South Carolina Legislative Update - March 24, 2014

March 24, 2014

South Carolina General Assembly

Emma’s Law S. 137 

A House panel advanced a bill that would require some DUI offenders to drive with an interlock device that will not allow the engine to start if they have been drinking.

Nullification Bill H. 3101 

South Carolina’s main bill fighting the federal health care law was rejected by the Senate on Wednesday by a vote of 33-9.  

Peanut’s Law S. 139

A bill dubbed by senators Tuesday as "Peanut's Law" aims to slow down drivers in highway construction zones across South Carolina by increasing penalties and state troopers' presence.

Abortion Bills

S. 204 – The full Senate Medical Affairs Committee on Thursday passed a bill that would restrict abortions to those performed by doctors certified in obstetrics and gynecology who also have hospital privileges.  The bill passed 8-6, but a minority report was placed on the legislation requiring a two-thirds vote of the Senate to consider the bill for debate, or special order. 

H. 1797 – The Republican-controlled House of Representatives approved a bill on Wednesday that would ban most abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy, moving the state closer to becoming the latest to limit access to the procedure.  State representatives voted 84 to 29 to approve the legislation known as the "Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act" that would ban doctors from performing abortions at the midpoint of a full-term pregnancy unless the woman's life was at risk.  The bill now moves to the Senate, where if approved and then signed by Republican Governor Nikki Haley, South Carolina would become the 13th state to enact the ban, according to the Guttmacher Institute, a nonprofit sexual health research organization. 

Introductions

H. 4929– Concurrent Resolution – Urging All Hospitals to Provide Inpatients Sixty-Five and Older, Prior to Discharge, an Influenza Immunization

S. 1135/H. 4957–  Natural Gas Fuel Incentives

H. 4932– Risk Based Capital

H. 4946– CPA Licensure Revisions

In the News

S.C. Lt. Gov. Glenn McConnell has been named president of the College of Charleston, his alma mater and the state’s third-largest college with nearly 12,000 students. 

Mike Campbell, son of the late Republican Gov. Carroll Campbell, will run again for lieutenant governor. Campbell filed for the office Wednesday. Charleston developer Pat McKinney is the only other Republican who has filed for the GOP primary so far. Campbell ran for lieutenant governor in 2006. He received the most votes in the primary but lost to first-term Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer in the runoff. 

Solar energy boosters and utility representatives say they have broken a stalemate over expanding the use of sun power in South Carolina after years of disagreement.

Carl Blackstone, an adviser for former Gov. Mark Sanford and the state Chamber of Commerce, has been named the new chief executive of the Greater Columbia Chamber of Commerce. He succeeds the late Ike McLeese. 

Plans to shelve a plutonium fuel factory in South Carolina are being driven by what the federal government says are escalating costs of the project. The mixed oxide fuel plant would hit taxpayers with $30 billion in construction, operating and other costs if the project gears up - an amount the U.S. Department of Energy says is unaffordable, according to federal budget documents released over the weekend. 

South Carolina's unemployment dropped slightly to 6.4 percent in January from 6.6 percent the month before, making the eighth month in a row the rate has declined. 

Speculation about a big announcement later this month at BMW's Greer plant ranges from an engine plant to yet another expansion to handle production of one of the company's high-demand vehicles - the 3 and 5 Series sedans, The Greenville News reports.

Military veterans are having better luck finding jobs, outpacing their civilian counterparts in many states, but younger former troops who fought in Iraq and Afghanistan still lag behind, the McClatchy Washington Bureau reports.

Meeting Schedule

Monday, March 24

 
 

No meetings scheduled.

Tuesday, March 25

 
 

8:00 am -- Blatt Rooms 108 and 110 -- Teen Pact South Carolina

10:00 am -- State House, 3rd Floor Conference Room -- Santee Cooper Screening Subcommittee of the State Regulation of Public Utilities Review Committee

I.          Overview of Statutory Authority & Responsibilities

II.         Questioning of Appointees

III.    -- Kristofer D. Clark (Third Congressional District)

IV.    -- Merrell W. Floyd (Seventh Congressional District)

V.      -- Catherine E. Heigel (At-Large)

VI.      -- John C. Land, IV (Sixth Congressional District)

VII.     -- Danny Joe Ray (Georgetown County)

VIII.  -- Jack F. Wolfe, Jr. (Second Congressional District)

10:30 am -- Blatt Room 521 -- Charleston University Act Ad Hoc Committee

10:30 am -- Blatt Room 321 -- North Greenville University

11:00 am -- Blatt Room 112 -- Majority Caucus

11:00 am -- Blatt Room 305 -- Minority Caucus

Upon adjournment of the House -- Blatt Room 112 -- Majority Caucus

Upon adjournment of the House -- Blatt Room 305 -- Minority Caucus

1½ hours after the House adjourns -- Blatt Room 433 -- EPW Motor Vehicles Subcommittee on H.4383, H.4392, H.4499 and H.4900

I.           H. 4383 -- Special License Plates

II.          H. 4392 -- Issuance of Special Restricted License

III.         H. 4499 -- Department of Motor Vehicles Fees

IV.         H. 4900 -- Department of Transportation

2:00 pm -- Blatt Room 410 -- Agriculture Environmental Affairs II Subcommittee

I.             S. 714 -- Captive Alligator Propagation Act

2:30 pm or 1½ hours after the House adjourns -- Blatt Room 427 -- Medical, Military, Public and Municipal Affairs Committee

I.          H. 3949 -- Tooth Whitening

II.         H. 3288 -- County Governments

III.        S. 842 -- Veteran's Unclaimed Cremated Remains

IV.        H. 4665 -- Childcare Facility

2:30 pm or 1½ hours after the House adjourns -- Blatt Room 403 -- LCI Health Insurance Subcommittee on H.4932

I.            H. 4932 – Risk Based Capital

2:30 pm or 1½ hours after the House adjourns -- Blatt Room 516 -- Judiciary Committee

3:00 pm -- Gressette Room 105 -- Finance Committee on S.911, S.964 and S.1085

I.        S. 911 -- Education Capital Improvements Sales and Use Tax

II.        S. 964 -- Property Tax Millage

III.       S. 1085 -- Transportation Infrastructure

3:00 pm -- Gressette Room 308 -- Judiciary Committee

3:00 pm -- Blatt Room 410 -- Agriculture Wildlife Subcommittee

I.           S. 1028 -- Watercraft on Tugalo Lake

II.          S. 1010 -- Tom Yawkey Center Trust Fund

III.         S. 986 -- Hunting, Fishing, or Trapping

IV.         H. 4945 – Catch Limits on Certain Fish

4:00 pm or upon adjournment of Finance Committee -- Gressette Room 207 -- Finance Higher Education Budget Subcommittee

I.            College of Charleston

II.           MUSC

III.          AHEC

4:30 pm -- State House Auditorium -- SC Legislative Black Caucus

6:00 pm -8:00 pm -- Members of the House, reception, Seawell's, by the Home Builders Association of South Carolina

7:00 pm – 9:00 pm -- Members of the House and staff, reception, The Palmetto Club, Carolinas Associated General Contractors

Wednesday, March 26

 
 

8:00 am – 10:00 am -- Members of the House, breakfast, Room 112, Blatt Bldg., by Lander University

8:00 am -- Blatt Room 321 -- Carolinas Independent Automobile Dealers Association

8:00 am -- Blatt Room 305 -- South Carolina Connections Academy

8:00 am -- Blatt Rooms 108 and 110 -- Teen Pact South Carolina

8:30 am -- Blatt Room 410 -- Agriculture Subcommittee

I.     H. 4864 -- Vegetable and Flower Seed Containers and Tags

II.    S. 839 -- Industrial Hemp

9:00 am -- Gressette Room 406 -- Agency Head Salary Commission

9:00 am -- Gressette Room 308 -- Judiciary Subcommittee on S.309, S.869 and S.1029

I.    S. 309 -- Domestic Violence Homicide Prevention Act

II.    S. 869 -- Dating Violence

III.   S. 1029 -- Criminal Domestic Violence

9:00 am -- Blatt Room 403 -- LCI Business and Commerce Subcommittee on H.4927

I.      H. 4927 – Life Insurance

9:00 am -- Gressette Room 207 -- Finance Criminal Justice Subcommittee Budget Hearing

I.       Review of Provisos

9:00 am -- Gressette Room 105 -- Finance Health and Human Services Subcommittee Budget Hearings

I.       PEBA - State Health Plan

II.      Department of Social Services

10:00 am -- Gressette Room 308 -- Education K 12 Subcommittee

I.       H.3428 -- First Steps to School Readiness Initiative

II.      H.4871 -- Charter Schools

III.     H.4749 -- Kindergarten Programs

IV.     S.843 -- Bullying

V.      S.1094 -- In-School Fundraisers

10:00 am -- Gressette Room 407 -- L.C.I. Labor and Employment Subcommittee

I.       S. 1099 -- Unemployment Benefits

II.      S. 1100 -- Unemployment Benefits

10:00 am -- Gressette Room 408 -- Fish, Game and Forestry Subcommittee

I.        S.1096 -- Spot, Whiting, and Croaker

II.       H.4561 -- Interstate Boating Violator Compact

III.      H.4543 -- Blue Catfish

IV.      H.4596 -- Snapper–Grouper Fishery

10:00 am – 12:00 noon -- Blatt Room 521 -- Senate General DSS Oversight Committee

10:00 am -- Gressette Room 307 -- Finance Natural Resources and Economic Development Subcommittee Budget Hearing

I.        Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation

II.       Santee Cooper

III.      Conservation Bank

11:00 am -- Blatt Room 318 -- Liberty Day Kids

11:00 am -- Blatt Room 112 -- South Carolina Democratic Women's Council

11:00 am -- Blatt Room 305 -- Students For Civility

11:00 am -- Gressette Room 209 -- Judiciary Subcommittee on S.971

I.        S. 971 -- Magistrates Court

11:00 am -- Gressette Room 207 -- Finance Higher Education Budget Subcommittee

I.         Winthrop University

II.        Lander University

III.        Francis Marion University

IV.        Clemson University

11:30 am – 1:30 pm -- Members of the House and staff, luncheon, State House grounds, by the South Carolina State Firefighter's Association

6:00 pm – 8:00 pm -- Members of the House, reception, Seawell's, by the South Carolina Summary Court Judges' Association

Thursday, March 27

 
 

8:00 am – 10:00 am -- Members of the House, breakfast, Room 112, Blatt Bldg., by the South Carolina Association of School Administrators

8:00 am -- Blatt Rooms 108 and 110 -- Teen Pact South Carolina

8:30 am -- Blatt Room 321 -- Kershaw County Junior Leadership

8:30 am -- Blatt Room 410 -- Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs Committee

I.        H. 4839 -- Game Zones

II.       H. 4838 -- Hunting Wild Turkey

III.      S. 876 -- Deer Hunting

9:00 am -- Blatt Room 403 -- LCI Regulations Subcommittee

I.          Doc No. 4445 -- Office of the State Fire Marshal

II.         Doc No. 4446 -- Occupational Safety & Health

9:00 am -- Blatt Room 511 -- Judiciary Constitutional Laws Subcommittee

9:00 am -- Blatt Room 516 -- Judiciary Criminal Laws Subcommittee

9:00 am -- Blatt Room 515-A -- Judiciary Special Laws Subcommittee

I.          S. 1034 -- Revised Code Volumes 5 and 8

II.         H. 4673 -- Landowners Liability

III.        H. 4607 -- Trespasser Accountability Act

9:00 am -- Blatt Room 318 -- Legislative Group (Rep. Samuel Rivers)

9:00 am -- Gressette Room 407 -- Judiciary Subcommittee on S.1086

I.        S. 1086 -- Breach of Security of State Agency Data

9:00 am -- Gressette Room 308 -- Labor, Commerce and Industry Committee

I.        H. 4604 -- Engineering, Licensure

II.       H. 4643 -- Professional Licensing Fees

III.      H. 4644 -- Real Estate Appraisers License and Certification Act

IV.      H. 3941 -- Political Subdivision's Authority to Set a Minimum Wage

V.        S. 1099 -- Unemployment Benefits

VI.       S. 1100 -- Unemployment Benefits

9:00 am -- Gressette Room 209 -- Medical Affairs Subcommittee on S.447, S.1012 and S.1056

I.          S. 447 -- Stop Methamphetamine Production Act

II.         S. 1012 -- Prescription Drug Trafficking

III.        S. 1056 -- Hearing Aids

9:30 am -- Gressette Room 307 -- Finance K-12 Education Subcommittee Budget Hearing

I.          Review of Provisos

9:30 am -- Gressette Room 105 -- Judiciary Subcommittee on S.536

I.      S. 536 -- Energy System Freedom of Ownership Act

9:30 am -- Gressette Room 207 -- Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee

10:00 am -- Blatt Room 305 -- South Carolina Association of School Administrators

10:00 am -- Gressette Room 408 -- Judiciary Subcommittee on S.865

I.       S. 865 -- CDL Driver Employment Protection Act

10:00 am -- Gressette Room 406 -- Finance Higher Education Budget Subcommittee

I.        Tuition Grants

II.        Provisos

Upon adjournment of both House and Senate -- Gressette Room 308 -- Sentencing Reform Oversight Committee

Friday, March 28

8:00 am -- Blatt Rooms 108 and 110 -- Teen Pact South Carolina

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