominently display the registry on their websites for the public to examine. This is another step the House has taken to make our state government more transparent and accountable to taxpayers. Making all expenditures available to the public makes our state's institutions of higher learning more accountable to the people.

State Spending Limit: The House approved, for the eighth time, legislation to restrain the growth of state government. The legislation uses February 15, 2010 as the base and restricts future growth to the lesser of 6 percent growth, or population growth plus the Consumer Price Index. The bill allows the General Assembly to declare an emergency and suspend the restrictions with a vote of two-thirds of those present.

Charter School Reforms: We approved legislation that would help fund the charter schools in the state Charter School District. These charter schools were chartered by the state to get around potentially hostile local school districts. We dedicated a funding source for these schools since they did not receive the same funding that locally chartered schools received.

Roll Call Voting: For the second time, the House approved and sent to the Senate, legislation putting into law new requirements for roll call voting in the General Assembly. This legislation was supported by Governor Haley, and the Senate approved a version last week. We look forward to reviewing and taking action on the Senate's version quickly and sending it to the Governor's desk.

Thanks for taking the time to read my "Halftime Report" for the 2011 legislative session. For more information on any of these bills, you can go to http://www.schousegop.com and read articles and press releases that give additional information.

Coming Up... Speaker Harrell to Visit SRS: Monday, April 11th, Speaker of the House Bobby Harrell is scheduled to visit SRS. He will be joined by members of your Aiken County Legislative Delegation. SRS is challenged by cuts in federal spending and a re-setting of priorities for the site. The Speaker's visit demonstrates S.C.'s continuing support for SRS.

A Letter of Concern to Secretary Chu: I joined the other Aiken Legislative Delegation members in signing a letter to U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu disapproving of the policy deferring funding for H Canyon at SRS. We stated the decision was short sighted and requested it be reconsidered.

Back to Work Next Week: The House will be on furlough until March 29th, saving the taxpayers approximately $50,000. There are several big items coming up in the second half of the year - including our pro-life agenda items. I will cover many of those bills in next week's report. As always, thank you for the privilege of serving you in Columbia.

March 18, 2011: This was 'Budget Week' for the House of Representatives. There was far less money to squabble over, so Republicans and Democrats agreed that increases would go to K-12 education and Medicaid. As with any budget approval process, the end results make some folks upset and others happy with the funding for their particular area of interest or conviction. Before I offer budget highlights, let me tell you about another major budget initiative that got a lot of attention this week:

Creating More 'Rainy Day' Savings for South Carolina: Rep. Tom Young and I have been working behind the scenes for about six weeks trying to dissect the SC's mysterious and misunderstood 'Other Funds' budget. That's the $8.3 billion budget primarily funded by fees and fines. 'Other Funds' has traditionally allowed state agencies to carry-forward money from one year to another with minimal legislative oversight. Working with the financial staff in the House, we carefully analyzed how excess funds could be reallocated. Simply, our goal was to transfer a portion of the excess funds ($78M) into the States' savings account, the 'Rainy Day Fund'. The result would accomplish full funding of the 'Rainy Day Fund' three years earlier than what voters approved in passing the Constitutional Amendment last November! When our initiative was made public on Monday, there was genuine interest and support on the part of many legislators. Regretfully, it takes a majority to change the way business is done and that rarely happens instantly. Ultimately, our plan to bolster the State's savings got a lot of attention and discussion; that's good. Legislators are now more keenly aware of the monies in 'Other Funds' and the significant amount being retained from year-to-year. Reform is needed. A House Committee has been charged with scrutinizing the 'Other Funds' to determine how we can be more effective and openly use the money. On a personal note, it was my honor to work alongside Tom Young in our dogged pursuit of capturing your tax money and putting it away in the State's savings account for the next 'Rainy Day'. We will continue on this mission.

Budget Highlights: 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. The budget approved by the House this week includes $7.8 billion in Federal funds (nearly all of which goes directly to schools, colleges, or Medicaid) and $8.3 billion in "Other" funds (most of which is paid by parents as tuition to state colleges or paid into health care). In all, the House cut $236 million from the General Fund budget and $173 million from the total budget. The budget heads to the Senate. Both chambers must approve before June 30th.

State Senate Votes For Transparency: The SC Senate finally passed H.3004 with amendments. The vote was 33 to 11. I am a co-sponsor of the legislation which was unanimously approved by the House in the first week of the session in January. It's not there yet! The bill comes back to the house for review of the Senates amendment before it goes to the govenor for signature. Keep an Eye on Me: You can check my voting record and the legislation I've sponsored at: http://www.taylorschouse.com/recorded.php.

Cedar Creek Resident Named to Transportation Committee: I'm pleased to have nominated Camille Furgiuele to serve as the representative of House District 86 on the County Transportation Committee. Camille is a former NJ Town Manager and was responsible for the day-to-day running of a municipality with 150 employees. She replaces Tom Biddle, who resigned to devote his time to serving on the County Planning Commission. Thank you, Tom, for your dedicated service to AikenCounty. Thanks also to Camille for her willingness to serve on the CTC.

SRS Funding Concerns: I pass along the following information from the SRS Community Reuse Organization. They report that in the current federal budget battles (FY11) in Washington, MOX programs are in potential jeopardy. The recently passed House Continuing Resolution proposes a 45 percent cut to the MOX project for the remainder of fiscal year 2011. There are more budget concerns for next year (FY12). In its newsletter this week, SRS Community Reuse Organization expresses its concerns about de-funding H-Canyon as planned by DOE. H Canyon, named for its design, is the only facility in the nation to process certain types of plutonium, highly enriched uranium and aluminum-clad spent nuclear fuels. The president's 2012 budget provides a funding shortfall of about $100 million. Local Initiative for SRS: The Greater Aiken Chamber of Commerce has sent out a "call-to-action" asking its members to contact members of Congress in support of appropriate MOX funding in the FY11 Continuing Resolution and notified its members that a similar "call-to-action" may be required for H-Canyon when the FY 12 budget proceeds.

State House Visitors: Leaders in training and potential future leaders were among the many visitors to the State House this week. Your Legislative Delegation spent time answering questions from Aiken County Leadership Class 2011. Another group of future leaders, third graders from Aiken's Chukker Creek Elementary, received a great tour and it was my privilege to introduce them to The House for a standing ovation.

The House is on Furlough: With Wednesday's adjournment, the House of Representatives was placed on furlough for next week, a cost-savings measure. It also shortens the legislative session. This is the first of two furlough weeks for the House; the other starts April 18th.

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March 11, 2011: Headlining this week's Legislative Update: More money proposed for Aiken Public Schools, a cap on state spending, a victory for taxpayers, a win for the right-to-work movement, and much more Aiken Schools to Benefit from Funding Change for Education: Aiken County schools would receive nearly $2M more in state funding in a bill (H.3716) approved by the House this week that updates the 1977 funding formula for public schools. The bill, which passed 101 to 6, would, among other things, provide more money for the poor and those learning English. The bill's chief sponsor, Rep. Dan Cooper, chairman of the House's budget writing committee, has said 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. Merit Pay for Teachers: The school funding bill (H.3716) also starts taking a closer look at a pay-for-performance system for teachers. The state Department of Education (DOE) is charged to look into ways teachers are paid. Backers hope a change would include additional pay for teachers who achieve higher performance results. As you might expect, merit pay for teachers is a highly controversial measure because of the complexity of determining student progress. This bill calls for an Advisory Panel consisting of teacher groups to assist the DOE in formulating a plan by the end of this year. That plan would be considered by the legislature next year. House Passes Spending Cap Bill: It took a lot of debate, but the House passed legislation (H.3368) requiring a cap on state spending. The House vote is another 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. Secret Union Vote Guaranteed: One more step and then South Carolinian's will be guaranteed the right to have a secret ballot in union elections. The Constitutional Amendment was approved by 86% of voters in November. Both the SC House and Senate needed to ratify the voters' decision. The House passed this a few weeks ago (H.3003) and again yesterday, approving the Senate version of the bill (S.277). Next step -- the Governor's desk for her signature. Taxpayer Victory: The House unanimously passed the 'Taxpayer Fairness Act' (H.3419). 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. Aiken School Bond Referendum: 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 (H.3041) that won unanimous approval in the House yesterday. It sets specific dates statewide for referendums so elections are more efficient. The bill goes to the Senate for a vote. The New School Choice Bill Gets First Hearing: Advocates of giving tax credits for private school attendance got their first opportunity to explain the bill (H.3407) before a House sub-committee. It's the 'Educational Opportunity Act'. This isn't the old approach using vouchers; it's a tax credit giving SC parents choice where they wish to send their children. It would particularly benefit those who can't afford private schools. They could qualify for scholarships under the program. Senate Approves SC Anti-Illegal Immigration Bill: SC senators approved anti-illegal immigration legislation (S.20) in the wee hours of Thursday morning. The 34-9 final vote followed days of debate by Republicans over how to make a stronger bill. The bill would require law enforcement officers to check a person's immigration status during traffic stops or an arrest unless the person has a valid driver's license, military ID or passport on them. Under the Senate bill, officers would have to call the Feds if they suspect someone might be in the country illegally. The bill heads to the House where we will surely have much debate. Bootlegger's Bill Refined: The House unanimously passed a bill that modifies an old bootlegger's law that has caused 1400 people to have their driver's licenses suspended. Their vehicles could also be seized when they got caught driving with an open container of booze (hard liquor). That isn't the case with beer and wine. The new legislation (H.3249) brings the penalty for booze in line with beer and wine and corrects the intent of the original law designed to punish bootleggers. 'Angel Investor' Bill Advances: A bill meant to encourage millionaires to invest in fledgling SC companies has advanced. A House Ways and Means sub-committee voted to send the amended bill to the full committee. H.3044 is meant to encourage multimillion dollar investors to put their money in start-up businesses, creating high-paying jobs. "Angel investors" could claim 35 percent of their investment as a credit on their state income taxes. It caps the total credits awarded to $5 million annually. North Carolina and Georgia are among the nearly two dozen states that already give such tax credits. Damage from Controlled Burns: The House passed this bill sought by many conservationists. H.3631 states that a property owner is not liable for smoke damage resulting from prescribed (legal) fire. That is, unless there is gross negligence. An example of such burns in our county is Hitchcock Woods. I'm a co-sponsor of this bill. One Step Forward for Controversial Real Estate Tax Break: The sale of a home, business and other property would no longer lead to a new, likely higher tax bill if (H.3713) becomes law. It would eliminate so-called "point of sale" reassessment, in which a property's tax value is reset when it is sold. Real estate agents, business owners and others say the point-of-sale provision has hampered sales, causing some would-be buyers to walk away from deals. Local governments argue eliminating point of sale would cut millions from their budgets, already stretched by the recent recession. The bill was passed out of sub-committee this week and now heads to the full House Ways and Means Committee. Last year, the bill flew through the House only to die in the Senate as real estate agents, local governments and others could not agree to a compromise. Reducing Red Tape: The House unanimously approved a bill (H.3410) streamlining the process for colleges and universities to get approval for construction projects. It currently takes 18-24 months to manage through the approval process. Medicaid - Cutting Doc's Pay: A bill allowing SC's Medicaid agency to cut doctors' rates has been held up by a House Ways and Means subcommittee. Before voting they want to meet with the agency's new director and medical providers. The state Department of Health and Human Services said that most doctors, dentists and other medical providers should see a 3% cut in their payments starting April 4. The reductions depend on the bill passing the Legislature. The Senate has already approved it. SC is the only state that bars its Medicaid agency from reducing rates. SRS' H Canyon: The Governor's Nuclear Advisory Committee met yesterday at the State House with officials from DOE, SRNS, and Savannah River Remediation. The focus was H-Canyon and convincing the federal government not to eliminate $100m in funding for this critical SRS project. To learn more about H Canyon, here are two links: http://www.srs.gov/general/news/factsheets/hc.pdf http://www.srs.gov/general/programs/harea/index.htm DOT's New Boss Visits Aiken: SC's new Transportation Secretary, Robert St. Onge, Jr. came to Aiken to get acquainted with local DOT operations and meet with legislators. I provided him a written request focused on several top priority road issues in House District 86. Secretary St. Onge's top priority is developing a vision and strategy in support of SC's transportation and infrastructure needs, including roads, rail and seaports. Facebook ID Theft: I mentioned a couple of weeks ago that Rep. Tom Young and I co-sponsored a bill making it a crime to steal someone's social media identity. Here's a link to the recent Aiken Standard story: http://www.aikenstandard.com/2011local/0303-fraud-social-media Budget Week Ahead: I'll be spending lots of time this weekend pouring through the State's proposed budget. It was delivered to legislators Tuesday and simultaneously posted online, making the budget process far more transparent than in past years. http://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess119_2011-2012/appropriations2011/wm11ndx.htm You're welcome to read along. Be a Student Shadow: If you have a teenager who has a keen interest in learning more about state government, I welcome them to become my 'shadow' for a day at the State House. We're in session until early June (minus a couple of furlough weeks). They need to be accompanied by a parent and would likely spend about six hours with me on the floor of the House and in committee meetings. "Shadows' also get a tour of the State House. Please ask your student to apply by sending me an e-mail (Bill@TaylorSCHouse.com) explaining their interests and what they hope to learn.

March 4, 2011: In Columbia this week the House of Representatives took aim on restructuring South Carolina's government. We made a strong start with more to be accomplished. Run as a Team: The House voted to approve a Constitutional Amendment to jointly elect the Governor and Lt. Governor as a team. 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's possible we could have a team approach to electing the Governor and Lt. Governor in 2014. Appointing the SC Education Secretary: 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. There was much debate and Republicans overcame the opposition of many Democrats. It's on to the Senate. Governor Praises Aiken Rep. Tom Young: Following the passage of the two Constitutional Amendments, Gov. Nikki Haley said, "Today, we earned big wins for the people of our state, and we couldn't be more excited. I want to thank the House - especially Chairman Harrison and State Rep. Tom Young - for leading on these critically important issues. We have long said that the governor and lieutenant governor should run on the same ticket. It's common sense. The two leaders at the top of the executive branch should share an agenda and show the state what can be accomplished when they work as a team. The first step toward making this happen is letting the people of this state choose what that team looks like. As we've said before, our teachers, our parents and, most of all, our students deserve opportunity that is second to none in education. A huge step toward improving education is allowing the state superintendent and governor to work as partners in priorities." More Authority for the Governor: 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. Aiken County's Population Growth Less than State Average: I have obtained preliminary census numbers for SC counties which shows Aiken County's population has increased by 9.5% in the last decade now totaling 156,000. That's lower than the overall growth rate for the state of 15%. The population growth/decline for other neighboring counties: Edgefield +5%, Lexington +18%, Bamberg -10%, Barnwell -3%, Allendale -9%. The state's biggest gainers in growth over the past decade: York County +38%, Dorchester County +35% and Horry County +34%. Concealed Weapons Bill Down for the Count: It's unlikely we will see the concealed weapons gun bill get action soon. Gun rights advocates triggered a flurry of e-mail protests; it seemed no one was pleased with the bill. For some it went too far; for others, not far enough. The measure would allow gun owners to carry their concealed firearms without a permit. It would also expand the rights of South Carolinians who legally own guns to carry firearms into more places. My greatest concern -- it would result in anyone over 21 the right to pack heat even if they've never taken any kind of firearm safety course. I'm a strong advocate of gun rights, but a lack of training is a bad idea. For now, the bill is effectively 'on hold.' School Visit: I continue to visit Aiken County schools to learn about education issues first hand. Last Friday I got a close look at Wagener-Salley HS. What I found was a super-charged school that has gone from failure to success in three short years thanks to the vision and leadership of Principal Pat Keating. It's a turn-around, educational success story. The teachers and staff have worked hard to overcome a mountain of obstacles in the drive toward academic success. Their work-in-progress story should inspire other educators and schools to break molds to find success. School Choice is on the Docket: It's not about vouchers; it's a tax credit approach to giving parents CHOICE in where they wish to send their children to school. The new SC School Choice bill (H 3407) will get its first hearing next Tuesday before a House sub-committee. See what Sen. Jim DeMint says about the proposed scholarship program in this online video - Making School Choice a Reality: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=6kWMDCXAYrc Tax Battle - Point of Sale: Realtors know all about the so-called 'Point of Sale' tax that took effect in 2006. The battle to repeal 'POS' is heating up again at the State House; you'll be hearing a lot more about it in the weeks ahead. Here's a story that provides background and perspective: http://www.thestate.com/2011/03/03/v-print/1720840/fight-looms-over-tax-proposal.html Recent History of SC Tax Cuts: For those who have recently moved to SC, there's little doubt you appreciate our low taxes. Even lifelong residents appreciate they pay less in taxes than most anywhere else. If you are not familiar with the often mentioned 'Act 388' and the history of tax breaks that came about in recent years, you will find the attached article provides some perspective: http://www.heraldonline.com/2011/02/27/2867133/were-paying-for-all-those-tax.html Punishing Teens for Sexting: Debate on a bill to punish teens for sexting in SC has been delayed. The term refers to sending sexually explicit photos by cell phones or computers, in what can constitute cyber-bullying. The sponsor hopes an anti-sexting law would educate parents and help teens understand the negative emotional repercussions. The proposal would make it illegal for juveniles, ages 12 through 17, to knowingly transmit sexually explicit photos. Offenders would face up to a $100 fine and be required to complete an educational program. Stopping Copper Thefts: A House subcommittee is looking into a bill that would make it more difficult for thieves to resell copper. There has been a plague of copper thefts around SC from churches, farms, homes and businesses. Law enforcement wants strong action to regulate businesses that buy scrap copper to help discourage the metals easy resale. Recycling for Bars & Restaurants: Bars and restaurants in SC will become recyclers if Senate legislation is successful. The goal is to reduce the amount of bar and restaurant waste that goes to landfills. South Carolina would be the nation's second state, after North Carolina, to require bars and restaurants to recycle aluminum, plastic and glass. Bar and restaurant owners said Wednesday that a proposal to require them to recycle would cost too much and be difficult to implement. Anti-Union Legislation: The House Judiciary Committee has advanced a bill to let state businesses that have 50 employees and more opt out of a proposed federal requirement that they post information on their workers' right to unionize. The bill is part of South Carolina's increasing effort to market itself to businesses as an anti-union state. The bill next moves to the House floor for debate where Democrats are expected to fight the proposal. Getting a Grip on Reality: We've all been watching the fiasco in Wisconsin as that state wrestles with its public employee costs and collective bargaining issues. SC's challenges are different but loom large. The states' retirement system is woefully underfunded and changes are imperative. Learn more in this newspaper editorial: http://www.postandcourier.com/news/2011/feb/27/getting-a-grip-on-fiscal-reality/ Merging Prison, Parole Agencies: The House Judiciary committee has approved a bill to merge the state departments of Corrections and Probation, Parole and Pardon. The bill now moves to the House floor for debate. The goal is efficiency and cutting administrative costs. Gov. Haley favors the merger. Senate Debates Illegal Immigration: The SC Senate turned back a proposed change to a bill designed to further crack down on illegal immigration. Senators defeated the proposal to bar citizens from suing local governments for not following the proposed law. The proposed bill would direct officers to check the immigration status of a person they suspect is in the country illegally. The proposal is similar to Arizona's law except that SC's bill differs by not allowing someone suspected of being an illegal immigrant to be held on that suspicion alone. Instead, it directs law enforcement to call Immigrations and Customs Enforcement. DOT Secretary in Aiken: SC's new Secretary of Transportation Robert J St. Onge is in Aiken today. Your Legislative Delegation meets with him this afternoon to review road priorities in Aiken County. Keep an Eye on Me: You can check my voting record and the legislation I've sponsored at: http://www.taylorschouse.com/recorded.php. I trust this information is helpful to you in keeping a watchful eye on your state government and staying in-the-know. As always, should you have any questions or comments, please don't hesitate to call or write.

Feb. 25, 2011: Two BIG stories in this week's Legislative Update -- saving SRS jobs and delivering a balanced state budget. Saving Jobs at SRS a Top Priority: Your Aiken Legislative Delegation met with DOE and SRNS executives yesterday at a State House; we focused on necessary steps to insure full funding for H Canyon going forward. President Obama's proposed federal budget cuts of $100 million from H Canyon projects. SRNS executives confirmed that if H Canyon isn't fully funded it will result in the loss of "several hundred jobs" beyond the 1400 positions ending when the short-term federal stimulus money runs out. A jobs-loss analysis is being conducted and will be ready in early April. The goal is to shift some employees to others projects. These are highly skilled workers; their talents will be lost. There is an additional concern that less funds means H Canyon, which is a unique, historic facility, won't receive needed maintenance to insure its viability in the future. That could be catastrophic. Emphasizing that point, Sen. Greg Ryberg stated, "We can't afford to lose good people and that unique asset." Rep. Tom Young expressed concern that the talent pool will be disbursed and the trickledown effect on the local economy could be devastating." We all agreed that that reversing Obama's funding reduction at H Canyon is critical to the survival of employment at SRS. Our SC Senators and Congressmen are pressing for funding. Your State Legislators will be meeting with our Georgia legislative counter-parts who also represent the CSRA. You can help. Write your Congressman and Senators in Washington urging full funding. I'll keep you posted. House Panel Approves Balanced Budget Proposal: I attended the House Ways & Means Committee meeting yesterday where they delivered a balance budget proposal totaling $5.1 million for the general fund that fully funds Medicaid and sends more money to public schools. It was unanimously supported by both Republicans and Democrats who have worked tirelessly, for weeks, to solve the SC budget crisis. The balance budget is helped by revenue projections that show $50 million increase in additional sales tax as the economy improves. Here are the highlights... + The budget increases the 'Base Student Cost' sent to K-12 public schools by 10% to $1,780 per child. That's a benchmark school funding number. + There is also a move here to streamline the number of pots of state money that go to public schools to allow local school districts to have more flexibility on spending. + The other huge budget category is Medicaid. This budget provides the rapidly expanding Medicaid program with an additional $380 million. $157 million comes from the increased cigarette tax revenues using money that has accrued since the tax took effect in July as well as half the money the state expects to collect during the next fiscal year. + Most importantly, the budget plan gives Medicaid officials flexibility in setting provider rates cutting the fees paid to doctors and hospitals. + State public colleges and universities would receive $117 million less, a 5.6% cut in the state monies received this year, ending June 30, 2011. + No cost-of-living raises for state workers for the second consecutive year. + $180 million set aside in the 'rainy day fund'. The budget now goes to the full House for debate in two weeks. Charter Schools Bill Passes House: The bill expanding SC's Charter Schools passed the House this week. I have written extensively on this legislation which I support. 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 number 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. School Visits: I feel it is my obligation to see first-hand our public schools in action. Last Friday I spent a half-day at Ridge Spring-Monetta High School. It is a small, rural school with strong leadership from Principal Mason Cummings. Today, I'm visiting the Wagener-Salley HS. Investing in Business: The top priority is to 'improve our business climate' so the private sector can lead our state's economic recovery. Create jobs. It's important to get government out of the way of business. To that goal, a House committee is working on legislation that will provide incentives for "Angel Investors" who want to invest in new start-up companies. This legislation will allow people to invest in the next great company here in our SC - companies that will create jobs and become good corporate citizens. This bill is also a Republican priority for 2011 and should be coming to the House floor for debate soon. Stimulating Biz: Aiken Senators Greg Ryberg and Shane Massey have introduced S.591, legislation allowing employers to claim a state income tax credit when hiring an employee currently receiving unemployment insurance benefits. SC's Local Tax Burden is Ranked Low: A new report shows SC is among the states with the lowest tax burden. The Tax Foundation's State-Local Tax Burdens study estimates the average total tax burden for residents of each state; including both the in-state taxes they're subject to as well as taxes they pay to other states. This method takes the point of view of the individual taxpayer, counting all taxes they pay, no matter which state they pay them to. The nation as a whole paid 9.8% of its income in state and local taxes. Taxpayers in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut bore the highest state-local burdens in the country at over 12%. SC ranked 43 among states with the lowest state-local tax burden of 8.1%. Full Report: http://www.taxfoundation.org/taxdata/show/336.html Voter ID Change: Republicans in the Senate overcame Democratic obstructionism, procedural gimmicks and even a mountain of 480 amendments to pass the voter ID bill. SC voters will have to show photo identification at polls under the legislation that passed the Senate. Voters currently can show either a driver's license or voter registration card, which lacks a photo. Senators amended our House bill and exempted people who are 65 years old and over from having to get IDs to vote. They also created an 11-day early voting period ending three days prior to an election. The measure died last year with the House and Senate unable to agree on a compromise between their two versions. Driving & Texting Fines: People convicted of texting and driving will have to pay $45 in penalties under legislation that is up for debate in a SC Senate committee. The Senate Judiciary Committee is discussing a measure that requires a $20 fine plus a $25 state trauma care fund surcharge if the person is convicted. Police will have to have a clear view of what the driver is doing. And they can't cite drivers who are looking up telephone contacts or dialing phones. Honoring Veterans: I joined Rep. Bill Hixon (R-North Augusta) on a bill he introduced that calls for SC's driver's licenses to include a veteran status designation, if the veteran desires. Homeless veterans would also be recognized on their state ID. Veterans Affairs officials are in favor of the bill. Two Anti-Abortion Bills Advance: Two anti-abortion bills have passed the House Judiciary Committee and are scheduled for debate on the House floor next week. The first would extend rights and protections to fetuses that survive abortions and anyone born prematurely who has a beating heartbeat, working lungs and other signs of life. The second allows health care workers to refuse - without fear of disciplinary action - to take part in work tasks they object to on moral or religious grounds. Yucca Mountain: In the State Senate, S.92 is a concurrent resolution urging Congress to endorse Yucca Mountain's sustainability as a permanent federal repository for high-level radioactive waste. The full Senate Agriculture Committee approved the measure and it goes to the Senate floor. Next Week - Government Restructuring On Deck for House Floor: Three bills aimed at restructuring state government are on deck to be debated on the House floor next week. The South Carolina Restructuring Act of 2011 (H. 3066) will restructure the Budget and Control Board under a new Department of Administration and supervised by the Executive Branch, and H. 3152 and H. 3070 would call for the joint election of the Governor and Lieutenant Governor and for the appointment of the State Superintendent of Education by the Governor respectfully. These are major initiatives aimed at streamlining SC government! GOP Precinct Reorganization: A reminder, it's time to get involved in grassroots politics. Republican precincts in Aiken County will be holding their bi-annual reorganization meetings next Thursday evening, March 3. Learn more at: http://www.aikengop.com/gopaiken/ Talk-To-Taylor: I enjoyed another of my 'Talk-To-Taylor' sessions last Saturday morning at Dave's Convenience store on Highway 302 in Couchton. These sessions are invaluable to me in hearing and learning from you. I'll keep you posted on my next listening session. In the meantime, you are welcome to write or call me concerning any issue of importance to you.

Feb. 22, 2011: Tomorrow the 'Great Debate' over charter schools is scheduled to take place in the South Carolina House of Representatives. I label it the 'Great Debate' because it is about far more than the fair funding of our public charter schools; it is inherently a debate about the success of our public schools in S.C. and alternative approaches to educating our children. Here's a reality check - if we were handing out report cards, few could objectively contest that S.C. public schools would get a failing grade. Of course, there are specific successes in programs and we all recognize and celebrate the many hard-working, dedicated teacher's and staff making a difference every day; I've seen that first-hand in my school visits. It's unnecessary to recite the regularly publicized statistics regarding our high drop-out rate, poor graduation rate and standardized testing scores that confirm S.C.'s public schools aren't achieving success. Instead, allow me to cite a few fresh statistics that I've discovered in our own Aiken County schools that you won't read elsewhere... At one high school, the ninth graders were called to an assembly with the principal a couple of weeks ago; he informed them that 25% of their class is failing English and math. At another high school in Aiken County, incoming ninth graders were tested this school year and found to be reading on average at the sixth grade level. Their language skills scores were only slightly better. This is not a condemnation of the good people who work in our public schools. Teacher after teacher has complained to me about the bureaucracy and obstacles they face daily in truly educating our children. It isn't just the administration, a web of federal and state requirements are part of the problem. There's plenty of blame to go around. Our challenges are not as simple as the amount of money we spend on public education. On average, S.C. public schools receive funding in excess of $11,000 a year per child. Those are your tax dollars cut three ways; federal, state and local. Contrary to what is repeatedly stated by those who protect the status quo - total school funding is more than we have ever spent per child in S.C. Public school defenders would have you believe that school funding has been significantly cut in recent years. It's important to keep in perspective that while the State's 'Base Student Cost' fluctuates, overall funding to public schools from more than 200 funding sources, including the federal government, has increased. Here's a critical question - how much money would it take to create successful public schools? $15,000 per year per child? $20,000? $30,000? There never seems to be enough money, yet private, parochial and charter schools successfully educate for far less money than public schools. Tomorrow's debate in the House will likely center on funding for school districts, school buildings, school administrators, threatened layoff's of teachers and whose money is it, rather than what's best for our school children. School districts protest that we're taking "their" money. It's not "their" money. It's your hard-earned tax dollars used to educate the children of our state. Put the numbers in perspective - the additional amount being sought to fund the state-chartered public charter schools is $20 million of the $8.3 billion spent in S.C. to fund public schools each year. In the past few days a compromise has been worked out where the funding won't come from local dollars, but from state funding. I predict the next round of objections will sound something like this, "That could have been our funding; give it to the public schools." Charter schools are public schools; three are sponsored by the Aiken School District. I was pleased to hear Superintendent Dr. Beth Everitt tell the Aiken Legislative Delegation a couple of weeks ago that she "supports charter schools". Charter school students are subject to the same requirements as schools run by school districts. Charter schools face the same accountability hurdles as "traditional" public schools. The State newspaper recently referred to Charter schools as "laboratories of innovation." The traditional 'brick and mortar' school has changed little in the past 50 years - that observation was shared with me while visiting then-State School Superintendent Jim Rex last summer. No wonder our public schools are failing to keep pace with our rapidly changing world and its demands. When it comes to education, our focus must be on our children and we must recognize that one size does not fit all. Public school students, whether in district-run schools or charter schools, deserve an education system that maximizes the return on taxpayer dollars in terms of student achievement. As State School Superintendent Mick Zais states, "These charter schools represent a good investment by taxpayers and provide students with additional options to meet their unique needs. They have been denied fair funding in the past. It is time to end this inequity." I will listen intently to tomorrow's debate in the House, but barring any revelation I will vote to support fair funding for our public charter schools. (A reminder - you can watch the House debate live online. The session begins at 10:00 a.m. and debate is scheduled sometime after that. Link: http://www.scstatehouse.gov/video/house.php)

Feb. 18, 2011: It's been an active week at the State House. We discussed issues from standing up to the Federal Government to ATV safety to lessening the restrictions on carrying guns. As a reminder - this is a review of major State House activity this past week. Mentioning an action in this review does not necessarily indicate my support. My goal is to inform you. As always, I welcome your comments and suggestions to improve South Carolina. Checking Big Brother: 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. An Evening with the Governor: Wednesday evening our freshman legislative class joined Governor Haley for a work session at the Governor's Mansion. It was an opportunity to have an exchange of ideas on moving SC forward -- FAST! Saying, "I need you...I believe in fresh faces," she called on us to join her by championing issues with which we have passion. While the budget crisis looms, she urged us to help her reorganize state government to give the Governor's Office and cabinet more authority to solve problems and institute changes. The #1 priorities remain: creating private sector jobs and turbo-charging our economy . SC Government Restructuring: In an effort to limit the scope of government and increase efficiency, the Constitutional Laws Subcommittee passed bills this week that would restructure the Budget and Control Board under a new Department of Administration under the Executive Branch and call for the Governor to appoint constitutional officers. The South Carolina Restructuring Act of 2011 (H 3066) and bills regarding the statewide constitutional officers (H 3152) and (H 3070) are all items I have co-sponsored. Lower Gas Prices? A House Agriculture Subcommittee passed the 'splash blending' bill intended to allow small locally owned oil companies in SC to blend their own fuel resulting in lower gas prices at the pump on certain types of gas. I co-sponsored this bill with Rep. Tom Young. On-the-Record Voting Obstacle: This major transparency legislation that 90% of voters want to see enacted has hit a road block again in the SC Senate. The Senate Judiciary Committee approved a pair of bills requiring more on-the-record voting, but senators contend the state Constitution needs to be amended first. This is very disappointing! On our side of the Capitol, the House passed roll call voting last month, but a few senators keep throwing obstacles in the way of this reform. Right-to-Carry Bill: A House subcommittee has delayed a bill (H 3292) that would allow anyone who can legally own a handgun to carry it concealed without a permit. The state's top law enforcement officer said he doesn't oppose a looser requirement for carrying guns, but the state's Sheriffs' Association disagreed. The sponsor of the bill said, "I have no problem with us taking the time to make sure we get it right." Abortion Bills Move Forward: A SC House subcommittee approved two abortion bills yesterday. One, which the House has approved several times before, would expand the definition of a 'person' and 'child' in SC laws to include premature babies born, no matter what stage of development, and those who survive abortions. To become law, the proposals must clear the full House Judiciary Committee, and the SC House and Senate. Money for Charter Schools: SC charter school advocates have won a partial victory. A House budget-writing panel voted this week to give them a one-time cash infusion sending more money in 2011-12 to charter schools organized under the statewide charter district. Online schools would get an extra $2,500 per student, while "brick and mortar" schools would get $4,000 extra. Charter School Debate Coming: The bill to expand Charter Schools (H 3241) is scheduled for debate in the House next Wednesday. Financing Charter Schools has been a contentious issue. At a special school board meeting Wednesday, Aiken School Board members agreed not to support the current provision of a charter school district bill currently in the S.C. House. They expressed concern about using local school funds for Charter and VirtualSchools. That likely won't be an issue since the bill is being revamped to use state funds rather than local school money. Cutting Aiken School Administrative Costs: As a follow-up to the Legislative Delegation's meeting with the Aiken School Board last week, I received several constituent inquiries concerning the School Districts decision regarding the cutting of area administrative offices and reducing costs. We asked and were told they are studying the issues and will provide a decision on the administrative offices by late April. I'm Off to School: I believe in public education; I also believe in my own continuing 'personal education'. I have set out to visit Aiken schools throughout vast House District 86. As a member of the House Education Committee, I want to see first-hand the successes and challenges in our schools. Last week, I visited SC's VirtualSchool. Today, I'm the guest of Ridge Spring-Monetta High School where I'll meet with Principal Cummings, talk with teachers and have lunch with students. Next Friday I'll be at Wagener-SalleyHigh School. Fraud Protection in a Social Media World: I joined Rep. Tom Young in co-sponsoring a bill this week to create an offense for fraudulent hi-jacking of telephone caller ID, Facebook, Twitter accounts or other social media avenues. It's a form of identity theft. No penalties currently exist in SC for this type of identity theft. ATV Safety Bill: It has taken 8 years, but the campaign has been renewed to adopt safety regulations for children riding ATV's (all-terrain vehicles). Legislation known as Chandler's Law has worked its way through the Legislature almost every year since, gaining approval of both the House and Senate in 2006 and 2007 before being vetoed by Gov. Mark Sanford. It makes it illegal for a child 8 or younger to operate an ATV and requires children 9-15 who operate ATVs to wear helmets. Open Booze: The House is being asked to make the penalty for driving with open liquor containers or drinks in cars the same as having open beer or wine container in a vehicle. The House Judiciary Committee is set to debate the measure next week. The MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) will oppose the bill. Send Jailed Illegal Immigrants to Feds: A House subcommittee has agreed to send illegal immigrants in SC prisons to federal authorities for deportation. This is a cost cutting move. The state would take illegal immigrants out of state prisons after they have completed at least a third of their sentence and send them to the Feds, if a deportation order has been issued. College Students Lobby: Students from several SC universities visited the State House this week urging lawmakers to be careful trimming the budget, saying deep cuts to higher education will hurt the state's economic future. The student leaders said they realize cuts are necessary, and asked that the cuts be fair. SC's public colleges receive an average of 8% of their funding from the state. That compares to 17% a decade ago. Voter ID Up for Debate in Senate: We are hopeful that the Senate will move quickly in taking up this reform bill (H 3003) that will create a more secure electoral process. It is suppose to be on the Senate schedule next week. Please let Senators know you care about this bill. Our Student Shadows: It's always fun to be able to honor Aiken County citizen on the floor of the House of Representatives. Our 'shadow students' from the 7 Aiken County HS's were in the spotlight this past Wednesday. It was my priviledge to introduce each of them to House members and the online TV audience. They got a wonderful civics lesson in the debate over the 'Repeal Amendment'. A Reminder...Join me Saturday morning for another 'Talk to Taylor'. I'll be at Dave's Convenience store on Highway 302 in Couchton starting at 8:30 a.m. Drop by; I want to hear your ideas for improving SC.

Feb 11, 2011: Topping this week's legislative successes is tort reform which means an improved business climate and more jobs, if it passes the Senate and is signed into law. But first, I'll start the Legislative Update in Aiken County. Aiken Delegation Meets with School Board: Our legislative week began with our Delegation Meeting held in Aiken. During the 3 hour session we heard from many citizens on a variety of issues and concerns. The main focus was the long-delayed meeting with Aiken School Board members. In cordial questioning, I urged the School Board to change the format of their meetings to be more inviting and inclusive of citizens, a major complaint from those who attend their meetings. Citizens always deserve to be heard! Legislators also sought answers on methods to improve the graduation rate and input on a variety of legislative topics: changing the levels of high school diplomas, better ways to fire inferior teachers, school choice and charter school legislation and more. I was pleased to hear Superintendent Dr. Beth Everitt say she "supports charter schools". Tort Reform Wins House Approval! The SC 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. This bill goes to the Senate where it died last year. Banning Bad Drinks: Kids call them "blackout in a can," "six-pack in a can" and "crack in a can." After considerable debate, the House voted to ban the sale of ALCOHOLIC energy drinks (H.3246).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. Government Re-Org -- One Small Step: The House Judiciary Constitutional Laws Subcommittee voted favorably on legislation that would allow SC voters to decide if the State Superintendent of Education should be appointed by the Governor rather than elected. The primary sponsor of H.3070 is Aiken's Rep. Tom Young. I'm pleased to be a co-sponsor. Charter School Legislation-Hot Debate Ahead: Next week the House is expected to debate legislation to enhance public charter schools (H.3241). The bill provides more equitable funding to charter schools and allows more choices for students and parents in the public school system. I've heard from many of you on this bill; both pro and con. I favor the expansion of charter schools to give parents more choice and voted for the bill in the House Education Committee. State School Superintendent Mick Zais came to the State House this week to make the case in support of charter school expansion: Read what he said: http://ed.sc.gov/agency/superintendent/documents/Remarks-CharterSchoolBill.pdf Education Dollars: A House Ways and Means subcommittee approved the Education Finance Act, (H.3002) which streamlines education funding and calls for increased funding for students living in poverty and those who do not speak English. The bill also directs the South Carolina Department of Education to develop a pay-for-performance plan for teachers by December 2011. Teaching the Way Kids Learn: The 'doors' to SC's 'Virtual Schools' swung wide open for a group of State Reps yesterday. We witnessed a dynamic demonstration linking their teacher (and us) to about 100 students statewide. It's a new day and we have to develop alternative learning methods to compliment traditional brick and mortar schools. Online learning works and definitely has a place in public education. Speaker Bobby Harrell talked with the students online. Right-to-Carry Reform Legislation to be Heard Soon: The Right-to-Carry CWP reform bill (H.3292) will likely be heard in the House Judiciary Subcommittee next week. I co-sponsored this legislation which seeks to make a number of positive reforms to the current concealed weapons permit system, including expanding where a permit holder may lawfully carry, as well as improving the current laws regarding recognizing permits issued by other states. Dog Collar Tampering: Aiken County Legislator Rep. Bill Hixon scored a victory in getting two bills he authored through committee and passed by the House. H.3372 makes it unlawful to intentionally remove or destroy an electronic collar placed on a dog by its owner to maintain the location of the dog. This can be a dog used in fox, coon or bird hunting or someone's back yard pet. Some people have been stealing dogs and throwing the collars away. Relief for Sportsmen: Rep. Hixon's second bill (H.3374) is a bill that should have been passed long ago, but was approved by the House this week. It calls for SC to join the Interstate Wildlife Compact. It is like a drivers license compact. In the event you travel to another state and have a game or fishing violation, you will be treated as if you were in your home state; accept the citation from the officer and continue on your way. In the past, SC-DNR made a non-resident violator post bail on the spot or go to jail. This bill saves time and money for the game wardens. There is no cost for SC to join the Compact. Band Aid for SC's Medicaid Mess: SC's five-member Budget and Control Board voted to allow the state's health-care agency to run a $100 million deficit but asked the agency to find ways to eliminate an additional $125 million budget shortfall by the end of June. The Department of Health and Human Services asked to run a deficit because of rising Medicaid enrollment due to the 'Great Recession'. The agency would run out of money to pay doctors and hospitals by the end of March if the Budget and Control Board did not allow it to run a deficit. Good Money News: The Department of Social Services announced that it has erased its budget deficit which was projected to be $28.8 million for this year (ending in June). The Department of Corrections says it has reduced its deficit to $4.8 million. The Corrections Department, which runs the state's prisons, was given more time to balance its budget. Illegal Immigration Bill Moves Forward: SC has moved one step closer to requiring police officers to check the immigration status of people they arrest, stop for a traffic violation or investigate on suspicion of breaking the law. The S.C. Senate Judiciary Committee approved the bill. It now goes to the full Senate. If passed, the bill would require police to verify the immigration status of anyone they stop, detain or investigate. Fewer Illegal Aliens in SC: The Pew Research Center released a new report estimating there are 55,000 "unauthorized immigrants" (their terminology) in SC. That's down 21% since '07, but up 1100% from 1990 when there were only 5,000 illegals in SC. The Arizona-type immigration enforcement law has been introduced this session in the SC House; I'm a co-sponsor. To read the complete Pew Report: http://pewhispanic.org/files/reports/133.pdf Audit Says Changes Needed in Heritage Corridor: This is an Aiken County issue. State auditors this week called for more efficient administration of the S.C. National Heritage Corridor and a better gauge of whether it is accomplishing what it was created to do. The corridor stretches 240 miles along the western edge of the state from the mountains through Aiken County to Charleston County. It was created in 1996 to promote heritage tourism and economic redevelopment in the 17-county region. The General Assembly asked the Legislative Audit Council to review the administration of the program that is federally funded but administered by the state Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism. The audit released this week found the program is unusual in that it is managed jointly by PRT and the nonprofit S.C. National Heritage Corridor. There are 49 corridors nationwide but most are managed either by a nonprofit or a federal commission with no state involvement. (Full Report: http://lac.sc.gov/Reports/2011/S.C.+National+Heritage+Corridor.htm) Voices Heard: One of the unique experiences in serving in the SC House is regularly running the gauntlet of visitors while making our way to the House Chamber. They often fill the State House lobby. Tuesday we were met by supporters of the arts who were on hand to blunt Gov. Haley's proposed budget cuts for the arts. Bless them; they CHEERED rather than chanting or booing. :>) Many of us joined the arts advocates for a luncheon featuring performances by children's groups from around the state.

February 4, 2011: During my many years in broadcast news I repeatedly heard people ask for more good news. So, today we begin with Good News! The Aiken High School State Champion Volleyball team was honored by the SC House of Representatives this week. These ladies are champion athletes, but they are also champion students with a team average 4.2 GPA! We must always celebrate good kids who are striving to achieve. Charter School Expansion Heads to House for Debate: Wednesday's vote was an educational milestone. After 2+ years of work on this legislation, the House Education Committee voted out the bill to expand SC's Charter Schools. It creates equality in funding and expands student opportunities for these 'public schools'. As a member of the Education Committee, I heard from many people, both pro and con. In the final analysis, I believe in the rights of students and parents to have choices in education; one size doesn't fit all. I voted for this important bill which heads to the House floor for debate. Standing Up to Uncle Sam: Next week the House will debate the so-called 'Repeal Amendment' (H.3507). This bill was initiated by Speaker Harrell and I'm one of the sponsors. Its intent is to fortify State's Rights. It calls on Congress to convene a Constitutional Convention for the sole purpose of proposing a constitutional amendment that permits the repeal of any federal law or regulation by a vote of two-thirds of state legislatures. Learn more: http://www.repealamendment.org Private Transfer Fees Banned by Bill: 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. Tort Reform is Good for Biz: The SC House of Representatives is fast-tracking legislation for another top priority for Republicans -- tort reform. H. 3375 won approval of the full House Judiciary Committee this week. The bill, which is nearly identical to one that passed the House in 2010, would cap the amount of punitive damages that can be collected in a civil lawsuit and would change how some civil cases are handled in SC. Touted by many business organizations as one of the most effective economic improvement issues before the General Assembly, the measure 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. ETV in the Budget Spotlight: In her State of the State message, Gov. Haley called for an end to taxpayer funding of ETV. That's nearly $10M a year. As a lifelong broadcaster and media consultant, I thought it my responsibility to evaluate for myself the breadth and depth of ETV's services. I spent several hours yesterday meeting with ETV President Linda O'Bryon and her senior staff. I learned that SCETV is much more than the television channel; it is recognized nationally as a model for delivering educational content to all our public school classrooms, colleges and universities, and for professional development classes through ETV's technology. If you have opinions concerning ETV and its many services, I want to hear from you. Nay Sayers: Back in 1970, then-VP Spiro Agnew referred to the news media as the "Nattering nabobs of negativism." Not much has changed in 40+ years except today the Bloggers have joined the media fray. Most ideas that involve change tend to get riddled with criticism, rather than being met with constructive solutions. As example, Gov. Haley is exploring the concept of privatizing South Carolina's school bus fleet as one possibility for saving money. But some experts are quick to say the switch could end up costing more. That remains to be seen after the idea is fully vetted. One certainty, SC's schoolchildren deserve newer and safer buses, even if the plan doesn't save money. South Carolina is the only U.S.state to own and maintain a statewide school bus fleet. Medicaid Budget Buster: Keep a close eye on the SC Medicaid story. Tony Keck, the new Director of SC's Department of Health and Human Services, told House and Senate budget writers this week that the state will not be able to make enough cuts in its health care spending to fill his agency's $228 million projected deficit for this year. Doctors and hospitals should expect to be paid less to treat patients in the state-run health program for the poor and disabled. The five-member Budget and Control Board will have to decide how to pay off that deficit when it meets next week. This is SC's biggest budget problem because the Medicaid program has ballooned. Keck says the goal is to deliver the most - and most-effective - health care to the poor for the least amount of money. Toward that goal, I met privately this week with a physician who is a Medicaid expert and an advisor to the state. He offered some solutions that would rescue Medicaid and maintain services. Your Aiken Legislative Delegation has teamed-up to explore his ideas. The Higher Education Transparency Bill (H. 3185) unanimously passed the House this week and was sent to the Senate. State colleges and universities will be required to post online a monthly registry of all expenditures and dollar amounts - prominently displayed on their official websites for the public to see. This is another step toward government transparency. Want to Donate to Your Favorite Public School? Check out www.SCFutureMinds.org. Conservative Views: I found of interest that in a new poll seven of 10 Americans would like to see Republican leaders in Congress consider the tea party movement's ideas as they confront the country's challenges. In a Gallup/USA Today polling released this week, 71 percent of those surveyed said they want to see GOP leaders look to tea party positions when developing policy. Forty-two percent said that listening to tea party ideas was "very important," while another 29 percent said it was "somewhat important." You're Invited: The Aiken Legislative Delegation will meet this coming Monday at 4:00 p.m. at the AikenCountyAdministrationBuilding on Richland Avenue. Your legislators will be hearing from the Aiken County Board of Education. Everyone is welcome. As always, if you have ideas, comments or questions, please don't hesitate to e-mail me or give me a call. January 28, 2011: I'm pleased to report lots of positive action this week from the South Carolina House of Representatives. Voter ID Passes: Republicans pushed through 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. Our Laws Prevail, Not Theirs! This bill is getting national attention! A legislative initiative aimed at preventing a court from enforcing foreign law in the Palmetto State was introduced in both the S.C. House and Senate. I joined others as a primary sponsor of the House bill. America has unique values of liberty which do not exist in foreign legal systems. Yet foreign laws are increasingly creeping their way into U.S. court cases, particularly in the area of family law, involving divorce and child custody where, for instance, Islamic Shariah Law has been invoked in several U.S. states. A growing concern is the immigration of people who are accustomed to their religion and their civil laws being inextricably connected. This bill will be helpful to them as they are assimilated into our culture maintaining complete freedom to worship as they please. Few South Carolinians -- or Americans for that matter -- are aware of this issue, until now. (H. 3490) Gun Toting: H.3405 would grant special privileges for legislators and other elected or appointed officials and their staffs to carry a gun without the current restrictions on those who have concealed weapons permits. This is an outgrowth of the Tucson shootings. I heard from a number of constituents opposing this measure. I agree; legislators should abide by the same laws as everyone else. I joined those grassroots folks at a House Judiciary Sub-Committee meeting and spoke in opposition to the bill. The bill was killed. Gambling: A State Senate committee approved a bill allowing dice and card games, including poker, in SC homes. The measure would replace the state's 1802 antigambling laws. The Senate Judiciary Committee voted 15-6 Tuesday to send the bill to the full Senate. The bill would allow adults to make their own decisions regarding card games and does not burden law enforcement with policing what games they play at the kitchen table. Education Financial Transparency: As a member of the House Education Committee, I voted in favor of two major education bills that were reported out of our committee this week. One bill calls for greater transparency in routine financial transactions for SC colleges and universities. Both USCA and Aiken Tech will make available their financial transaction online. Both institutions are supportive of the transparency. Sunshine in government is healthy! Higher Ed Relief: The second bill that passed the Education Committee cuts governmental red tape and reduces the impediments in accomplishing construction projects at SC colleges and universities. It can now take 18 months to get needed approvals -- that costs taxpayer's money. The expedited procedures will save millions. Charter School Expansion: The House Education Committee will soon vote on the expansion of the Charter Schools. We closely examined the bill in a two hour work session this week and we will likely send it to the House next week. (H. 3241) If They Gave Out Awards for Good Policy Design: "The folks in South Carolina would be top contenders for the gold." That praise comes from the Cato Institute regarding the newly introduced SC School Choice Bill. Cato states: "Here's the thing: all the evidence shows that educators are human beings like the rest of us and that education benefits from the same market freedoms and incentives that have driven progress in every other field. So how do you unleash those market forces so that our kids have the best shot at fulfilling their potentials?" The answers come in the attached posting: http://www.cato-at-liberty.org/if-they-gave-out-awards-for-good-policy-design/ Mixed Report Card: Reports came in this week that South Carolina's Scholastic Aptitude Test scores dropped five points in 2010, making the state 49th in the nation with only Maine scoring lower. However, ACT scores were much better and rose again for the eighth consecutive year to a score of 20, compared to 21 nationwide. Most local schools followed the state trend in both SAT and ACT scores. Only three showed significant improvement in SAT scores. State Sales Tax Compliance: I've heard from several constituents who are unable to comply with the SC's new electronic filing system to report sales taxes because they don't have a computer or they are on dial-up connections. I met with Department of Revenue officials yesterday and they explained the electronic filing is a major cost cutting move saving on thousands of mailings. They will, however, continue to accept paper filings. I have the DOR contact information for those who need it. Honors to an Aiken Business Star: I was pleased to stand with retired Aiken bank executive John Troutman who was honored as a SC Ambassador for Economic Development by the SC Department of Commerce and Legislators. The honor was bestowed by Gov. Nikki Haley and Speaker Bobby Harrell in a State House ceremony this week. John richly deserves the recognition for his longtime service and leadership on the Board of the Aiken-Edgefield Economic Development Partnership. State House Visitors: Glad to see so many constituents visiting the State House this week. It's fun to share THEIR State House with them. On Tuesday, I spotted Chad Marino, of Aiken, in the House Gallery along with other Aiken Tech students. Glad they were on hand to observe government at work. If you're coming to the State House let me know in advance and we'll roll out the red carpet. Aiken's Championship Volleyball Team to be Honored: Aiken HS's State Champion Volleyball Team will be at the State House next Wednesday morning to be recognized by the House and Senate. Representatives Tom Young, Bill Clyburn and I will be their hosts and proudly introduce them in the House. Three Cheers! As always, if you have ideas, comments or questions, please don't hesitate to e-mail me (Bill@TaylorSCHouse.com) or give me a call.

January 21, 2010: The old saying applies -- "If you don't know where you are going, you will probably end up somewhere else." During my campaign I pointed to the need for South Carolina to have a vision. We live in a wonderful state with natural beauty, good weather and great neighbors. But, until we have a clear vision for progress, we will languish and not be able to attract business and industry that will grow our economy and job market. The State of State: That positive vision for South Carolina got a foothold with Gov. Nikki Haley's 'State of the State' address this week. It was a rallying point -- a vision for how we can grow and prosper and overcome the current economic downturn and budget shortfall of more than $800 million were facing next fiscal year. She appealed to legislators to help her balance the state budget, improve education and recruit more jobs to the state, offering to help defend tough budget-cutting decisions. The Governor outlined several proposals to deal with the state's budget shortage. A large reduction involves the way the state pays doctors and hospitals to treat patients in Medicaid, the state-run health care program for the poor and disabled. That could amount to $100 million in savings. Others recommendations included the elimination of state funding of ETV and the state Arts Commission, saving a combined $11.8 million. Gov. Haley said, "As we make decisions that may be seen by some as unfair or even callous, we must be honest with them: This budget year is going to hurt." She addressed legislators saying, "I can't do it alone. You hold the key. If you will work with me to make the right decisions...you will find a partner willing to stand with you in front of the people of our state and defend our choices." Haley also said S.C. residents have a responsibility as citizens to do more than complain. I was impressed with Governor Haley's address including her budget-cutting recommendations and her vision for economic development. We must grow SC's economy and create jobs. It's time to "Get 'er done!" And on the topic of developing a vision for SC, I'm reminded what Norman Vincent Peal once said, "No matter how dark things seem to be or actually are, raise your sights and see the possibilities -- always see them, for they're always there." To learn more, read the text of Gov. Haley's address: http://www.thestate.com/2011/01/19/1653827/gov-haleys-state-of-the-state.html# The Budget - Other Funds: We legislators spent considerable time this week in a work session drilling down to understand the 'Other Budget' category of state spending. That much-publicized segment of the budget amounts to $7.5 billion and is larger than the General Fund. I won't get too technical, but I had a 'Eureka Moment' when I questioned the budget director and found that the manner in which the State accounts for revenues and expenditures (because one agency passes money to another to spend) causes double accounting. Here's what it means -- my sources tell me the reported $7.5 billion 'Other Funds' budget may be 30% over-stated! because of the accounting methodology. That means in reality the 'Other Funds' budget could be more like $5.3 billion. Kind of reminds me of the Late Sen. Everett Dirksen's quote: "A billion here, a billion there, and pretty soon you're talking about real money." Budget-Friendly School Choice Bill Introduced: Legislators in both the SC House and Senate introduced comprehensive School Choice legislation Thursday, designed to seat every student in the classroom best suited for their unique learning needs. The tax credit based proposal was carefully crafted to engage parents in their children's' education while saving local school districts and the state General Fund money. I am a co-sponsor of this bill in the House and a strong proponent of this approach. Parents need the freedom to place their children in the most effective, most appropriate classroom. The best news -- we'll be saving money in the process. The bill is modeled after Florida's successful School Choice program where students have enjoyed major gains in reading and math scores, as well as a rise in the on-time graduation rate. State auditors in Florida found the program saved $1.49 in education spending for each dollar in School Choice tax credits claimed. This is not the old 'voucher' program; the plan calls for tuition tax credits for families that can afford independent school fees out-of-pocket, and tuition scholarships funded through tax-credit donations for students whose family cannot. Higher Education Funds: Gov. Haley met with higher education leaders this week to find ways to objectively measure the performance of South Carolina's public colleges and universities. School officials will provide the governor with data including class sizes, the number of in-state and out-of-state students, classroom spending and their economic development impact. The goal, Haley said, is to determine which schools were getting the best results from their budgets. College officials said they welcomed the opportunity to show their value. Voter ID approved by House Committee: I join other Republican legislators in the strongly held belief that showing a government-issued picture ID when voting would strengthen the power of your ballot on Election Day and decrease the possibility of dishonesty and fraud at the ballot box. The Voter ID passed out of the House Judiciary Committee this week and will come to the floor next Wednesday where it will be hotly debated, then passed. It will be my first partisan debate; should be 'fun'. I'll keep you updated on Facebook at 'TaylorSCHouse'. Gambling or Fundraising? A SC Senate Committee approved changing the state Constitution to ensure that S.C. churches, schools and nonprofits do not unknowingly break the law when they hold charitable raffles. The Amendment would allow the groups to hold a limited number of raffles and casino nights annually as long as 90 percent of the money raised goes to benefit charitable causes. The bill, which updates the state's century-old gaming laws, heads to the full Senate. Most legislators don't see this as raffles as gambling per se, but more of a fundraising effort that's used by a lot of groups. State, Local Government Revenue Growth Poised to Accelerate: The Wall Street Journal reports that state and local tax revenues, which have resumed growing after a long slide, are poised to increase as consumer spending recovers and the job market continues to mend. That's good news! The research by Deutsche Bank notes that sales taxes, logically, tend to follow the direction of retail sales, which means that state and local governments are likely to see tax collections continue to rise following improved retail sales. SC's state government will announce its revenue forecast for the budget next year on February 15th. Early indications are the news will be positive. January 19, 2011: This is your personal invitation to tune-in and learn about the 'state' of South Carolina. Our new Governor, Nikki Haley, has been invited to address a joint session of the South Carolina House and Senate. She will deliver her first State of the State address this evening at 7:00 p.m. You can be there! The State of the State address will be broadcast LIVE on the following Channels... * WIS-TV, Columbia (Atlantic Broadband Aiken Ch. 3) * ETV, South Carolina (Atlantic Broadband Aiken Ch. 13) * On the web at: http://www.scstatehouse.gov/video/house.php Please tune-in and learn our new Governor's views on the State of the State.

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January 14, 2011: After the inaugural festivities Wednesday, the South Carolina legislature buckled down to work yesterday. Maybe it's the 'Honeymoon' period, but let's take advantage of the impetus and see lots of fast and needed action. Voting Transparency... 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 lawmakers to record their 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 (Such legislation normally requires three votes to pass.) + Any bill amended by either the House or state Senate The roll call vote legislation now goes to the Senate. Hopefully, they will see the light and pass it this time. Voter ID Bill... House Republicans wasted no time advancing a bill requiring voters to show photo identification at the polls. A judiciary panel approved the bill on a party-line 3-2 vote. Republicans in both the House and Senate have this as a top priority. The voter ID measure died last June, as House and Senate members failed to agree on a compromise. As a co-sponsor, I'll push for its approval into law. The Education Agenda... New SC Education Supterintendent Mick Zais stood strong before the House Ways & Means Committee after being on the job only 24 hours. He advocated for more school choice, for money to follow each child and more local school autonomy. Zais also told legislators he opposes cutting school days to deal with the budget crisis. A bill as been introduced to cut 10 days from the school calendar. I've heard from lots of folks who are against that proposal; we need to be improving public education not crippling it. As a member of the House Education Committee, I believe we should thoughtfully eliminate the least effective programs rather than slashing K-12 schools with across-the-board cuts. The Financial Plight of Social Services... I attended a six hour meeting of the House Ways & Means Committee as they got an overview of the States' budget challenges from various departments. There was an awkward moment when Dr. Kathleen Hayes, State Director of the Department of Social Services, came to the podium. She informed the legislators that while there she had just gotten the news that she is being replaced by Gov. Haley. (She will be replaced by Lillian Koller, who led Hawaii's Department of Human Services from 2003 until earlier this year.) To her credit, Dr. Hayes proceeded to outline the financial challenges facing DSS which oversees food stamps, family assistance programs, adoption and child care and abuse, among others. Here are some facts and quotes I jotted down from her testimony... + DSS now serves 1,250,000 South Carolinians, meaning 25% of SC residents are on some sort of welfare. + Since 2007, SC's welfare ranks have more than doubled! + SC is adding 100,000 people a year to the welfare roles. + Dr. Hayes: "We're one of the poorest states in the nation. There's been a lot of hurt in this state. We have one of the most austere family benefits programs among all the states." + DSS has trimmed this current year's budget significantly, but a $29m deficit could cause DSS to suspend optional services by April. + The agency will reduce welfare payments to the state's poorest families by 20 percent, starting this spring, regardless of whether the deficit spending is approved. The Medicaid Monster... In the House Ways & Means testimony, we heard from the SC Health & Human Services. This division runs Medicaid, the government's health care program for the poor. It is going broke -- here are the facts that were presented: + Since 2007, it has grown by 130,000 people served now totaling 840,000 people. + SC's Medicaid continues to ad 3,000 to 5,000 people a month. + The projected deficit this fiscal year is $228m. + This week the decision was made to require Medicaid patients in SC to choose a managed health care plan instead of the traditional fee-for-service model. That will take a year of ongoing enrollment to get people on the new cost-savings program. Stay Positive -- Focus on Growing... The news focus for much of this legislative session will be focus on budget cutting. News stories in print and on TV will emphasize the negative with every facet begging that their program not be trimmed or cut. We must come to terms that government has grown beyond its means. So just like any right-minded family, the State has to belt-tighten and spend only what it takes in from you in taxes. That's right - it's your money not the government's money. But there is another side to the story. An equal amount of energy being expended on budget-cutting must be applied to programs and initiatives to GROW South Carolina's economy. Any business that focuses on cutting expenses without figuring out how to grow and expand is doomed. For an entire state the answers are complex, but not insurmountable. We are a small state; we should be nimble. We must not look to Illinois; they foolishly increased their state income tax by 67% this week! Instead, we should look for direction from Virginia which has pulled in its purse strings over the past year, reduced its deficit and now has a $400m revenue surplus! My Service to You... Serving as a legislator is both humbling and fulfilling; the work is important and much needs to be accomplished. I invite your counsel as we work together for a better South Carolina. January 7, 2011: I am reporting to you following the unveiling of the SC House Republicans' agenda for the coming legislative session which begins next week. It focuses on the conservative reforms demanded by SC voters during the 2010 election. The House GOP Caucus agenda includes bills the House has passed before -- some multiple times. For example, the House has approved shortening the legislative session nine times already, but the measures fail in the State Senate. It is hoped that with voters paying closer attention to key issues this time around, that extra attention will translate to results. "This is a very ambitious Legislative agenda," said House Speaker Bobby Harrell during the State House news conference. "Our aim is to create jobs, reform government and improve the lives of our state's citizens." He added, "Our new, largest-ever Republican Majority in the House will allow us to tackle these major issues and accomplish even more this session." Majority Leader Kenny Bingham said, "The voters of South Carolina spoke loudly that these conservative reforms must be enacted. Many of these items are pieces of legislation that the House has approved numerous times, but have not become law. This year, it is essential that we approve Voter ID, tort reform, spending limits, and other critical conservative pieces of legislation. The Republican Caucus is committed to pushing our agenda into law." The key agenda items of House GOP Caucus are: Creating Jobs in a Stronger Economy: The House Republicans are committed to creating a business-friendly economic climate and help them create jobs. We will pass comprehensive tort reform, changes to our 'point of sale' requirements, and incentives for South Carolinians to help fund the next great small business. Improving Education: Making education funding more equitable and efficient, and ensuring a vibrant and healthy charter school system is essential for the long-term success of our education system. Transparency and Government Reform: Transparency and efficiency in government are part of our critical conservative philosophy. We will fight for more on-the-record voting, more transparency in how our colleges and universities spend their money, and more efficiency in how state government is structured. We will also fight for strict spending caps for state government, a shorter legislative session, and the requirement to show photo ID when voting. Limiting Government Power: Limiting government power is essential to freedom and personal liberty; it is also a core Republican philosophy. The Caucus will support the Repeal Amendment, a federal constitutional amendment that will allow two-thirds of states to vote to repeal a federal law. The Caucus will also support a revamped South Carolina Taxpayer Bill of Rights and new requirements that the General Assembly approve new regulations by the unelected officials of state agencies. New Pro-Life Protections: Protecting life and protecting our most vulnerable citizens is an essential role of government. We will support the "Born-Alive" legislation, the Freedom of Conscience Act, and an opt-out for doctors who don't want to perform abortions that may be required by Obamacare. Fighting Illegal Immigration: The House Republicans will use an expanded majority to push through an Arizona-style immigration bill -- building on the successes of our 2008 immigration legislation. We will welcome legal immigrants and discourage illegal immigrants from settling in our state. January 5, 2011: It's the dawn of a New Year and you'll be hearing from me more often as the Legislature begins its 119th session. With a New Year there is a renewed promise for South Carolina. I have heard from a few who believe we are on a downhill slope. I don't agree. I'm an optimist choosing to believe we can fix the problems facing this state - the alternative isn't acceptable. Of course, it won't be easy; there will be collective pain as we shrink government and its services to live within our means. In my career as a media consultant, I often referred to myself as a 'Change Agent' striving to improve situations, not wringing my hands over difficulties. South Carolina needs bold decisions to meet the challenges it faces; it can't be business as usual. With a new Governor, a host of new Republican Constitutional Officers and many new Conservative members of the House of Representatives (including me), I believe we can put words and ideas into action and institute needed reform. Your Help is Needed You can help by staying informed and providing your ideas, solutions and feedback. Call or write me and other Legislators. We benefit from your counsel when the dialog is civil and constructive. New Legislation 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). Not everyone will agree on every bill, but these are issues which I believe have merit and need to be debated... The SC Fair Tax - This bill is still being tweaked and will be filed in the House by mid-January. H 3225: 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. To review any or all pre-filed bills, use this link: http://www.scstatehouse.gov/html-pages/prefil11.htm. In Closing... Serving as a legislator is both humbling and fulfilling. I'm a 'new guy' in Columbia, but I'm not going to be quiet and you won't find me sitting on a back bench. I was sent to Columbia to represent your best interests; that I will do because the work is important and much needs to be accomplished. I am grateful to my family for their support and to you for your wise counsel as we work together for a better South Carolina.