South Carolina Legislative Report - March 22, 2013
March 22, 2013
On the Floor
House and Senate on Furlough
The House of Representatives and the Senate will both be on furlough for the next two weeks. The General Assembly will convene again for session beginning on April 9th, 2013.
Internet Sweepstakes
The House of Representatives gave final approval this week to S. 3, legislation that outlaws internet-based sweepstakes games and cafes that operate them. The legislation was aimed at closing loopholes that allowed them to operate, while law enforcement already believed them to be illegal.
Appointing the Adjutant General
This week the House of Representatives passed H. 3541, a constitutional amendment that would make the Adjutant General, the state’s top military officer, an appointed position by the Governor. If passed by the General Assembly, the measure will be on the ballot in the 2014 elections.
Introduction of Notable Legislation
S. 568 – Certificate of Need Revisions
H. 3847 – Electronic Waste Recycling Revisions
H. 3827 – DHEC Appeals
In Committee
Business Freedom to Choose Act
The Senate Medical Affairs Committee gave a favorable report to H. 3290, known as flow control, on Thursday. As amended, the proposal deals with solid waste programs and county authority. The bill provides that ordinances that restrict solid waste disposal at a permitted facility or impedes the development of recycling programs are inconsistent with current state statute. The amendments were aimed at protecting counties that are paying off bonds with landfill fees to operate waste sites.
Utility Theft Protection
H. 3568 received a favorable report, as amended, by the full House Judiciary Committee and its counterpart, S. 274, received a favorable report, as amended, by a Senate Judiciary Subcommittee this week. The bills, introduced by Representatives Weeks (D-Sumter) and Sandifer (R-Oconee) in the House and Senator Larry Martin (R-Pickens), enhances the penalties for altering, tampering with or bypassing electric, and gas or water meters.
The amendment adopted by the House Judiciary Committee and Senate Judiciary Subcommittee provides for additional penalties for altering, tampering with or bypassing meters for the purposes of growing a controlled substance and tiers the penalties for certain offenses. The House version will move to the House floor for debate while the Senate version will be before the full Senate Judiciary when they convene.
Adult Healthcare Consent Act
S. 117 received a favorable report, as amended, by the Senate Medical Affairs Committee this week and will be on Senate floor for debate. 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.
In The News
Mark Sanford Out Raises Curtis Bostic Fifteen-to-One
Former Charleston County Councilor Curtis Bostic continues to be outpaced in fundraising by former Gov. Mark Sanford in South Carolina's First District special election, according to reports filed with the Federal Election Commission on Thursday. Sanford outraised his GOP runoff opponent by more than fifteen-to-one during the pre-runoff period, which ran from February 28 to March 13 -- six days before the primary, in which Bostic finished a surprising second in the sixteen-candidate field.
Biden to Michigan, SC for major Dem fundraisers
Vice President Joe Biden will headline major Democratic fundraisers in South Carolina and Michigan, two states that could play a major role in the 2016 presidential election.
Democrat seeks opinion on state plane usage
A legislator sought an opinion Thursday whether a Republican House member properly used the state plane when he shuttled conservative commentator Walter Williams to and from a Washington-area airport for a hearing in Columbia.
Meetings
Monday, March 25th
- 10:00 am -- Gressette Room 209 -- Joint Legislative Committee to Screen Candidates for College and University Boards of Trustees
Tuesday, March 26th
- 9:00 am -- Gressette Room 209 -- Joint Legislative Committee to Screen Candidates for College and University Boards of Trustees
- 11:00 am -- Gressette Room 308 -- Judiciary Subcommittee on S.413
Wednesday, March 27th
- 9:00 am -- Gressette Room 209 -- Joint Legislative Committee to Screen Candidates for College and University Boards of Trustees