Month: January 2017

S. 54 increases the existing 16 cent per gallon gas by 4 cents every year from 2017 through 2019, nearly doubling the current gasoline tax. The bill would also allow…

H.3473 calls for an Article V convention of states to amend the U.S. Constitution to mandate a federal balanced budget. Article V of the Constitution establishes two ways to amend…

S.158 and S.159 create additional roadblocks to obtaining a firearm. When a firearms dealer performs a federal background check on a buyer or transferee through the National Instant Criminal Background…

S.155 would protect the right of individuals to record or photograph law enforcement officers while performing their law enforcement duties, provided the officer is in a public place, public view,…

H.3218 expands the definition of “dam” to include dams which could cause serious damage to property or roads if they fail, and removes the specification that the Department of Transportation…

H.3408 would allow police officers, volunteer firefighters, or state guard members who are South Carolina residents to obtain three-year fishing or combination license (a combination license covers big game and migratory waterfowl…

H.3409 would allow police officers, volunteer firefighters, or state guard members who are South Carolina residents to enter the State Museum for free. It is unclear why public servants should not…

H.3417 would require mobile barbershops to obtain a permit from the State Board of Barber Examiners before operating. The bill imposes regulations and permitting fees as well as allowing the board…

S. 74 would require that funds set aside to promote the production of motion pictures in South Carolina may be carried over at the end of the year.  This bill…

S. 214 is an attempt to collect more money in sales tax revenue from out of state Internet focused retailers, and would require them to remit sales tax to the Department…

H. 3529 would require that any regulation dealing with “auxiliary containers” may only originate in the General Assembly, and would preempt counties and municipalities from establishing their own regulations for…

S. 73 would exempt a broad array of home security items from sales tax collection over the course of Second Amendment weekend.  Given that the state of South Carolina already…

H.3407 permits constables, reserve police officers, volunteer firefighters, and members of the state guard to enter state parks free of charge. This creates a special class of citizens by bestowing…

S. 76 would require that every state agency, or institution, report to the Executive Budget Office the categories and amount of other funds that were carried forward.  The bill would…

H.3420 would create a Shingles Vaccination Study Committee to investigate whether or not the Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) should establish a shingles vaccination program for individuals who are…

H.3445 would permit county delegations to abolish a county recreation commission and devolve the commission’s power to the county government. Local governments should have control over duties normally performed by…

H.3521 & S.212 would allow cannabis to be produced and distributed by facilities to authorized patients and their caregivers for treating debilitating medical conditions. All production, distribution, purchasing, and usage would be heavily…

H.3036 is a companion to H.3146 (the constitutional amendment) and would amend the relevant sections of state code to change the Superintendent of Education from an elected position to a cabinet position…

S.310 would permit the town of Camden to annex a specific commercial property by ordinance after finding “that the commercial property, including its improvements, constitutes a danger to the safety…

H.3497 is a resolution that would change the House rules to align with the so-called ethics reform bill that passed last year. This resolution would send all ethics complaints to the…

S.210 would establish a toll along Interstate 95 where it crosses Lake Marion in either Orangeburg County or Clarendon County. All revenue generated from the toll would be used for…

S.231 would require people between the ages of 15 and 21 to attend a driver training course from a licensed driver training school in order to obtain a license. In…

  LEGISLATION WOULD REGULATE FREE SPEECH EVEN MORE TIGHTLY THAN LAST YEAR’S ‘DARK MONEY’ BILL In its present form, S.255, sponsored by Sen. Hugh Leatherman (R-Florence), would substantially encroach on South…

S.88 would make property owners who prohibit concealed carry on their premises liable for any injury that CWP holders may suffer during the commission of a crime on those premises.…

H. 3038 would create a South Carolina Board of Locksmiths.  This board would create, adopt and administer examinations and tests that would certify someone as a licensed locksmith.  This bill would…

H. 3002 would require that new regulations issued would expire after 5 years, unless they are reviewed by the General Assembly.  While there are exceptions, this would be a step in…

H. 3005 would determine how every residential building in the state will protect themselves from fire by installing certain types of fire and smoke alarms.  Strong penalties are enforced for non-compliance,…

H. 3085 would set the minimum wage in the state to $10.10 an hour.  While this bill, and the many that have come before it, are well intentioned, they ignore basic…

S.182 and H.3450 require licensing by the Board of Medical Examiners for the practice of electrology and for electrology instruction. The bill creates the Electrology Licensure Committee which would consist of…

S.180 turns the Commission on Disabilities and Special Needs into an advisory board rather than the governing body of the Department of Disabilities and Special Needs, and makes the department director…