The legislation repeals Code Section 48-39-40, relating to the Coastal Zone Management Appellate Panel.

The bill includes cigarettes and cigarette components for illegal dumping of litter on public or private property or waters. The bill changes the penalties for violation, including second conviction which a person must be fined not less than two hundred dollars nor more than five hundred dollars or imprisoned for not more than thirty days. In addition, the court shall require the violator to complete twentyfour hours of littergathering labor or other community service. For a third or subsequent conviction, the person must be fined not less than two hundred dollars nor more than five hundred dollars or imprisoned for not more than thirty days. In addition, the court shall require the violator to complete thirtytwo hours of littergathering labor or other community service. Illegal dumping is defined as disposing of more than fifteen pounds of any collection of solid waste, litter, or other materials and including discarded, deceased animals or deceased animal parts which create a hazard to the public health and welfare, but not defined as a careless, scattered littering of smaller items.

This bill requires the display of the national motto of the United States and the motto of this state in all public school classrooms, and provide that the State Board of Education develop a standard, durable poster for use in displaying these mottos.

This bill enacts the "Metal Detectors in Public Schools Act" to provide that beginning with the 20182019 school year, walkthrough metal detectors must be installed and operated at all public entrances of each public elementary school, middle school, and high school in the state.

This bill requires adult and pediatric cardiopulmonary resuscitation training for all public school teachers assigned to schools on campuses with retaining ponds before the end of the 20182019 school year.

This bill enacts the "Advanced Manufacturing Instruction Act Of 2018" to provide that beginning with the 20172018 school year, every school district shall provide elective instruction in advanced manufacturing for students in grades five through twelve.

This bill enacts the "South Carolina School Bus Privatization Act Of 2018", including provisions to provide that the state of South Carolina shall not own, purchase, or acquire additional school buses on or after July 1, 2022, and its present fleet of school buses sold or disposed of on a phasedin basis beginning in 2019, to provide that beginning with the 20192020 school year, school districts on a phasedin basis individually or together with other districts shall provide school transportation services or by contract may engage a private entity to provide school transportation services with the private entity providing all school buses, personnel to operate, and auxiliary services. Also, that state school bus maintenance facilities, on a phasedin basis beginning in 2019, shall be leased or sold to school districts or private school transportation providers or in the absence of a sale or lease closed, to establish a "School Transportation Reimbursement Fund" consisting of specified funds which must be used to reimburse school districts for the cost of school transportation services on a formula basis and to increase teacher salaries from savings resulting from privatization.

This bill relates to the authority of student government presidents of institutions of higher learning to serve as ex officio trustees of their institutions if they are qualified electors in this state or in an advisory capacity if they are not.

This bill relates to participation in interscholastic activities of public school districts by home school, charter school, and governor's school students, so as to include private school students if the private school they attend does not offer the same activity.

This bill defines "military mobilization" for purposes of the Palmetto Fellows Scholarships and the Life and Hope scholarships.

This bill relates to the operation of a vehicle approaching an authorized emergency vehicle and audible signal devices and signal lamps that must be attached to authorized emergency vehicles, school buses, and police vehicles, so as to provide for the operation of a vehicle approaching a physician responding to an emergency call while driving a private passenger motor vehicle displaying an oscillating, rotating, or flashing green light.

This bill relates to the issuance of decals and registration cards for golf carts by the Department of Motor Vehicles, and the operation of golf carts along the state's highways, to establish a penalty for the unlawful operation of a golf cart during nighttime hours.

This bill relates to the unlawful interference with trafficcontrol devices, railroad signs and signals, and penalties associated with these violations, so as to provide that these penalties also apply to the unlawful interference with a road or street identification sign.

This bill provides that beginning in the 20202021 school year, public high schools, including charter schools, shall offer a halfunit credit course devoted to topics related to exploring various career and educational opportunities and career readiness.

This bill requires the state Department of Education to provide a universal screening tool for use by local school districts to screen students in kindergarten through second grade for characteristics of dyslexia beginning with the 20192020 school year.

This bill enacts the "South Carolina Promise Scholarship Act" so as to provide that the Commission on Higher Education shall administer the scholarship program, to provide related powers and duties of the commission, and to provide requirements for scholarship recipients.

This bill enacts the "Forming Open and Robust University Minds (Forum) Act" provides measures to protect expressions by students and student organizations in certain places on the campuses of public institutions of higher learning in this state, to provide related requirements for policies and procedures, to provide specific responsibilities of public institutions of higher learning, and to provide means of redress for violations of this act.

This bill requires every public high school of this state each to offer at least five advanced manufacturing courses to their respective students for elective credit beginning with the 20182019 school year.

This bill relates to the filing of a petition to abandon or close a street, road, or highway, so as to provide that the Department of Transportation must notify in writing all residential households within a tenmile radius of a proposed road closure and the members of the legislative delegation who represent the county in which the proposed road closure is located, prior to filing a petition for the closure of a rural statemaintained road.

This bill provides that a county may adopt an ordinance that regulates the operation of certain unlicensed vehicles upon the public streets and highways within its jurisdiction when the vehicles are offered to the public for rental on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis, and to provide that municipalities may adopt a similar ordinance in the absence of county ordinances.

This bill defines the term "funeral procession", to provide duties of operators of motor vehicles in and outside a funeral procession, to provide a penalty, and to provide that a law enforcement officer who is directing or escorting a funeral procession is immune from liability under certain circumstances.

This bill provides that if a Department of Transportation construction, maintenance, or repair project adversely impacts a landowner's property, then the Department shall mitigate or rectify the adverse impact of the project, and to provide that if a Department construction, maintenance, or repair project interferes with access to a landowner's property, then the Department shall construct a driveway that allows the landowner to gain access to his property.

This bill relates to the Department of Public Safety's annual audit and the expenditure of certain revenue generated by the Department, so as to delete the provision that authorizes the Department of Motor Vehicles to carry forward and expend certain motor carrier registration fees, and to provide that certain revenue received by the Department may be expended for drug testing.

This bill relates to the unlawful use of a wireless communications device while operating a motor vehicle and revises the definition of certain terms, revises the circumstances when it is unlawful to use a wireless device, revises the penalties, creates the offense of driving under the influence of an electronic device, deletes the provision that prohibits a law enforcement officer from stopping a person for a violation of this section under certain circumstances, and provides that driving under the influence of an electronic device second or subsequent offense is a two point violation.

This bill changes certain program requirements relating to physicians selected as participants in the student loan repayment program of the Division on Aging.

This bill relates to the obstruction of a highway by a railroad car, locomotive, or other object, so as to increase fines, to remove certain notice requirements, to provide that every two hours of obstruction constitutes an additional offense.

Amends state law, specifically, the Base Load Review Act of 2007. Any future rate increase requests for base load plants would be subject to new restrictions on the Public Service Commission when reviewing rate change requests. This proposed legislation would require the utilities involved to pay all costs of failed projects begun under the 2007 Act. These costs could not be passed on to its customers. This proposed legislation would end the 18% surcharge that utility customers are currently seeing on their monthly power bills.

Terminates the terms of current SC Public Service Authority [i.e. Santee Cooper] board members. Revises qualifications of, and terms for, the South Carolina Public Service Authority [SCPSA] board of directors. These qualifications mirror those for the SC Public Service Commission, with the exception of not requiring a telecommunications representative to so serve the SCPSA. Also, all proposed new, or revised, electric rates and charges by the Public Service Authority would have to be submitted to the Public Service Commission for its review and approval. These new rates could not be used to pay any of the abandonment costs associated with the two new nuclear reactors proposed for the VC Summer nuclear facility under the 2007 Base Load Review Act.

Terms of current Public Service Commission [PSC] members would be terminated. A reconstituted commission would consist of commissioners who meet certain minimum standards. These standards could no longer be waived by the SC Public Utilities Review Committee [PURC]. New commissioners would have to attend at least six hours of continuing education curriculum under this legislation. Also, it would direct commissioners to question all parties thoroughly during contested hearings. Allows the Public Utilities Review Committee, and certain other legislative oversight committees, to communicate with the Public Service Commission under specified conditions.

Proposes a Utility Oversight Committee. Sets out its composition, an extensive list of duties, and administration of the committee. Amongst the 12 members of this new committee, the House Speaker; Labor, Commerce and Industry Committee chair; and minority leader will be members. Three lay committee members would be appointed by the House Speaker as well. Replaces the existing Public Utilities Review Committee.

Establishes a Utilities Consumer Advocate [UCA] in the SC Attorney General's Office. As part of creating this new position, the Office of Regulatory Staff [ORS] would no longer have the preservation of the state public utility financial integrity, continued investment, or maintenance of facilities amongst its responsibilities. The UCA would assume these duties, and ORS would only provide research, expertise, and other support. The UCA could exercise its subpoena powers by requesting the ORS Executive Director to issue them. When the executive director intervenes in civil proceedings under this legislation, he or she would not be doing so as a representative of the SC Public Service Commission.

Directs the Public Service Commission to order utilities who collected payments from ratepayers under the 2007 Base Load Review Act to refund them. This refund would be for all projects constructed under the Act provisions. Utilities would bear the burden of proving that collected costs could be retained by them. Refunds could be made over a period of time through account credits to ratepayers.

Any Legislative Special Interest Caucus would have to be registered with the Legislative Ethics Committee for the Senate or House of Representatives. They would no longer file in their Clerk's offices. The appropriate legislative ethics committee would ascertain whether Legislative Special Interest caucuses have complied with all applicable statutory disclosure requirements, and mete out punishment for noncompliance.

This Joint Resolution proposes a statewide advisory referendum be held, concurrent with the 2018 general election. The question for this referendum is whether South Carolina should cease observing eastern daylight saving time by remaining on Eastern Standard Time year-round instead.

Would expand the "Religious Viewpoints Antidiscrimination Act" and change its name to the "Student and School Personnel Religious Liberties Act." This proposed bill would extend existing protections to students, parents, and school personnel. Protections for clothing, accessories, and jewelry with religious messages, or symbols, would be added. School Boards would be required to adopt related policies in line with State Department of Education model polices.

Creates an Office of Freedom of Information Act Review within the Administrative Law Court. Sets out its general functions, powers, and duties. Exempts video or audio recordings made by recording devices, or dashboard cameras, installed in law enforcement motor vehicles. This Office also would have the same equitable remedies available to the general public, including an award of attorney fees in appropriate cases.

Repeals all existing prohibitions from the relocation, removal, or renaming of listed monuments and memorials erected on public property, including named roads and bridges.

Authorizes the South Carolina Department of Administration to erect a memorial on the Statehouse grounds to honor Reverend Joseph Armstrong de Laine for his civil rights work, including his efforts to end racial segregation in public schools.

This joint resolution would require the Senate President pro tempore and the House of Representatives Speaker to mutually retain a private business, or private individuals, who are experts in the field of nuclear energy and the construction of nuclear energy facilities. Their role would be to aid the General Assembly in determining the best method for selling the state's interest in the V.C. Summer nuclear station to maximize taxpayer return on investment.

Would establish a state witness protection program under the "Witness Protection Act." Tasks the Attorney General with coordinating with our State Law Enforcement Division to protect witnesses determined to be at risk of harm.

Allows ‘No Trespassing' notices for tracts of land through visibly marking their boundaries with purple paint, in compliance with the minimum requirements set forth in this proposal.

Permits qualified, retired law enforcement officers to carry a concealed weapon. Includes extending training opportunities to qualified, retired law enforcement officers. Deletes restrictions from carrying concealed weapons by retired law enforcement officers at certain locations.

Any church or religious sanctuary, who's governing board allows concealed weapons permit [CWP] holders to carry a weapon on their premises, would be exempt from civil or criminal liability, for any incident involving permit holders on that church property.

Creates a central registry of vulnerable adult abuse, neglect, and exploitation. The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control [SCDHEC] would establish, and maintain, this central registry of individuals who have abused, neglected, or exploited vulnerable adults. State authorities would be required to notify SCDHEC of all determinations that individuals have abused, neglected, or exploited vulnerable adults. Establishes requirements for utilizing the registry. Extends immunity from civil or criminal liability for refusing to license, declining to hire, or listing any perpetrator of senior abuse, neglect, or exploitation.

Under this legislation, Public Service Commission [PSC] membership would be reduced to five. They would be appointed by the governor, upon the advice and consent of the Senate. Violations of prohibitions against contacting PSC members would be reported to both the House of Representatives, and Senate, Judiciary Committees.

Beginning with the 2018 general election, seven members of the public service commission would be publicly elected to a four-year term. One member would be elected from each of the seven US congressional districts. These members would be required to reside in the district from which they will be elected. In addition to these seven commissioners, the Governor, House of Representatives Speaker, and Senate President pro tempore would each appoint one PSC commissioner to serve at their pleasure, for a resulting total commission membership of ten commissioners.

Any state political subdivisions, not otherwise required by law to undergo periodic reapportionment, with governing boards, commissions, or councils that are popularly elected from single-member election districts, residency requirements, or a combination of at-large and single-member districts, would be required to be reapportioned. This reapportionment would have to be to a population variance of less than ten percent. It must be completed within three years after the General Assembly adopts the latest official US Census.

Additional, specific reports would have to be filed after a lobbyist has had work-related contacts with a member, or employee, of the Public Service Commission [PSC] or Office of Regulatory [ORS] staff. Prohibits PSC, and ORS, members or employees from receiving anything of value from a utility, company, corporation, entity, joint venture, or person whose business, enterprise, operations, or activities are regulated by a governmental regulatory agency. Also prohibits General Assembly members, or candidates, as well as statewide constitutional officers, or statewide candidates, from soliciting or accepting campaign contributions from a utility, company, corporation, entity, joint venture, or person, whose business, enterprise, operations, or activities are regulated by a governmental regulatory agency.

Would require the State Election Commission to add appropriately-sized ‘check boxes' that would allow registrants to voluntarily disclose their political party affiliation as ‘Republican,' ‘Democrat,' ‘Independent,' or ‘Other.' This record would be subject to disclosure under the SC Freedom of Information Act. Furthermore, this self-identification by voters could not be used to restrict their primary voting.

Effective January 1, 2018, PSC member terms would be for four years. Any PSC members serving in office after January 1, 2018 could not serve in a holdover capacity following the expiration of their terms.

Seeks to prohibit any utility utilizing the 2007 Base Load Review Act project abandonment procedures from awarding any officer, or a "C-suite" or "C-level" executive, any severance package with a value that exceeds the largest severance package awarded to any employee, or independent contractor, terminated as a result of project abandonment.

Would enact the "South Carolina Electric Consumer Bill of Rights Act." It seeks to encourage property owners to utilize renewable energy generation technology. Sets statewide net metering standards. Allows settlement-based cost recovery for investor-owned utilities for customer-generators. Prohibits recovery of lost revenues under the statewide net metering program. Also prohibits discrimination against using onsite distributed energy resources through restrictive covenants, deed restrictions, or homeowners' association documents. Removes the two percent cap on leased renewable electric generation facilities. Customer-generator notarized affidavits currently being used would be replaced by signed declaration forms. Customer-power generation operations would have to confirm they will not attempt to resell or sell electric output to third-parties who are not electric retail suppliers. Exempts renewable energy resource property with nameplate capacity of less than twenty kilowatts.

Prohibits the possession, distribution, or manufacture of any device, part, component, attachment, or accessory intended to accelerate the rate of fire of a semiautomatic firearm.

Would enact the "Public Utility Consumer Protection Act" to prohibit future Base Load Review applications or petitions from modification. Utilities would have to meet certain requirements before they could attempt to recover costs of an abandoned base load plant. Creates a South Carolina Public Utility Consumer Advocate Office. Transfers the State Energy Office from the Office of Regulatory Staff to the executive branch. Establishes prerequisites prior to approving any plan to recover construction costs via a utility rate charge. Sets out procedures for a party to challenge any breach of a utility's duty of candor and transparency. Establishes energy savings goals. Utilities would have to submit energy efficiency plans every three years. The PSC would be required to encourage public utilities providing gas services to invest in cost-effective energy efficient technologies. Electrical utilities would also be required to prepare integrated resource plans.

Enacts the "South Carolina Government Efficiency Act" to create a task force to make recommendations for streamlining governmental operations, downsizing staff, and reducing costs.

The "Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Harassment Act of 2018" invalidates predispute arbitration agreements when they require arbitration of sex discrimination disputes. Any issues arising from applying this law to arbitration agreements must be resolved under federal law. Labor organizations are exempt from this proposed legislation, but only in certain circumstances.

The "South Carolina DREAMers Act of 2018" would cover people who have a lawful presence in this state, and are not precluded from establishing residency under federal immigration law, to establish domicile in our state. This domicile status would apply to eligibility for occupational or professional licensure as well as in-state tuition rates and fees at public institutions of higher education and for state-supported scholarships and grants.

Would prohibit trains from blocking municipal four-lane street intersections for more than five minutes every hour, each day, from 7 to 9 a.m., Noon to 2 p.m., and 4 to 6 p.m.

Expands the term "candidate" to include someone who maintains an open bank account with campaign contributions. Would require disclosure of the source, type, and amount of any income received in the previous year by the filer, or a member of the filer's immediate family. This income includes money from any direct contractual or employment relationship to include consulting, acting as an independent contractor, salary, or any other arrangement involving payment in return for services or goods, made by a lobbyist principal to the filer or a member of the filer's immediate family. Also requires a campaign report to be filed seventy-two hours before any election. This report must include campaign contributions of more than one hundred dollars and expenditures to, or by, the candidate or the campaign committee twenty days before the election and ending seventy-two hours before the election. Clarifies prohibited campaign expenditures.

Prohibits anyone who makes campaign contributions to popularly-elected public officials from being appointed to any public office within four years preceding their donation.

Creates a Joint Committee on Federalism to evaluate certain federal laws.

Would establish a "South Carolina Redistricting Commission" as an independent redistricting commission. Members of the commission would be appointed every ten years following General Assembly adoption of the United States Census. Sets out procedures for then reapportioning House of Representatives, Senate, and Congressional districts.

Proposes an amendment to the South Carolina Constitution so that the secretary of state would be appointed by the governor, upon the advice and consent of the Senate. This appointed term would be coterminous with the governor.

Notary public applications would be submitted directly to the Secretary of State, and no longer would need the endorsement of applications by legislative delegations.

A new criminal offense-- unlawful discharging of a firearm in unincorporated areas without appropriate safety measures-- would be created by this proposed legislation.

"Lizzy's Law" would require an owner or other person lawfully in possession of a firearm, rifle, or shotgun to report its loss or theft within 24 hours of discovering that it is missing. Law enforcement agencies would be required to collect certain information regarding lost or stolen weapons. Sets penalties for violating this reporting requirement.

Would empower law enforcement agency employees, who regularly issue parking violation tickets, to also issue handicapped parking space violation tickets.

Would require a "Your Rights Under South Carolina Law" document, to be designed and published by the Commission on Indigent Defense. Once published, this document would have to be issued along with any uniform traffic ticket [UTT]. Violations, charged using a UTT, would have to be dismissed if law enforcement could not show that this publication had been given to the accused.

A Traffic Violations Study Committee would be formed under this legislation to review state law. After completing this review, they would make recommendations about traffic violations that should merely be civil penalty violations.

Would revise the minimum permitted level of light transmission for sunscreening devices (i.e. tinting) to 20% light transmission, reduced from the prior minimum light transmission capacity of 27%. This new standard would apply to tinting installed on the windshield, side wings, side windows, and/or rear windows of motor vehicles.

Clarifies the structure of the South Carolina Department of Public Safety [SCDPS] and requires this department to maintain a list of its divisions on its website.

Allows SCDPS to annually adjust its witness fees, for inflation. These fees are authorized for civil trial testimony given by its Advanced Accident Investigation-qualified troopers. This fee can be charged in civil trials when the State of South Carolina is not a party.

Would authorize the academy director to determine the location of its training facility.

Would authorize the law enforcement training council to appoint attorneys to sit as hearing officers for contested case hearings. Under this proposed legislation, no person who has a pending misconduct allegation could be employed as a law enforcement officer, employed as a telecommunications operator, have the authority of a law enforcement officer, perform any duties of a law enforcement officer, or exercise the power of arrest until a decision authorizing the person to be so employed is made. Sets out the procedure for handling allegations of law enforcement misconduct.

Corroboration of a separation of more than one year by the parties to an uncontested divorce case could be accomplished through filing affidavits under this proposal.

Would partially prohibit the SC Department of Health and Human Services from contracting with entities that perform, or promote, abortions.

If enacted, this bill would require victims, to whom gratuitous emergency care is rendered, to be involuntarily tested, in certain circumstances, for blood borne diseases. Also sets out procedures and legal immunities for having this testing done.

The State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) would be directed to create, prepare, maintain, and certify a report, listing each South Carolina political subdivision determined to be in compliance with applicable immigration laws. This report would be known as the "Immigration Compliance Report" (ICR). The state treasurer would not be able to disburse Local Government Funds to political subdivisions that have not been certified as ICR- compliant. SLED could criminally investigate noncompliant political subdivisions.

Proposes a joint resolution for a referendum on a proposed amendment to the South Carolina Constitution. Beginning with House members elected in the 2020 general election, or who take office after that date, once serving five consecutive terms, they would no longer be eligible to serve as a House member. However, any House member elected Speaker or appointed to serve as chairman of a House standing committee would not have that service time included in this term limit. For senators, beginning with those members elected at the 2020 general election, or who take office after that date, once they have served three consecutive terms, they are no longer eligible to serve as senators. However, if a senator is elected President pro tempore, or is appointed to serve as chairman of a senate standing committee, that service time would not be included in this term limitation.

The South Carolina Judicial Independence Act sets up a procedure for SC attorney general candidates who agree to limit contributions to their campaigns could also receive a predetermined amount of public funds. Electronic disclosures of all campaign contributions would also be required.

Proposes a joint resolution on a referendum with the question being an amendment to the South Carolina Constitution to authorize a procedure for attorney general candidates to finance their campaigns using public funds.

The State Ethics Commission would be required to establish a new online campaign account monitoring and auditing department. This group would require all candidates and elected public officials specified in this legislation to provide the state ethics commission access to their campaign account online banking information. They would also have to pay, transfer, or remit to the State Ethics Commission an amount equal to five percent of the total contributions received by the candidate or elected public official during the reporting period to offset monitoring costs.

Would prohibit members of the General Assembly, statewide constitutional officers, or candidates for any of these offices from soliciting, or accepting, campaign contributions from a utility, including natural gas, heating, water, sewer, street car/public transportation, telephone, telecommunications, broadband, and electricity utilities.

Any elected local, state, or federal public official, whose office is declared vacant due to their criminal conviction during their term, would have to reimburse the appropriate state or local elections authority for the actual costs of holding the ensuing primary, runoff primary, and/or special election needed to replace that official.

This legislation would prohibit counties, municipalities, or political subdivisions from using the at-large, or the plurality-at-large, voting method to seat more than fifty percent of its members. This legislation would also require at least 50% of these members to be from single-member districts.

Proposes to change the date for closing voter registration books from thirty [30] days before an election to twenty-four [24] days prior to an election. Mail-in and electronic voter registration deadlines would be reduced from thirty [30] days to twenty-five [25] days.

Seeks to establish standardized provisions for municipal candidate filing, nominations, primaries, and similar proceedings.

Poll workers would have to be residents and registered electors of South Carolina under the terms of this bill.

Would prohibit municipalities, counties, other local governments, or political subdivisions from adopting ordinances, motions, amendments, resolutions, policies, regulations, or other legislation that conflict with federal or state scheduling practices.

Proposes to authorize county legislative delegations to remove for cause any member of a county board of voter registration and/or elections whose appointment the delegation recommended. Members under consideration for removal would have to be given a written statement of reasons for their proposed removal as well as an opportunity to be heard.

Would expand the prohibition on the exhibition of obscene content and to include "digital electronic files" as defined in the act. Also includes other methods of electronically posting obscenity to be unlawful.

Seeks to establish an African-American Confederate Veterans Monument Commission. Sets out how this commission will be constituted, grants powers and duties to this commission, and establishes a deadline for submission of a proposed monument design and its proposed location on the Statehouse grounds.

Tasks the African-American Confederate Veterans Monument Commission with recommending primary, secondary, and post-secondary curricula for instruction of students about the history of African American Confederate veterans.

This legislation would prohibit the transfer of seized assets from state law enforcement agencies to federal agencies without a court order. Furthermore, all proceeds from drug seizures would be transferred to the state general fund and then be dispersed amongst the Allendale, Dillon, Florence, Hampton, Jasper, Lee, Marion, and Orangeburg school districts.

In order for arbitration agreements to be binding, this legislation would require that the notice of binding arbitration would have to be typed in bold letters, and acknowledged through the written signature by all parties to be so obligated to arbitration.

This legislation would require all mortgages executed after June 1, 2018, to include a clause setting forth the name of the party who prepared the mortgage. The mortgage preparer's contact information would also be included.

A court's inherent contempt powers, and authority to arrest for contempt, would cover any person going to, or returning from, any court or military service under this legislation.

The South Carolina Law Enforcement Training Council would be authorized to approve aptitude testing and minimum test scores precedent to admission into any basic training program conducted by the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy.

This proposal would extend to all defendants in magistrates court, who are facing criminal charges with the possibility of imprisonment, to be informed of their right to counsel. Also sets out procedures for ensuring all criminal defendants are informed of this right to counsel.

This bill enacts the "Multifamily Dwelling Safety Act" to require the Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation to adopt a Multifamily Dwelling Balcony Code establishing minimum standards for balcony railings that are primarily constructed of wood and are located in multifamily dwellings. The department is required to conduct periodic inspections of such balconies to ascertain compliance with the code.

This bill revises the Residential Landlord Tenant Act so that its provisions apply to certain situations where the purchaser occupies the property as his domicile while the seller maintains the recorded title as security. The legislation allows a seller to utilize the provisions of the Residential Landlord Tenant Act in magistrates court to obtain an eviction or recover damages when a contract of sale is in the form of a lease if the lease is a financing arrangement for the purchase of the property and is treated as such for income tax purposes.

This bill provides that a preexisting condition on property covered under a service contract may not be classified as a preexisting condition thirty days after the provider provides notice of the preexisting condition.

This bill provides that each consumer reporting agency doing business in this state, upon request of a consumer, shall provide the consumer with one copy of the consumer's credit report per month at no charge. If the consumer requests more than one copy per month, the consumer reporting agency may charge the consumer a reasonable fee for each additional copy.

This bill provides that consumer credit-reporting agencies doing business in this state when generating or revising PIN numbers for their customers in this state must generate randomly selected PIN numbers which differ in at least a majority of their characters from the characters in the immediately preceding PIN number they generated or revised for any other customer.

This bill revises provisions relating to the waiver of a horizontal property regime, so as to alter certain requirements regarding the merger of individual apartments with the principal property.

This bill revises provisions relating to an apartment owner's rights under a horizontal property regime, so as to require the annual review of the value of an individual apartment in relation to the value of the whole property based on county tax records. The legislation revises the requirements for a master deed for a horizontal property regime, so as to require the master deed to specify that the value of each apartment is subject to change based on an annual review of county tax records. The legislation revises provisions governing a horizontal property regime's shared expenses, so as to allow for the equal division of expenses.

This bill establishes provisions to prohibit a radio common carrier and a cable service provider from airing a fraudulent advertisement. Penalties are provided for violations.

This bill revises provisions governing continuing education requirements for insurance producers, so as to provide that the Director of the Department of Insurance only may approve ethics courses administered by the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors. The legislation provides that the Department of Insurance may not promulgate regulations to the contrary.

The bill authorizes that the Department of Health and Environmental Control may assess monetary penalties against persons operating unlicensed tattoo facilities.

The bill outlines that the Department of Health and Environmental may, in its discretion, inspect a source of nonionizing radiation which is used in a commercial establishment for the tanning of human skin to protect public health and safety.

The bill authorizes that the Department of Health and Environmental may impose monetary penalties against persons operating unlicensed body piercing facilities.

The bill outlines that if the Department of Health and Environmental directly administers qualifying examinations for licensure, the department may charge applicants an examination fee. The department must establish the fee and the fees must be used to offset costs relating to the administration of the examination. The bill also removes the Commission's duty of the preparation of qualifying examinations.

The bill outlines that the Department may divide the state into health regions which would be supervised by a regional health director who reports to the director of the department In addition to making technical corrections, the bill clarifies that appeals from administrative decisions can be provided electronically upon request.

The legislation enacts the "Recognition of Emergency Medical Services Personnel Licensure Interstate Compact Act". The act authorizes the state to join the compact in order to facilitate the day-today movement of emergency medical services (EMS) personnel across state boundaries.

The bill provides a process for the Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) to schedule certain substances on an emergency basis. The bill also eliminates renewal grace periods for applicants' registration to manufacture, distribute or dispense controlled substances.

The legislation outlines that drug control may provide data in the prescription monitoring program to the following persons a coroner, deputy coroner, medical examiner, or deputy medical examiner who is involved in a bona fide specific inquiry into the cause and manner of death of a designated person.

The bill clarifies that kidney disease treatment centers are exempt from certificate of need review requirements but are subject to licensing requirements.

Among many things, this bill requires manufacturers of diabetes prescription drugs to provide certain cost information to the Department of Health and Environmental Control, to require certain nonprofit organizations that receive funding from these manufacturers to compile reports addressing the funding received and make the information publicly available.

Currently, prescriptions for controlled substances in Schedule II with the exception of transdermal patches, must not exceed a thirty-one day supply. The legislation changes the thirty-one day supply to one hundred twenty tablets or capsules, or four hundred eighty milliliters of an opiate containing liquid.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the legislation states that a hospital licensed in this state may not charge uninsured patients fees for services rendered that are in excess of the maximum fees charged for the same services rendered to insured patients.

This bill revises exemptions on debt collection liens against South Carolina Education Lottery prize winnings to provide that such liens apply only to prizes of one thousand dollars, rather than five thousand dollars, or more and do not apply to retailers authorized by the board to pay prizes of up to one thousand dollars, rather than five thousand dollars, after deducting the price of the lottery game ticket or share.

RECOMMENDATIONS IN STATE GOVERNMENT BUDGET ESTIMATES Rep. Davis

This bill revises provisions for the annual state government budget estimates submitted to the Governor, so as to provide that proposed cost savings and efficiency recommendations must be submitted.

This bill revises provisions for fiscal impact statements that must be attached to legislation under consideration by the General Assembly that requires the expenditure of funds, so as to provide that the author of a bill shall include any estimated cost savings or offsets available.

This bill establishes a procedure that allows a taxpayer to appeal the appraised value of a motor vehicle by submitting an appraisal of the motor vehicle by an authorized dealer with his written protest, and the auditor shall reduce the assessment to the appraised price.

This bill adds wind energy systems to the tax credit provisions allowed for the installation of renewable energy systems and enhances amounts that may be claimed through the tax credits.

This joint resolution creates a temporary Teacher Retention Study Committee to review teacher compensation in this state, particularly the impact of low teacher pay and other compensation incentives on teacher retention, and to examine the prospect of increasing teacher pay by fifteen percent to provide teachers with a more attractive salary and be more competitive with other states. The legislation provide for the composition and staffing of the committee and requires a report of findings to be submitted to the General Assembly before April 1, 2018.

This bill establishes provisions for paid employee leave for the purpose of attending K12 school conferences, activities, or meetings and for volunteer K12 teaching activities. The legislation makes provisions for the employers of these employees to be entitled to a specified state income tax deduction.

This bill requires the State Treasurer to provide the General Assembly an annual report detailing the treasurer's investments and investment strategies that includes an assessment of the performance of each investment portfolio.

This bill homestead tax exemption provisions, so as to require that a qualifying dwelling place also meets all the requirements for the special assessment ratio, including certain rental provisions that the home is not rented for more than seventytwo days during the calendar year, and receives the special assessment ratio.

This bill the definition of tangible personal property under sales and use tax provisions, so as to exclude from the definition the rental or lease of property if the property must be serviced to remain sanitary for the intended use of the property, and the lessor would not rent or lease the property unless the lessee agrees to the lessor servicing the property.

This bill provides that an inmate participating in the prison industries program who is paid less than the federally established minimum wage, and does not have child support obligations shall not have twentyfive percent of his wages used to defray the cost of his room and board. This amount must be made available to him during his incarceration for the purchase of incidentals in addition to the ten percent used for the same purpose.

This bill revises provisions for the employment of inmates through the prison industries program, so as to provide that the Department of Corrections may not negotiate or execute a contract with a private sector business that pays an inmate a wage that is less than the federally established minimum wage.

This bill authorizes the establishment of Health Enterprise Zones in certain areas of the state based on documented health disparities and poor health outcomes and subject to the approval of the Director of the Department of Health and Environmental Control. The legislation makes provisions for tax credits and loan repayment assistance for health practitioners who practice in Health Enterprise Zones and who hire certain staff.

This bill establishes requirements for a candidate for President or Vice President of the United States to file copies of the candidate's federal income tax return for the ten years preceding the year of the general election with the State Election Commission for the public disclosure of the candidate's federal income tax returns.

This bill revises provisions governing insurance premium taxes so as to increase the contribution to the South Carolina Forestry Commission from one percent to two percent.

This bill provides that resident taxpayer that installs a diaper changing station in the restroom at its business location is allowed a tax credit equal to five hundred dollars, not to exceed the related costs incurred by the taxpayer. If the business location has separate restrooms for men and women, then a diaper changing station must be installed in both restrooms to qualify for the credit.