News
Pre-filed bills to watch in the General Assembly
January 6, 2010
by Lisa Chalian-Rock
More than 100 bills were pre-filed by members of the State House and Senate for consideration during the regular session of the 118th South Carolina General Assembly between Nov. 17 and Dec. 15.
“Far too many South Carolinians are out of work. As statewide elected leaders during this difficult economic time, our efforts need to be focused on promoting a positive business climate, recruiting business and industry to our state and attracting the jobs that will put our citizens back to work,” Speaker of the House Bobby Harrell said in an interview with Uptown magazine.
You can read the text of the legislation at http://www.scstatehouse.gov. Below are some of the bills:
School funding - H.4247: This bill revises the distribution of funding to school districts and modifies the formula to compute the “weighted student cost,” formerly “base student cost.” It also issues funds to individual schools without regard to purpose and gives schools “flexibility in establishing research-based programs and strategies” to educate students. It lowers the weighting for pupils in kindergarten and elementary schools, increases the weighting for career technology programs and adds weightings for gifted and talented education, poverty and English as a second language students.
Pre-empting Federal Health Reforms - H.4171, H.4240, S.988, S.987: These are a collection of bills in response to the federal health care reforms going through Congress. One would allow South Carolina to opt-out of the federal plan and make any public plan unavailable to the citizens of this state. One would prohibit the enactment of laws restricting an individual’s choice of health care coverage. One of the Senate bills would mandate the state department of insurance review any mandated health benefits while another requires the attorney general to challenge the constitutionality of any health care plan mandated by Congress.
Recorded Votes - S.0011 and H.3047: These bills would require certain bills and joint resolutions to receive a recorded roll call vote at various stages of their passage, so taxpayers can see how legislators voted to spend tax dollars. Both have been in committee since last January.
Absentee Voting Requirements - H.4286 and H.3631: These bills removes the legal requirement for an absentee voter to have his signature witnessed.
Employment Protection - S.996: The bill bars an employers from using an individual’s credit report as the basis to fail, refuse to hire, bar, discharge or discriminate against a person in terms on compensation or terms, conditions or privileges of employment.
Health Coverage Protection - S.985: This bill provides that a woman cannot be denied health insurance because she has undergone a cesarean section, and that a c-section is not a preexisting condition. Also, coverage cannot be denied to a victim of domestic violence or abuse, and that condition shall not be considered a preexisting condition.
Sex Offenders - S.973: This bill requires sex offenders to provide Internet accounts, Internet providers and identifiers to authorities. Certain sex offenders would be prohibited from using the Internet to access social networking Web sites.
Term Extension - H.4279: This joint resolution proposes amending the state constitution so that house members are chosen every four years instead of every two beginning in 2014. If it passes, the question would appear on the ballot for voters to decide if house of representatives shall serve a four-year term instead of a two-year term.
Property Taxes - H.4179: This bill would exempt property tax on otherwise taxable improvements to real property of unsold or unoccupied commercial or residential structures or individual units after 2009 and through 2015.
Term Limits - H.4182: This joint resolution would place an amendment to the state constitution on the ballot to limit the elected lieutenant governor to no more than two successive terms beginning in 2014.
Texting While Driving - S.790 and S. 991: These bills make it illegal to send or read text messages or e-mails while driving and penalize offenders with a fine of $25.
Speeding - H.4185: This bill increases speed limits along interstates from 70 to 80 miles an hour.
Student Loan Repayment - H.4195: The South Carolina Rural Primary Care Physician Loan Repayment Program would allow the Commission on Higher Education to reimburse student loan payments of a physician that practices in rural areas of the state, accepts Medicare or Medicaid patients, accepts reimbursement or contractual binding rates and does not to discriminate against patients based on the ability to pay.
Unemployment Benefits - S.920: The bill requires people receiving unemployment benefits to submit to drug screenings. If one fails the test, the person must complete a drug treatment programming order to become eligible for benefits again and is subject to random drug testing. If one fails a second drug test, the person is ineligible for benefits for 12 months after the last positive drug test.
Veteran’s Day - S.933: This bill makes Veteran’s Day as a holiday for all public schools.
Animal Fighting and Baiting - S.927: The bill adds to the offense of animal fighting and baiting, making it unlawful to sell an animal with the intent that the animal be engaged in animal fighting and baiting. The offense is a felony punished by a fine of $5,000 or five years in prison or both.
Animal Cruelty - S.598: This bill would make it illegal for a person to knowingly or intentionally restrain an animal in a cruel manner, which means chaining an animal using a choke-chain for “an unreasonable period of time.” Specifics include penalties for a restraint too short or too heavy as well as one that does not permit an animal space to turn around. The penalty would be not more than 60 days and a fine $100 to $500 for the first offense up to a fine of $2,000 and imprisonment of up to two years.
To see a list of all pre-filed bills, please click here
