Year: 2014

Constitutional Carry  S.105 is a reintroduction of last session’s S.115. The bill if passed would turn South Carolina into the 7th state to enact constitutional carry. As we summarized last…

Prohibiting Local Governments from Enforcing Firearm Regulations S.36 is identical to last sessions S.885, the bills would bar any political subdivisions of the state from enforcing regulations related to transfers, ownership, possession,…

S.27 would reduce the tax rate for all state income tax brackets by 2 percent over 10 years in exchange for an increase in the gas tax from 16 to 36…

No Warrantless Searches of Cell Phones S.90 would prohibit law enforcement from searching the contents of an individual’s cell phone without a warrant or the express consent of the owner.…

CWPs don’t expire during Renewal S.91 would insert a new provision into state law stating a concealed weapons permit (CWP) remains valid while there is an application for renewal until the…

No Warrantless Searches of Cell Phones S.90 would prohibit law enforcement from searching the contents of an individual’s cell phone without a warrant or the express consent of the owner.…

No New Fees without Legislative Approval S.62 would prohibit state agencies from imposing any new fines or fees or increasing existing fines and fees by regulation or administrative action i.e. without…

S.23 would alter state law to impose a 16 cent per gallon tax on liquefied natural gas. This is an attempt to raise additional funds for transportation in South Carolina. As…

 Allowing Licensed Pharmacies in Select Countries to Distribute and Sell Prescription Drugs in South Carolina S.102 would permit pharmacies licensed in Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand…

Making the Secretary of State Appointed S.70 proposes an amendment to make the Secretary of State appointed by the Governor and not elected by the general population. As an executive…

Making the Commissioner of Agriculture Appointed S.63 proposes an amendment to turn yet another elected position in the executive branch, the  Commissioner of Agriculture, into an office that is appointed…

S.68 proposes an amendment to the state constitution to make the Superintendent of Education appointed by the Governor rather than an elected office.  The Department of Education is an executive…

Making the Comptroller General Appointed S.59 proposes an amendment to the state constitution which would make future comptroller general’s appointed rather than elected. Frankly, the Comptroller General is an office…

S.11 amends the state code to require that public bodies must post an agenda at their meeting place at least twenty four hours prior to meeting. A new provision would…

As amended by the Judiciary Committee S.10 would alter existing law to make state that with some exceptions cause of death reports resulting from the performance of an autopsy by a coroner…

Raising the Minimum Wage  S.144 proposes an amendment to the state constitution which would upon passage make the state minimum wage one dollar higher than the federal minimum wage. Every…

A Sunset Law for Regulations  S.93 would delete state code language requiring agencies to review regulations every five years and would instead stipulate that all regulations expire five years after…

. . . AND KILLS A TERRIBLE ONE During the first day of organizational session on December 2, the House voted on and approved a package of 15 rule changes…

THERE’S MORE AT STAKE THAN YOU MIGHT THINK At this week’s organizational session, South Carolina House lawmakers will be asked to make several important decisions, including who becomes Speaker of the House…

THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE IMPROVABLE Last week we wrote about some of the bills proposed by the House Ethics and Freedom of Information Act Committee, the committee created…

WHAT YOUR POLICYMAKERS ARE HEARING & SAYING Two recent meetings – the House Ad Hoc Transportation Review Committee, and a York Town Hall addressed by Rep. Gary Simrill (R-York) –…

WHAT IS SO HARD ABOUT ELIMINATING EXEMPTIONS AND LOOPHOLES? On Monday the House Ethics and Freedom of Information Act Ad Hoc Study Committee met to consider six proposals. Two of…

ARE WE HEADED INTO ANOTHER YEAR OF WEAK ETHICS LEGISLATION? HARD TO SAY. The indictment and subsequent conviction of former Speaker Harrell on ethics charges has brought renewed calls for reform…

LAWMAKERS SEEM TO THINK SO. A LITTLE EFFORT MIGHT BE IN ORDER. Tax hikes are on the mind of legislators. At least that’s what the October 30 meeting of the…

NEW POWERS FOR LAWMAKERS? Much has been made of the restructuring of state government through the Department of Administration bill passed in January. Proponents of the bill have labeled it historic…

HOW’D THE LEGISLATURE DO? Every year since 2009, we’ve given readers a guided tour of the legislative session’s follies, misadventures, missed opportunities, and accomplishments. This year’s guide includes sections on…

NOT AS MUCH AS IT SHOULD A recent debate between the two major party candidates vying to become South Carolina’s next Superintendent of Education failed to reveal many substantive policy…

MONEY’S NOT THE PROBLEM. PRIORITIES ARE. The issue of road funding – or, to put it slightly differently, the question of how South Carolina should fix its broken road system…

SCPC PROPOSES REFORMS TO NEW COMMITTEE ON HOUSE RULES AND PROCEDURES [Editorial note: The following testimony was delivered by Policy Council Director of Research Jamie Murguia to the House Ad Hoc…

WHAT THE McDONNELL CASE TELLS US ABOUT GOVERNMENT ‘DEVELOPING’ THE ECONOMY Last week former Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell was convicted of 11 counts of corruption related to his acceptance of…