South Carolina House of Representatives
James H. "Jay" Lucas, Speaker of the House
OFFICE OF RESEARCH AND CONSTITUENT SERVICES
Room 212, Blatt Building, P.O. Box 11867, Columbia,
S.C. 29211, (803) 734-3230
The House of Representatives amended, approved, and sent the Senate H.3197, the "STUDENT LOAN BILL OF RIGHTS ACT", which establishes consumer protection measures for those who obtain loans to finance postsecondary education or other school-related expenses. The legislation provides for the licensure and regulation of student loan servicers by the Department of Consumer Affairs. A list of prohibited activities is established for student loan servicers to address such misconduct as: defrauding or misleading student loan borrowers; knowingly or recklessly providing inaccurate information to a credit bureau; charging unauthorized fees; and, placing student loan borrowers in forbearance or default without determining whether they are eligible for income-based repayment programs. The legislation authorizes the Department of Consumer Affairs to conduct investigations and examinations and empowers the department to address fraud and other violations through such means as: suspending, revoking, or refusing to renew licenses; imposing fines, cease and desist orders, and other equitable and injunctive relief; and bringing civil actions. A student loan ombudsman position is created within the Department of Consumer Affairs to provide timely assistance to borrowers by performing such duties as: receiving , reviewing, and attempting to resolve complaints from student loan borrowers; compiling and analyzing data on these complaints; answering questions about student education loans; disseminating information and conducting educational programs; and, advising on policy and law changes. The department is required to submit an annual report on these student education loan consumer protection initiatives to the Senate Education Committee and the House Education and Public Works Committee.
The House approved and sent the Senate H.3455, a bill that provides for the licensure and regulation of SWIMMING POOL INSTALLERS by classifying them as residential specialty contractors. The legislation adds swimming pool installers to the list of those classified as residential specialty contractors, who are independent contractors who contract with licensed residential builders, general contractors, or individual property owners to do certain construction work, repairs, improvement, or reimprovement which requires special skills and involves the use of specialized construction trades or craft.
The House approved and sent the Senate H.4974, a bill providing for ADDITIONAL CIRCUIT COURT AND FAMILY COURT JUDGES. The legislation provides for the election of two additional resident circuit court judges: one for the Fourteenth Circuit and one for the Fifteenth Circuit. The legislation provides for the election of two additional resident family court judges: one for the First Circuit and one for the Sixteenth Circuit.
The Education and Public Works Committee met on Wednesday, February 19, and reported out several bills.
The committee gave a report of favorable with amendments on H.4761, a bill providing for READ TO SUCCEED INITIATIVE ENHANCEMENTS. The State Board of Education is charged with approving no more than five reliable and valid early literacy and numeracy screening assessment instruments for selection and use by school districts in kindergarten through third grade. Assessments must be given at the beginning of the school year. For students who need additional assistance, the screening will also occur during the middle and end of the school year. Assessment results must be reported to the State Department of Education which is responsible for monitoring student progress. Read to Succeed provisions are revised to require that districts provide appropriate in-class intervention and at least thirty minutes of supplemental intervention by certified teachers who have a literacy add on endorsement until all students are at grade level. School Districts must offer a summer reading camp as intervention for any student enrolled in the first or second grade who is substantially not demonstrating proficiency in reading, based upon the universal screening process. The legislation replaces the current "Not Met 1" benchmark for student retention, and provides, instead that a student must be retained in the third grade if the student fails to demonstrate reading proficiency at the end of the third grade as indicated by scoring at the lowest achievement level on the state summative English/language arts assessment which indicates that the student needs substantial academic support to be prepared for the next grade level. Districts are encouraged to develop policies for intensive support and retention of students in kindergarten through grade two if it is determined to be in the student's best interest. The reading portfolio exemption from retention is strengthened. When exemptions from retention are granted because of appeals by students' parents or guardians, school districts are required to report on the number of appeals made, the number granted, and the outcome of the students whose appeals are successful. More specific job duties and position requirements are established for reading coaches. The State Department of Education must screen and approve reading coaches for districts where more than one-third of third grade students score at the lowest achievement level on the state English/language arts assessment. Early childhood, elementary, and special education teacher candidates must pass a test on reading instruction and intervention before they can be certified. The Commission on Higher Education and the Learning Disorders Taskforce are charged with examining the effectiveness of teacher education programs in regard to diagnosing and assisting students with reading difficulties.
The committee gave a report of favorable with amendments on H.3328, a bill revising SCHOOL LUNCH provisions. The legislation provides that students eligible for free and reduced meal benefits must be offered the same federally reimbursable meal as students not eligible for these federal free and reduced meal provisions. Federally reimbursable meals must be offered even if the student owes money for previous meals. Schools that offer food and beverages separate from federally reimbursable meals may not allow students to accrue a balance when purchasing items, and only may accept cash payment or allow funds to be electronically drawn from a prepaid balance. A school or school district may not invoke penalties for failing to pay for a school lunch, such as prohibiting students from attending field trips, participating in graduation or other recognition ceremonies, or attending other academic related activities. The State Department of Education is charged with developing and providing a model policy and template to each school district regarding the collection of school meal debt.
The committee gave a favorable report on H.4765, a bill imposing LIMITATIONS ON COLLECTING SCHOOL MEAL PROGRAM DEBTS. The legislation prohibits a public school or school district from using a debt collection service to collect debts owed on a school lunch or breakfast account of a student. A public school or school district may not assess or collect any interest, fees, or other such monetary penalties for outstanding debts on student school lunch or breakfast accounts.
The committee gave a report of favorable with amendments on H.4758, a bill providing authority for ALTERNATIVE PROGRAMS FOR EDUCATOR PREPARATION AND CERTIFICATION as a means of addressing current teacher shortages. Under the legislation, educator preparation programs housed within an institution of higher education may submit a separate and distinct educator preparation program for alternative preparation to the State Board of Education for approval. The board shall promulgate regulations concerning the granting of approval, cyclical review, and revocation of approval for alternative educator preparation programs. The State Department of Education is charged with providing each college of education and state-approved educator preparation program with information evaluating the performance its graduates on a yearly basis so that this information may be uses to improve education services.
The House Labor, Commerce and Industry Committee met on Tuesday, February 18, and gave a report of favorable with amendments on H.4431, the "SOUTH CAROLINA BUSINESS LICENSE TAX STANDARDIZATION ACT". The legislation imposes statewide standardization upon many aspects of the business license taxes imposed by counties and municipalities, including: a single timeline for issuing and renewing licenses and imposing penalties; standards for computing taxes based upon the gross income of the business; a uniform business license application established and provided by the Director of the Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Office; a protocol for issuing refunds to businesses; requirements for taxing jurisdictions to make use of the Standardized Business License Class Schedule as recommended by the Municipal Association of South Carolina and adopted by the Director of the Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Office; Requirements for the Municipal Association to determine and revise this Standardized Business License Class Schedule every even year using the latest available nationwide Internal Revenue Service statistics for the calculation of profitability of businesses and using the latest business classification codes of the latest North American Industry Classification System (NAICS); and, a protocol that allows county and city councils to approve reasonable subclassifications. Provisions are made for a centralized online portal hosted and managed by the Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Office which businesses may use to pay the various license taxes imposed in multiple jurisdictions. In addition to allowing a payment through the business license tax portal, a taxing jurisdiction shall allow a taxpayer to file and pay its business license tax in person at a location within the taxing jurisdiction, by telephone, or by mail. The legislation imposes a prohibition on a private third-party assessing or collecting business license taxes or requiring businesses to remit confidential tax data on behalf of a taxing jurisdiction. Restrictions are imposed on how a taxing jurisdiction may contract with a third party to assist in the collection of business license taxes. The legislation disallows arrangements where a private sector auditing firm or other third party is paid on a contingency fee or success basis. Enforcement measures are provided which authorize the South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs award to civil penalties to taxpayers for violations.
The Medical, Military and Municipal Affairs Committee met on Tuesday, February 18, 2020, and reported out several bills.
In an effort to assist with public safety in the workplace, the committee gave a favorable with amendment report to H.4713, legislation that requires certain HEALTH CARE FACILITIES TO COMPLETE SAFETY ASSESSMENTS. The bill outlines that only hospitals, nursing homes, residential treatment facilities for children, community residential care facilities, and abortion facilities will be required to do the assessments. The assessment must include consultation with local law enforcement and public safety officials about trends in violent crime in the workplace. Each health care facility will be required to implement a plan to provide security and collect data on incidents occurring in the workplace. A health care facility that violates these requirements may be subject to denial, suspension, or revocation of the facility license.
The committee gave a favorable with amendment recommendation to H.4355. This bill allows a DOCTOR TO DISPENSE MEDICATION FOR A NARCOTIC TREATMENT PROGRAM (NTP) PATIENT if the medication is labeled in accordance with state and federal law. The bill also allows a Narcotic Treatment Program to operate without a pharmacy on site but is required to have a consultant pharmacist. In addition, the NTP must do monthly self-inspections and submit them to the Board of Pharmacy and the consultant must perform quarterly inspections.
H.4711, a bill relating to PRESCRIBING AN OPIOID REVERSAL DRUG, was given a favorable with amendment recommendation by the committee. The bill outlines that a physician is to offer to prescribe a drug to reverse an opioid overdose only when the physician is writing a opioid medication prescription for a high risk person for overdose. In addition, the opioid reversal drug must be also offered if it is 90 or more morphine milligram equivalents per day or if the opioid drug is prescribed concurrently with benzodiazepine. The doctor is to document that the offer was made in the patient's medical record. The bill requires the physician to educate the patient, or a designated person when the patient is a minor, about overdose prevention and the use of the reversal drug.
H.4938, legislation dealing with EXEMPTIONS FROM ELECTRONIC PRESCRIPTIONS FOR ANY CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE, was given a favorable with amendment recommendation by the committee. The legislation adds to the electronic prescription exemptions list a practitioner who writes a prescription for a controlled substance included in Schedules II through V that does not exceed a five-day supply for the patient; or a practitioner who issues an oral authorization in the case of an emergency situation.
Currently, a pharmacist may administer a flu vaccine without a physician's order to anyone who is 12 years old or older. The committee gave a favorable with amendment report to H.4663, legislation that allows a PHARMACIST TO ADMINISTER THE FLU VACCINE TO CHILDREN YOUNGER THAN 12 YEARS OLD In accordance with outlined procedures issued by the Board of Medical Examiners.
The committee gave a favorable with amendment report to H.4669, a bill that removes physicians and funeral homes and funeral home directors from being exempted from ELECTRONICALLY FILING DEATH CERTIFICATES. As a result, an individual who acts, without compensation, as a funeral director on behalf of a deceased family member or friend is the only exemption from electronic filing.
H.4724, a bill establishing a COMMITTEE TO STUDY VETERAN HOMELESSNESS, was given a favorable with amendment recommendation by the committee. The committee shall study, not limited to, the approximate number of homeless veterans residing in the state; the approximate number of veterans who have been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and the root causes of veteran homelessness. In addition, the committee is to gather reasons why traditional Veterans Affairs Services are not alleviating the situation, particularly with regard to job placement services. The committee shall be comprised of three members of the Senate, to be appointed by the President of the Senate, three members of the House of Representatives, to be appointed by the Speaker of the House, and the Secretary of the South Carolina Department of Veterans' Affairs or his designee. The members of the committee shall elect a chairman and a vice chairman and shall meet as often and at any locale in the as the committee considers necessary or expedient for the duration of the committee's existence as provided by this joint resolution.
The committee gave a favorable report to H.4214, legislation that enacts the "MEDICARE FOR CHILDREN WITH AUTISM ACT". The bill provides for the current medically accepted definition of Autism Spectrum Disorder which means a pervasive developmental disorder as defined by the most recent publication of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) or as defined in any previous edition of the DSM. The legislation also makes conforming changes and expands the required insurance coverage by deleting existing age limits.
The Ways and Means Committee reported out H.5201, the General Appropriation Bill, and H.5202, the joint resolution making appropriations from the Capital Reserve Fund, which together comprise the FISCAL YEAR 2020-2021 STATE GOVERNMENT BUDGET. The budget includes $9.6 billion in recurring state general fund revenue, after $629 million is transferred to the Tax Relief Trust Fund that provides for the residential property tax caps. The budget's nonrecurring funds include $568 million in surplus funds estimated for Fiscal Year 2019-2020, $350 million in the Fiscal Year 2018-2019 Contingency Reserve Fund, and $162 million in Capital Reserve Funds.
$120 million in recurring funds is devoted income tax relief and $128 million in nonrecurring funds is used for providing one-time income tax credits that amount to $100 for each filer.
The budget provides for an accelerated statewide farm to market road paving program to allow for paving on an estimated statewide total of 240 miles of these farm-to-market secondary roads within the state highway system, with projects in every county of the state. The paving program includes $77 million in nonrecurring funds allocated through the Department of Transportation and $23 million in nonrecurring funds distributed among the County Transportation Committees.
$50 million in nonrecurring funds is appropriated in the creation of the Disaster Relief and Resilience Reserve Fund that is to be used for disaster relief assistance, hazard mitigation and infrastructure improvements, and statewide resilience planning.
$10 million in nonrecurring funds is provided for the state FEMA match for Hurricane Dorian.
$42 million in recurring funds is provided for a state employee recruitment and retention initiative that affords agencies flexibility in improving the competitiveness of salaries and rewarding performance. Funding for the initiative is equivalent to a 2% pay increase.
$39 million in recurring funds is included to cover the increased costs of operating the state's health and dental insurance plans and to provide coverage for adult well visits with no additional monthly premium costs.
A provision is included to revise retirement benefits after returning to covered employment under the South Carolina Retirement System and the Police Officers Retirement System to establish a protocol that allows retirees to return to covered employment without being subject to the ten thousand dollar earnings limitation.
A total of $32 million from the General Fund and $4 million in Education Improvement Act funds is devoted to the 1% increase in the employer contribution rates for the South Carolina Retirement System and the Police Officers Retirement System that is in keeping with the schedule for addressing the unfunded liability facing the state's pensions established in Act 13 of 2017.
$213 million in recurring funds is used to provide a teacher salary increase of $3,000 per teacher.
$16 million in recurring funds is utilized to maintain the current funding level of the base student cost and $10.4 million in recurring funds is appropriated to increase the base student cost to $2,500 per pupil.
In order to receive the increased funding for the base student cost, a school district must implement a policy that prohibits the use of cellphones and other personal electronic communication devices by students during direct classroom instructional time.
The budget provides for a statewide expansion of full day 4K early childhood education which includes $37.6 million in Education Improvement Act funds through the State Department of Education, $15 million in EIA funds through the First Steps program, and $2 million in EIA funds for early childhood assessments.
$50 million in nonrecurring funds and $26.5 million in nonrecurring Education Improvement Act funds is provided for instructional materials.
$60 million in nonrecurring funds is allocated for capital improvements.
Eligibility is expanded for the Rural School District and Economic Development Closing Fund established within the Department of Commerce to facilitate economic development and infrastructure improvements.
$5.5 million in Education Improvement Act funds is included to address S.C. Public Charter School District growth.
$2.6 million in recurring funds is devoted to the SC Virtual Schools Program.
$10 million in recurring funds is allocated for school resource officers.
$3 million in recurring funds, $22.5 million in nonrecurring funds, and $500,000 in lottery funds is provided for school buses. $7.9 million in funds from the Volkswagen Environmental Trust is allocated for purchasing school buses.
The budget includes a higher education tuition mitigation initiative in which a total of $47.6 million in additional recurring funds is distributed among the state's institutions of higher learning. In order to retain these appropriations, the institutions must comply with provisions for freezing in-state tuition and mandatory fees during the 2020-2021 academic year.
The Capital Reserve Fund is devoted to capital needs at the state's colleges and universities, with the total of $162 million in these nonrecurring funds allocated among the institutions for repairs, renovations, and maintenance of various facilities.
A provision is included to require all public institutions of higher learning to prepare a report listing any fee increases assessed in the current fiscal year and the reason for the increase. The report must be submitted by November 30 to the Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee and the Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee.
Full funding is provided for the LIFE, HOPE, and Palmetto Fellows higher education scholarship programs through Education Lottery funds.
$1.1 million in recurring funds is devoted to higher education tuition grants increase along with $10 million in lottery funds.
The Commission on Higher Education is afforded $28.4 million in lottery funds for need-based grants, $2.5 million in lottery funds for National Guard Tuition Repayment, and $1.7 million in lottery funds and $4.3 million in in unclaimed prize money for the Higher Education Excellence Enhancement Program.
$51 million in lottery funds is provided for tuition assistance through the Commission on Higher Education and the Board of Technical and Comprehensive Education
The Board of Technical and Comprehensive Education is afforded $17 million in lottery funds for SC Workforce Industry Needs scholarships that help provide full tuition at technical colleges for SC WINS recipients seeking degrees in industry sectors with critical workforce needs.
The Board of Technical and Comprehensive Education is provided $11 million in lottery funds for workforce scholarships and grants, $12.5 million in unclaimed prize money for high demand job skill training equipment.
$8 million in nonrecurring funds and $2.5 million in capital reserve funds is allocated to the Ready SC Program which provides worker training at the state's technical colleges that is customized to the needs of new and expanding business and industry.
$10 million in recurring funds is provided for instructional programs at the state's technical colleges.
$10 million in nonrecurring funds is appropriated for career and technology education centers.
The budget includes a provision establishing the Workforce and Education Data Oversight Committee to support the mission of the Coordinating Council for Workforce Development by collecting data from various state government agencies and institutions and analyzing the compiled data to improve the effectiveness of the state's educational delivery system in providing economic opportunities.
$3.7 million in nonrecurring funds is provided for the Deal Closing Fund that the Department of Commerce uses to recruit new business to the state. The Department of Commerce is afforded $4 million in nonrecurring funds for the Locate SC Site Inventory, $1.5 million in nonrecurring funds for the SC Association for Community Economic Development, and $9 million in nonrecurring funds for the SC Technology and Aviation Center.
The Rural Infrastructure Authority is afforded $2 million in recurring funds for the Rural Infrastructure Fund and $4.3 million in nonrecurring funds for the Water and Sewer Regionalization Fund.
The Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism receives $1 million in recurring funds for tourism recovery advertising, $2 million in recurring funds and $1 million in nonrecurring funds for destination specific tourism marketing, $10 million in nonrecurring funds for film incentives, $1.1 million in nonrecurring funds for SC Association of Tourism Regions, $3 million in nonrecurring funds for state parks revitalization, $1.7 million in nonrecurring funds for the SC Aquarium, and $10 million in nonrecurring funds to rebuild the state's welcome centers.
The Department of Transportation receives $10 million in nonrecurring funds for upgrades to the state's rest areas.
The State Ports Authority is afforded $1 million in nonrecurring funds for the Jasper Ocean Terminal Port Facility Infrastructure Fund and $200,00 in nonrecurring funds for a Port of Georgetown engineering study.
The Department of Archives and History receives $3.7 million in nonrecurring funds for community development grants, $1.5 million in nonrecurring funds for historic preservation, $1 million in nonrecurring funds for the SC Revolutionary Wary Sestercentennial Commission, $100,000 in nonrecurring funds for the African American Heritage Commission's Greenbook of SC.
The Arts Commission is afforded $1 in recurring funds for community arts development, $1 in nonrecurring funds for arts organization facilities upgrades, and $500,000 in nonrecurring funds for community arts development and education grants.
The Department of Agriculture is appropriated $1.1 million in recurring funds for federal hemp farming compliance and $630,000 in nonrecurring funds for hemp testing laboratory equipment.
Clemson PSA receives $1.1 million in recurring funds and SC State receives $802,600 in recurring funds for their extension programs
The Forestry Commission is provided $995,000 in recurring funds for firefighting and service capacity and $1 million in nonrecurring funds for firefighting equipment.
The Department of Health and Environmental Control receives $1 million in recurring funds for the additional newborn screenings of Dylan's Law, $5 million in recurring funds for salary increases for critical position retention, $997,000 in recurring funds for vaccine funding for disease control response, $1 million in recurring funds for hazardous waste emergency response, $1.95 million in recurring funds for the air quality program, $1 million in recurring funds for ocean outfalls, and $2.2 million in nonrecurring funds for its nursing program expansion.
The Department of Health and Human Services is afforded $47.4 million in recurring funds for Medicaid maintenance of effort to address program cost growth, $13.9 million in recurring funds for the community long term care census, $7.9 million in recurring funds for healthcare provider reimbursement rates, $6.7 million in recurring funds for disproportionate share hospital allotment increase, $492,000 in recurring funds for the SC Office of Rural Health, $150,000 in nonrecurring funds for cervical cancer awareness, $150,000 in nonrecurring funds for the Camp Happy Days program for cancer patients, $7.4 million in nonrecurring funds for the Medicaid Management Information System, and $1.7 million in nonrecurring for medical contracts.
The Department of Mental Health is afforded $5 million in recurring funds for inpatient services, $7.98 million in recurring funds for workforce sustainability initiatives, $600,000 in recurring funds for school mental health services, $625,897 in recurring funds for the sexually violent predator treatment program, $46.8 million in nonrecurring funds for VA nursing homes certification state match, and $400,000 in recurring funds for emergency department telepsychiatry.
The budget includes a mental health crisis stabilization initiative which provides for the Department of Mental Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Health and Environmental Control, Department of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Services, and all other relevant agencies coordinate their efforts to ensure that the statewide system for the delivery of mental health services
The Department of Corrections receives $100 million in nonrecurring funds for security and prison safety equipment upgrades, $9 million in recurring funds for recruitment and retention, $9 million in recurring funds for critical need health services positions, $5 million in recurring funds for the Hepatitis C treatment program, $3 million in recurring funds for the expansion of the gang enforcement security team, and $3 million in recurring funds and $1 million in nonrecurring funds for long term programming and reentry needs.
The Department of Juvenile Justice is afforded $5 million in nonrecurring funds for safety and security upgrades and $9.8 million in nonrecurring funds for security updates and renovations at the Broad River facility.
The Judicial Department is afforded $5 million in nonrecurring funds for case management modernization and $1.4 million in nonrecurring funds for its digital courtroom recorder project.
The budget emphasizes salary increases for law enforcement officers across multiple agencies.
$2.3 million in nonrecurring funds is provided for local law enforcement grants through the Department of Public Safety.
The budget includes an $11.7 million increase in recurring funds for the Local Government Fund that is consistent with the revised approach for sending revenue to political subdivisions established in Act 84 of 2019.
A budget provision precludes counties from obtaining the tax relief offered for solar panels and other renewable energy equipment by excluding this renewable energy resource property from county property tax collection.
The State Election Commission receives $9.3 million in nonrecurring funds for completion of the new voting system.
H.5244 HEMP LICENSES Rep. Forrester
The department shall issue an identification card to a licensee or a licensee's employee cultivating, handling, or processing hemp. In addition the card must be on their person while handling hemp. The bill also revises hemp products to include unprocessed or raw plant material, including non-sterilized hemp seeds.
H.5273 EXEMPTION OF PRIVATE, FOR PROFIT PIPELINE COMPANIES FROM CERTAIN RIGHTS, POWERS, AND PRIVILEGES OF TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE COMPANIES THAT OTHERWISE ARE EXTENDED TO PIPELINE COMPANIES Rep. Hixon
The bill extends the sunset provision to November 30, 2021.
H.5261 SPECIAL LICENSE PLATES Rep. Erickson
The legislation better categorizes and standardizes the way the Department of Motor Vehicles issues military-related license plates. Currently, there are different standards for similarly classified military-related license plates.
H.5241 CERTIFICATE OF NEED EXEMPTIONS FOR NEONATAL CARE Rep. Murphy
This legislation would exempt subspecialty perinatal centers with neonatal intensive care units (Level III) in licensed hospitals from our state Certification of Need and Health Facility licensing requirements. In addition, hospitals licensed with Level II special care nurseries could set up subspecialty perinatal centers with neonatal intensive care units (Level III) after complying with specified guidelines. This bill would allow these Level III units to perform neonatal transports.
H.5242 INVALID NONPROFIT NON-COMPETE CLAUSES Rep. Rutherford
Nonprofit corporations with annual gross revenues over $1,000,000,000 could not enforce any non-competition clauses with their current and former employees under this proposal. Furthermore, no non-competition covenants could be entered into with any future employees.
H.5243 FLYING THE STATE FLAG IN GATED COMMUNITIES Rep. Felder
If this bill is enacted, homeowner and tenant rights to fly the American Flag at their homeowner-association-governed homes would be extended to include flying the South Carolina State Flag.
H.5262 FEDERAL BALANCED BUDGET CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION Rep. G. M. Smith
Calls for a federal constitutional convention to propose an amendment requiring a balanced federal budget.
H.5270 ILLEGALLY POSSESSING STOLEN RIFLES, SHOTGUNS, OR OTHER LONG GUNS Rep. Hixon
As is currently the case for stolen handguns, creates similar punishments for possessing stolen shotguns, rifles, or other similar long guns.
H.5271 ILLEGAL COERCIVE CONTROL OVER ANOTHER Rep. Toole
Creates the criminal offense of coercive control over another person. Sets out examples of the types of behavior and evidence used to make these cases. Sets out penalties for violations.
H.5272 UNDUE INFLUENCE Rep. Toole
Amends the Omnibus Adult Protection Act to add a definition for "undue influence." In addition, it changes the definition of "exploitation."
H.5234 PERSONAL EMERGENCY RESPONSE SYSTEM FOR SENIOR CITIZENS Rep. Henegan
The department shall fund a program to provide subsidies to low income senior citizens to purchase a personal emergency response system and to pay monthly service fees and charges.
H.5260 OPTIONAL SHARED-RISK DEFINED BENEFIT PENSION PLAN Rep. Bradley
This bill provides for the creation of an Optional Shared-Risk Defined Benefit Plan that includes provisions for those enrolled in the plan to share in gains and losses in the returns on plan investments.