South Carolina Legislative Report - April 12, 2013

April 12, 2013

 

On the Floor 

Joint Committee on Economic Development

The House approved H. 3437, which will create a Joint Committee on Economic Development.  The committee is charged with studying all facets of the laws, policies, and procedures relating to economic development.

Boeing

This week the Senate approved amendments to the State General Obligation Economic Development Bond Act to support enhanced economic development projects, such as Boeing’s expansion in South Carolina.  These projects must have an investment of over $1.1 billion and create over 2000 new jobs.  It is anticipated the State is providing approximately $120 million for Boeing’s expansion.  S. 578 will be before the full House for debate next week.

Automobile Insurance

The Senate approved S. 464, which raises the minimum coverage requirement for automobile insurance from $15,000 to $25,000.   The bill was referred to the House Labor, Commerce and Industry Committee.

Pulse Oximetry Screening

S. 341 was approved by the Senate this week and referred to the House Medical, Military, Public and Municipal Affairs Committee. The bill requires birthing facilities to perform a pulse oximetry screening on newborns within twenty-four to forty-eight hours of age.

Handicap Parking Placards Certification

H. 3372 was adopted by the House this week and sent to the Senate.  The legislation authorizes physicians, licensed nurse practitioners and licensed physician assistants to certify an individual as handicap.

Utility Theft

H. 3568 received second and third reading this week by the House and was referred to Senate Judiciary Committee.  S. 274, received a favorable report, as amended, by a Senate Judiciary Committee this week and is before the full Senate for deliberation.  The bills, introduced by Representatives Weeks (D-Sumter), Sandifer (R-Oconee), and Gilliard (D- Charleston) in the House and Senators Larry Martin (R-Pickens) and Vincent Sheheen (D-Kershaw) in the Senate, propose to enhance the penalties for altering, tampering with or bypassing electric, and gas or water meters.

Adult Healthcare Consent Act

The Senate approved S. 117 this week and the bill was referred to House Judiciary Committee for consideration.  The bill requires a health care provider to provide an opportunity to a patient to disclose certain information to family members and other individuals and authorize these individuals to be involved in the patient’s treatment.

Introduction of Notable Legislation

H. 3902 - Lewis Blackman Act Revisions – Identification Cards for Health Care Providers

H. 3925 – Revisions to the Pollution Control Act – Clarifies the parties that may petition regarding a violation of the Act and clarifies the applicability of the savings clause of Act 198 of 2012 to cases filed before June 6, 2012.

 

In Committee

LEED Standards

H. 3592 received a favorable report, as amended, by the House Labor, Commerce and Industry this week and is before the House for consideration when they return next week.  The bill, as introduced, proposed to remove LEED standards from state building projects, but the approved committee amendment keeps LEED standards as of January 1, 2013, and prevents newer versions from being implemented automatically.

PURC – Public Service Commission Elections

The State Regulation of Public Utilities Review Committee's Report as to Qualifications of Candidates for Seats 1, 3, 5, and 7 of the Public Service Commission was released this week.

The Review Committee nominated the following candidates for election to the South Carolina Public Service Commission:

Seat 1:  

David Cannon

Commissioner John E. "Butch" Howard

Carolynn "Carolee" Williams

Seat 3:  

Comer H. "Randy" Randall

Seat 5:  

Sarah B. Nuckles

Headen B. Thomas

Commissioner Swain E. Whitfield

Seat 7:  

Commissioner Gordon "O'Neal" Hamilton

Dale K. Surrett

In addition, the Review Committee also met on April 10, 2013, to consider a potential violation of Section 8-13-935.  No action was taken by the committee at this meeting.

Certificate of Need

This week a Senate Medical Affairs subcommittee gave a favorable report to S. 568, a bill by Medical Affairs Committee Chairman Harvey Peeler (R-Cherokee). The legislation would no longer require a certificate of need permit from DHEC for hospitals to buy medical equipment that has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The bill is scheduled for full committee next week.

Medicaid Appropriations

This week, Health and Human Services Director Tony Keck gave a budget presentation to the Health and Human Services Subcommittee for Senate Finance.  Director Keck is expected to return again to give the presentation to the full Finance Committee again in the coming weeks.  A number of senators have expressed concern over the decision to refuse Medicaid expansion provided for under the federal healthcare reform law.

 

In The News

SC pension fund sues SC treasurer as power struggle explodes

Two taxpayer-funded entities are suing each other over how to invest $26 billion in public money. The S.C. Retirement Investment Commission, which manages the state’s pension fund for public-sector workers, sued state Treasurer Curtis Loftis on Thursday.

1st SC District candidates to debate later this month

Former Gov. Mark Sanford and his Democratic congressional opponent Elizabeth Colbert Busch are scheduled to meet in a debate later this month.

The Patch news service and the South Carolina Radio Network are sponsoring the debate at The Citadel on April 29. The radio network plans to offer audio of the debate to its affiliates.

SC task force aims to streamline, not strip, business rules, chairman says

Leaders of a task force set up by Gov. Nikki Haley to trim state regulations promised at their first meeting Thursday to not strip S.C. codes. “We are not here to eliminate regulations,” said task force chairman Mark Lutz, vice president of a multimedia company and a member of the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control board. “Regulations are important.

 

Meetings

Tuesday, April 16th

• 10:00 am -- Gressette Room 308 -- Judicial Merit Selection Commission Public Hearings
• 10:30 am -- Blatt Room 521 -- Ways and Means General Government, Personnel and Benefits Subcommittee
• 11:00 am -- Blatt Room 511 -- Ethics Ad Hoc Subcommittee on Advisory Opinions
• Upon adjournment of the House -- Blatt Room 516 -- Judiciary Constitutional Laws Subcommittee
• 1.5 hours after the House adjourns -- Blatt Room 511 -- Ways and Means Economic Development, Capital Improvement and Other Taxes Subcommittee
• 2:30 pm -- Blatt Room 410 -- Agriculture Wildlife Subcommittee
• 2:30 pm or 1.5 hours after the House adjourns -- Blatt Room 427 -- Full Medical, Military, Public and Municipal Affairs Committee
• 2:30 pm or 1.5 hours after the House adjourns -- Blatt Room 516 -- Full Judiciary Committee
• 1.5 hours after the House adjourns -- Blatt Room 521 -- Ways and Means Property Tax Subcommittee
• 2:30 pm or 1.5 hours after the House adjourns -- Blatt Room 403 -- Full Labor, Commerce and Industry Committee
• 3:00 pm -- Blatt Room 433 -- Full Education and Public Works Committee
• 3:00 pm -- Gressette Room 308 -- Judiciary Committee
• Upon adjournment of the full L.C.I. Committee -- Blatt Room 403 -- L.C.I. Regulations Subcommittee

Wednesday, April 17th

• 8:30 am -- Blatt Room 433 -- E.P.W. K-12 Subcommittee
• 8:30 am -- Blatt Room 410 -- Agriculture Environmental Affairs I Subcommittee
• 9:00 am -- Blatt Room 403 -- L.C.I. Business and Commerce Subcommittee
• 9:00 am -- Blatt Room 516 -- Judiciary Family and Probate Laws Subcommittee
• 9:00 am -- Blatt Room 427 -- 3-M Subcommittee V, Social Services, Mental Health and Children's Affairs
• 9:00 am -- Gressette Room 308 -- Banking and Insurance Subcommittee
• 9:00 am -- Gressette Room 207 -- Judiciary Subcommittee
• 10:00 am -- Gressette Room 209 -- Agricultural Subcommittee
• 10:00 am -- Gressette Room 308 -- Judiciary Subcommittee
• 10:00 am -- Gressette Room 307 -- Fish, Game and Forestry Subcommittee
• 11:00 am -- Gressette Room 308 -- Medical Affairs Subcommittee
• 11:00 am -- Gressette Room 307 -- K-12 Education Subcommittee
• 11:00 am -- Gressette Room 407 -- L.C.I. Regulatory Subcommittee
• 2:30 pm -- Blatt Room 433 -- E.P.W. Motor Vehicles Subcommittee
• 2:30 pm or 1.5 hours after the House adjourns -- Blatt Room 403 -- L.C.I. Insurance Subcommittee
• 4:00 pm -- Blatt Room 433 -- E.P.W. Transportation Subcommittee

Thursday, April 18th

• 9:00 am -- Blatt Room 516 -- Judiciary Constitutional Laws Subcommittee
• 9:00 am -- Blatt Room 511 -- Judiciary Special Laws Subcommittee
• 9:00 am -- Gressette Room 209 -- Judiciary Subcommittee
• 9:30 am -- Gressette Room 407 -- Fish, Game and Forestry Committee
• 9:30 am -- Gressette Room 308 -- Medical Affairs Committee
• 10:00 am -- Gressette Room 408 -- Judiciary Subcommittee
• 1:00 pm -- Gressette Room 308 -- Committee to Investigate Candidates for the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce

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