South Carolina Legislative Update - March 17, 2014
March 17, 2014
South Carolina General Assembly
SC House approves $24 billion state spending plan
The S.C. House gave final passage to next year's $24 billion budget, H. 4701, last week and sent it to the Senate. The House spending proposal includes a 1.5 percent pay raise for state employees, 31 new State Law Enforcement Division agents, at least $65 million for an education initiative backed by Gov. Nikki Haley and temporary takeover of the John de la Howe School for at-risk youth by the state Department of Juvenile Justice.
State bill could protect property heirs
The Beaufort Gazette reports: "A bill before state lawmakers could offer better protection for Beaufort County heirs property owners, who are sometimes bullied out of ownership by third parties, according to local leaders. The new protections would give families and judges handling the sale of heirs property a better chance to either hang on to the property or fetch a fair-market price at a sale, state Sen. Tom Davis said." Read more here. S. 18is the Uniform Partition of Heirs Property Act.
Introductions
H. 4882– Insurance – Credit Scores
H. 4884– Attorney General Representation of Entities to Protect Free Speech Regarding Federal Communications Commission Violations
H. 4888– Prohibition of Distribution of Sensitive Crime Scene Images on Social Media and Penalties
S. 1099– Unemployment Benefits – Exemption from the Definition of Employment for Motor Carriers that Utilize Independent Contractors
S. 1100– Unemployment Benefits – Corporate Officer Exemption and Federally Required Exemptions for Federally Defined Organizations
S. 1113– Pharmacy Licensure Exemption for Pharmacies Licensed in Certain Countries.
S. 1123– Unlawful Trade Practice – Patent Infringement
H. 4901– South Carolina Insurance Reimbursement Telemedicine Act
H. 4911– Elimination of the South Carolina Small Employer Insurer Reinsurance Program
H. 4915– Captive Insurance – Risk Retention Group
H. 4916– Long Term Care Insurance – Termination/Notice
H. 4922– Veterans Preference Extended to Spouse of a Veteran with a Service-connected Permanent and Total Disability
H. 4925– State Minimum Wage
In the News
2014 South Carolina Election Filing
Filing for the 2014 elections opened yesterday at noon and will close March 30 at noon. The primary is set for June 10, 2014, the primary runoff is scheduled for June 24 and the general election is on November 4. The entire South Carolina congressional delegation, including the two U. S. Senate seats, all the state constitutional officers and the South Carolina House of Representatives are up for election this year. To view information on who has filed for elected office, please visit the South Carolina Election Commission’s Candidate Tracking System by clicking here.
SC's federal health insurance
About 36,600 South Carolinians have purchased health insurance from the federal marketplace. Read more here.
No fees for plastic
Lawmakers say fees charged by local governments for paying taxes with credit cards is an unfair burden, and they want to eliminate them. But some local governments say those fees cover only what credit card companies charge them. Read more here.
McConnell: No Charleston merger bill this year
Legislative proposals to merge the College of Charleston and the Medical University of South Carolina, creating a larger research university in Charleston, will not have enough time to pass this year, Lt. Gov. Glenn McConnell told The State. McConnell, one of the three finalists for president of the College of Charleston, added he might not need a merger with MUSC to put his alma mater on the same research-university footing as Clemson University and the University of South Carolina. If he gets the job, McConnell said he would push for legislation next year allowing the College of Charleston to offer doctorate degrees, creating a third full-fledged research university in the state. Read more here.
Meeting Schedule
| Monday, March 17 | |
| 11:00 am -- Blatt Room 112 -- Attorney General | |
| Tuesday, March 18 | |
| 10:00 am -- Gressette Room 308 -- Transportation Subcommittee I. S.139 -- Highway Work Zone II. S.829 -- Speed Limits 10:30 am -- Blatt Room 521 -- Ways and Means Retirement Ad Hoc Study Committee I. SC Retirement System Investment Commission-PIC Plan Approval 11:00 am -- Blatt Room 112 -- Majority Caucus 11:00 am -- Blatt Room 305 -- Minority Caucus 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm -- State House Grounds -- Legislative Luncheon--South Carolina Baptist Convention (Members Only) 1½ hours after the House adjourns -- Blatt Room 433 -- Education K-12 Subcommittee I. H.4650 -- State Board of Education II. H.4840 -- High School Equivalency Diploma Accessibility Act III. H.3905 -- Back to Basics in Education Act of 2013 IV. H.4458 -- Winter Holidays V. H.4369 -- Commercial Advertisements on Public School Buses 2:30 pm -- Blatt Room 427 -- 3-M Subcommittee I, Health and Environmental Affairs I. H.4542 -- Podiatric Surgery 2:30 pm -- Blatt Room 410 -- Agriculture Wildlife Subcommittee I. S.876 -- Deer Hunting II. H.4839 -- Game Zones III. H.4838 -- Hunting Wild Turkey 2:30 pm or 1½ hours after the House adjourns -- Blatt Room 403 -- LCI Regulations Subcommittee 3:00 pm -- Gressette Room 105 -- Finance Committee on H.3021 I. H.3021 -- Iran Divestment Act 3:00 pm -- Gressette Room 308 -- Judiciary Committee I. S.375 -- Dilapidated Buildings Act II. S.810 -- College and University Trustee Screening Commission III. H.3024 -- Child Abuse IV. H.3124 -- Child Abuse V. H.4259 -- Military Service Integrity and Preservation Act VI. S.817 -- Commission on National and Community Service VII. S.813 -- Public Library Trespass VIII. S.894 -- Criminal Justice Academy IX. S.356 -- Notaries Public X. S.256 -- Regulatory Reform Act XI. H.4482 -- Official State Fossil Upon adjournment of Finance Committee -- Gressette Room 105 -- Finance Retirement and Employee Benefits Subcommittee on S.897 I. S.897 -- Solicitors Office Upon adjournment of the Regulations Subcommittee -- Blatt Room 403 -- LCI Business and Commerce Subcommittee on H.3831 and H.3964 I. H.3831 -- Restroom Access for Retail Sales Customers II. H.3964 -- Gas Stations 4:30 pm -- Blatt Room 427 -- Legislative Black Caucus | |
| Wednesday, March 19 | |
| 8:00 - 10:00 am -- Blatt Room 112 -- Legislative Breakfast--South Carolina Forestry Association 8:00 am -- Blatt Room 110 -- South Carolina Pharmacy Association 8:15 am -- Blatt Room 305 -- South Carolina General Assembly Women's Caucus 8:30 am -- Blatt Room 108 -- Legislative Group (Rep. James Smith) 9:00 am -- Blatt Room 427 -- 3-M Subcommittee V, Social Services, Mental Health and Children's Affairs I. H.4665 -- Childcare Facility 9:00 am -- Blatt Room 516 -- Judiciary Family and Probate Laws Subcommittee I. H.4348 -- Child Visitation II. H.4346 -- Registry of Child Abuse & Neglect 9:00 am -- Gressette Room 407 -- Finance Criminal Justice Budget Subcommittee 9:00 am -- Gressette Room 207 -- Finance Health and Human Services Subcommittee Budget Hearings I. Retirement System Investment Commission II. Department of Health and Human Services 9:00 am -- Gressette Room 408 -- Judiciary Subcommittee on S.377 I. S.377 -- Revised Uniform Limited Liability Company Act 9:00 am -- Gressette Room 406 -- Judiciary Subcommittee on S.861 and S.900 I. S.861 -- Field Sobriety Tests II. S.900 -- Study Committee on Expungement of Criminal Offenses 10:00 am -- Gressette Room 307 -- Finance Higher Education Budget Subcommittee I. University of South Carolina II. Coastal Carolina III. The Citadel 10:00 am -- Gressette Room 209 -- Fish, Game and Forestry Committee 10:00 am -- Gressette Room 308 -- General DSS Oversight Subcommittee 10:00 am -- Gressette Room 408 -- L.C.I. Regulatory Subcommittee I. H.3947 -- Political Subdivision's Authority to Set a Minimum Wage 10:00 am -- Blatt Room 321 -- Columbia Builder/Realtor Day 10:30 am -- Gressette Room 406 -- Finance K-12 Education Budget Subcommittee 11:00 am -- Gressette Room 207 -- Judiciary Subcommittee on S.536 I. S.536 -- Energy System Freedom of Ownership Act 11:00 am -- Gressette Room 209 -- Transportation Committee I. S.1037 -- Driver's License II. S.1089 -- State Ports Authority III. H.3631 -- Golf Cart Permits IV. H.4385 -- Dr. Benjamin E. Mays Highway 11:30 am -- Gressette Room 407 -- Judiciary Subcommittee on S.868 I. S.868 -- Clerk of Court or Register of Deeds 11:30 am -- Blatt Room 305 -- South Carolina College of Emergency Physicians 12:00 noon - 2:00 pm -- State House Grounds -- Legislative Luncheon--National Guard Association of South Carolina 1½ hours after the House adjourns -- Blatt Room 433 -- Education and Public Works Committee I. H.4386 -- Use of Cellphone While Driving II. H.4646 -- Real Estate Appraisers License and Certification Act III. H.3994 -- Read To Succeed Act IV. H.4413 -- Report-A-Bully In School Website Act | |
| Thursday, March 20 | |
| 8:00 am - 10:00 am -- Blatt Room 112 -- Legislative Breakfast--SC HELP 9:00 am -- Blatt Room 427 -- 3-M Subcommittee IV, Military and Public Affairs I. H.4527 -- A Day of Recognition for Veterans' Spouses and Families II. S.842 -- Veteran's Unclaimed Cremated Remains 9:00 am -- Blatt Room 516 -- Judiciary Constitutional Laws Subcommittee I. H.4791 -- Electronic Data Privacy Protection Act II. H.4094 -- Freedom of Information Act 9:00 am -- Blatt Room 511 -- Judiciary Criminal Laws Subcommittee I. H.4343 -- Criminal Domestic Violence II. S.137 -- Ignition Interlock 9:00 am -- Blatt Room 110 -- South Carolina NAACP 9:00 am -- Gressette Room 209 -- Corrections and Penology Committee I. S.831 -- Licensing of Electronic Monitoring Vendors II. S.1093 -- Magistrate Court Jurisdiction 9:00 am -- Gressette Room 207 -- Judiciary Subcommittee on H.3833, H.3512 and S.779 I. H.3833 -- Retail Wine/Beer Permit II. H.3512 -- Alcoholic Liquors III. S.779 -- Lotteries 9:00 am -- Gressette Room 407 -- L.C.I. Professions and Occupations Subcommittee I. H.4574 -- Environmental Certification Board II. H.4604 -- Engineering, Licensure III. H.4643 -- Professional Licensing Fees IV. H.4644 -- Real Estate Appraisers License and Certification Act 9:30 am -- Gressette Room 308 -- Medical Affairs Committee I. S.204 -- Abortion II. S.1035 -- Medical Cannabis Therapeutic Treatment Research Act III. S.1036 -- Dental Sedation Act IV. S.997 -- Speech Pathologist and Audiologist V. S.662 -- Long-term Care Facilities 10:00 am -- Gressette Room 207 -- Fish, Game and Forestry Subcommittee 10:00 am -- Gressette Room 408 -- Judiciary Subcommittee on H.3369 I. H.3369 -- Workers' Compensation 10:00 am -- Gressette Room 307 -- Judiciary Subcommittee on S.916 I. .916 -- Trespasser Responsibility Act 1:30 pm -- Gressette Room 307 -- Finance Natural Resources and Economic Development Subcommittee Budget Hearing I. South Carolina Ports Authority II. Depratment of Parks, Recreation and Tourism III. Sea Grant Consortium 2:00 pm or upon adjournment -- Gressette Room 209 -- Joint Citizens and Legislative Committee on Children | |
| Friday, March 21 | No Meetings Scheduled. |