Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter
The House assembled at 12:00 noon.
Deliberations were opened with prayer by the Chaplain of the House of Representatives, the Rev. Dr. Alton C. Clark, as follows:
Almighty and all powerful God, we look in amazement at the gorgeous dress of Mother Nature, bedecked in the loveliness of her spring dress. We stand in awe before trees and shrubs that so recently appeared dead. We thank You that You are a God of nature as well as a God of human nature. Accept our thanks, moreso, for unforgettable events commemorated this week, called "holy week" and "Easter" by many and by others as "the feast of the passover." Keep us everlastingly grateful for a God Who loves us from everlasting to everlasting. Amen.
Pursuant to Rule 6.3, the House of Representatives was led in the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America by the SPEAKER.
After corrections to the Journal of the proceedings of Friday, the SPEAKER ordered it confirmed.
Rep. FLEMING moved that when the House adjourns, it adjourn in memory of Jimmy Gault, county councilman of Jonesville, which was agreed to.
The following were received and referred to the appropriate committee for consideration:
Document No. 2503
Agency: Department of Health and Human Services
Statutory Authority: 1976 Code Section 44-6-90
Optional State Supplementation Program
Received by Speaker of the House of Representatives
April 13, 2000
Document No. 2515
Agency: Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation - Board of Long Term Health Care Administrators
Statutory Authority: 1976 Code Section 40-35-230
Community Residential Care Facilities. Pre-examination and Licensing Requirements
Received by Speaker of the House of Representatives
April 13, 2000
Referred to Medical, Military, Public and Municipal Affairs Committee
Legislative Review Expiration August 11, 2000 (Subject to Sine Die Revision)
The following was received:
Columbia, S.C., April 13, 2000
Mr. Speaker and Members of the House:
The Senate respectfully informs your Honorable Body that it concurs in the amendments proposed by the House to H. 3555:
H. 3555 (Word version) -- Reps. Allison and Rodgers: A BILL TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 16-3-95 SO AS TO MAKE IT UNLAWFUL AND A FELONY TO INFLICT OR TO KNOWINGLY ALLOW A PERSON TO INFLICT GREAT BODILY HARM UPON A CHILD AND TO PROVIDE PENALTIES.
and has ordered the Bill Enrolled for Ratification.
Very respectfully,
President
Received as information.
The following was received:
Columbia, S.C., April 13, 2000
Mr. Speaker and Members of the House:
The Senate respectfully informs your Honorable Body that it concurs in the amendments proposed by the House to S. 60:
S. 60 (Word version) -- Senator Ford: A BILL TO AMEND SECTION 53-5-10, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO LEGAL HOLIDAYS, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT MARTIN LUTHER KING'S BIRTHDAY AND CONFEDERATE MEMORIAL DAY SHALL BE REGULAR, RATHER THAN OPTIONAL, HOLIDAYS; TO DELETE REFERENCES TO ROBERT E. LEE'S BIRTHDAY AND JEFFERSON DAVIS' BIRTHDAY AS HOLIDAYS; AND TO MAKE GENERAL ELECTION DAY AN OPTIONAL, RATHER THAN REGULAR, HOLIDAY.
and has ordered the Bill Enrolled for Ratification.
Very respectfully,
President
Received as information.
The following was received from the Senate:
Columbia, S.C., April 13, 2000
Mr. Speaker and Members of the House:
The Senate respectfully informs your Honorable Body that it nonconcurs in the amendments proposed by the House to H. 3782:
H. 3782 (Word version) -- Reps. Campsen, Barfield, Barrett, Beck, Bowers, Cato, Cotty, Davenport, Delleney, Easterday, Edge, Emory, Gilham, Govan, Hamilton, Harrell, Harris, Harrison, Haskins, Klauber, Koon, Leach, Limehouse, Littlejohn, Loftis, Lourie, Lucas, Maddox, M. McLeod, W. McLeod, Meacham-Richardson, Miller, J. H. Neal, Quinn, Rice, Robinson, Sandifer, Sheheen, Simrill, D. Smith, J. Smith, Stille, Stuart, Taylor, Vaughn, Whatley, Whipper and Woodrum: A BILL TO ENACT THE "SOUTH CAROLINA CONSERVATION INCENTIVES ACT" BY AMENDING THE CODE OF LAWS OF
Very respectfully,
President
On motion of Rep. HARRELL, the House insisted upon its amendments.
Rep. TOWNSEND, from the Committee on Education and Public Works, submitted a favorable report with amendments on:
H. 3831 (Word version) -- Rep. Townsend: A BILL TO AMEND SECTION 57-25-190, AS AMENDED, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO COMPENSATION FOR THE REMOVAL OF OUTDOOR ADVERTISING SIGNS, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT COMPENSATION FOR THIS PURPOSE IS CONSIDERED TO BE FAIR MARKET VALUE OF THE PARTICULAR INTEREST OF EACH PARTY HAVING AN INTEREST IN THE LOCATION OF THE SIGN WHICH SHALL BE DETERMINED THROUGH APPRAISAL METHODS USED TO DETERMINE JUST COMPENSATION UNDER THE EMINENT DOMAIN PROCEDURE ACT, TO FURTHER PROVIDE FOR THE MANNER IN WHICH COMPENSATION MUST BE PAID PRIOR TO THE REMOVAL OF SUCH SIGNS, AND TO PROVIDE THAT NO POLITICAL SUBDIVISION OF THIS STATE MAY REQUIRE THE REMOVAL OF AN EXISTING SIGN FOR REASONS OTHER THAN TRAFFIC SAFETY OR PROXIMITY TO SPECIFIED LOCATIONS; AND TO ADD SECTION 57-25-191 SO AS TO PROVIDE FOR ADDITIONAL PROCEDURAL REQUIREMENTS IN REGARD TO THE ENACTING OF ZONING PLANS OR ORDINANCES BY A POLITICAL SUBDIVISION RELATING TO OUTDOOR ADVERTISING SIGNS.
Ordered for consideration tomorrow.
The following was introduced:
H. 4957 (Word version) -- Rep. Cobb-Hunter: A HOUSE RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING DEACONESS ERNESTINE TOLES ON THE OCCASION OF THE DR. WILLIAM H. GRAY, JR., MEMORIAL CONCERT AT BRIGHT HOPE BAPTIST CHURCH IN
The Resolution was adopted.
On motion of Rep. M. MCLEOD, with unanimous consent, the following was taken up for immediate consideration:
H. 4958 (Word version) -- Reps. M. McLeod, Harvin, G. Brown, Canty, Woodrum and J. H. Neal: A HOUSE RESOLUTION EXTENDING THE PRIVILEGE OF THE FLOOR OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TO THE WILSON HALL BARONS BOYS BASKETBALL TEAM, COACHES, SUPPORT PERSONNEL, AND SCHOOL OFFICIALS, ON A DATE AND AT A TIME AS DETERMINED BY THE SPEAKER, FOR THE PURPOSE OF BEING RECOGNIZED AND CONGRATULATED ON WINNING THE SCISAA CLASS AAA BOYS BASKETBALL STATE CHAMPIONSHIP FOR 1999-2000.
Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:
That the privilege of the floor of the House of Representatives be, and the same hereby is, extended to the Wilson Hall Barons boys basketball team, coaches, support personnel, and school officials, on a date and at a time as determined by the Speaker, for the purpose of being recognized and congratulated on winning the SCISAA Class AAA boys basketball state championship for 1999-2000.
The Resolution was adopted.
The following was introduced:
H. 4959 (Word version) -- Reps. Barfield, Edge, Law, Keegan, Kelley, Miller, Witherspoon, Allen, Allison, Altman, Askins, Bailey, Bales, Barrett, Battle, Bowers, Breeland, G. Brown, H. Brown, J. Brown, T. Brown, Campsen, Canty, Carnell, Cato, Chellis, Clyburn, Cobb-Hunter, Cooper, Cotty, Dantzler, Davenport, Delleney, Easterday, Emory, Fleming, Frye, Gamble, Gilham, Gourdine, Govan, Hamilton, Harrell, Harris, Harrison, Harvin, Haskins, Hawkins, Hayes, J. Hines,
The Concurrent Resolution was agreed to and ordered sent to the Senate.
The Senate sent to the House the following:
S. 1338 (Word version) -- Senator Alexander: A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION CONGRATULATING MR. C. FREDRIC MARCINAK OF WALHALLA FOR BEING ELECTED BY ACCLAMATION AS GOVERNOR OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA STUDENT LEGISLATURE FOR 1999-2000 AND WISHING HIM WELL IN HIS TERM AS GOVERNOR AND IN ALL HIS FUTURE ENDEAVORS.
The Concurrent Resolution was agreed to and ordered returned to the Senate with concurrence.
The following was introduced:
H. 4965 (Word version) -- Reps. R. Smith, Clyburn, Perry and Sharpe: A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION TO RECOGNIZE EUGENE FRANCIS MCMANUS, M. D., UPON THE OCCASION OF HIS
The Concurrent Resolution was agreed to and ordered sent to the Senate.
The following Bills and Joint Resolutions were introduced, read the first time, and referred to appropriate committees:
H. 4960 (Word version) -- Education and Public Works Committee: A JOINT RESOLUTION TO PROVIDE THE FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE COMMITTEE CREATED TO STUDY THE FEASIBILITY OF CREATING A MASS TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM FOR THE STATE.
Rep. TOWNSEND moved to waive Rule 5.12, which was agreed to by a division vote of 58 to 5.
Without Reference
H. 4961 (Word version) -- Rep. Wilkins: A JOINT RESOLUTION TO ADOPT REVISED CODE VOLUME 5 OF THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, TO THE EXTENT OF ITS CONTENTS, AS THE ONLY GENERAL PERMANENT STATUTORY LAW OF THE STATE AS OF JANUARY 1, 2000.
Referred to Committee on Judiciary
H. 4962 (Word version) -- Rep. Fleming: A JOINT RESOLUTION TO PROVIDE THAT THE SCHOOL DAY OF NOVEMBER 1, 1999, MISSED BY STUDENTS OF JONESVILLE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OF UNION COUNTY FOR SCHOOL YEAR 1999-2000 WHEN THE SCHOOL WAS CLOSED DUE TO WATER PROBLEMS IS EXEMPTED FROM THE MAKE-UP REQUIREMENT OF THE DEFINED MINIMUM PLAN THAT
H. 4963 (Word version) -- Reps. Neilson, J. Hines and Lucas: A JOINT RESOLUTION TO PROVIDE THAT, NOTWITHSTANDING ANY OTHER PROVISION OF LAW, UP TO FOUR SCHOOL DAYS MISSED BY THE STUDENTS AND TEACHERS OF ANY SCHOOL OF THE DARLINGTON COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT DURING SCHOOL YEAR 1999-2000 WHEN THE SCHOOLS WERE CLOSED DUE TO ICE, SNOW, FLOODING, RESULTING HAZARDOUS ROAD CONDITIONS, OR HEATING PROBLEMS IN ANY PARTICULAR SCHOOL OF THE DISTRICT ARE EXEMPTED FROM THE MAKE-UP REQUIREMENT OF THE DEFINED MINIMUM PLAN THAT FULL SCHOOL DAYS MISSED DUE TO EXTREME WEATHER OR OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES BE MADE UP.
On motion of Rep. NEILSON, with unanimous consent, the Joint Resolution was ordered placed on the Calendar without reference.
H. 4964 (Word version) -- Reps. McGee and Cobb-Hunter: A BILL TO AMEND SECTION 20-4-20, AS AMENDED, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO DEFINITIONS IN THE PROTECTION FROM DOMESTIC ABUSE ACT, SO AS TO ADD A DEFINITION OF ABUSE THAT INCLUDES VERBAL INTIMIDATION OR VERBAL ABUSE THAT WOULD CAUSE A REASONABLE PERSON TO FEAR FOR THE PERSON'S OR ANOTHER FAMILY OR HOUSEHOLD MEMBER'S SAFETY; AND TO AMEND CHAPTER 4 OF TITLE 20 BY ADDING SECTION 20-4-55, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT, EVEN WHEN THE COURT FINDS NO BASIS TO ISSUE AN ORDER OF PROTECTION, THE COURT HAS THE AUTHORITY TO ISSUE A TEMPORARY ORDER ADDRESSING ISSUES APPLICABLE TO THE PARTIES AND SCHEDULE A TEMPORARY HEARING AT THE REQUEST OF EITHER PARTY.
Referred to Committee on Judiciary
H. 4966 (Word version) -- Reps. Maddox, Allen, Martin and Townsend: A BILL TO AMEND SECTION 7-7-80, AS AMENDED, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE DESIGNATION
S. 767 (Word version) -- Senators McConnell and Ford: A BILL TO AMEND CHAPTER 6, TITLE 29, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO PAYMENTS TO CONTRACTORS, SUBCONTRACTORS, AND SUPPLIERS, BY ADDING ARTICLE 3 SO AS TO PROVIDE THE SUBCONTRACTORS' AND SUPPLIERS' PAYMENT PROTECTION ACT, AND TO AMEND CHAPTER 6, TITLE 29, BY DESIGNATING SECTIONS 29-6-10 THROUGH 29-6-60 AS ARTICLE 1.
Referred to Committee on Labor, Commerce and Industry
S. 771 (Word version) -- Senator Martin: A BILL TO AMEND SECTION 7-13-110, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO POLL MANAGERS, SO AS TO AUTHORIZE ANY PERSON AT LEAST SIXTEEN YEARS OF AGE WHO HAS COMPLETED THE NECESSARY TRAINING AND WHO IS NOT OTHERWISE DISQUALIFIED BY LAW TO BE APPOINTED AS A POLL MANAGER'S ASSISTANT BY THE APPROPRIATE COUNTY ELECTION COMMISSION.
Referred to Committee on Judiciary
S. 858 (Word version) -- Senator Hutto: A BILL TO AMEND SECTION 62-5-433 OF THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO SETTLEMENT OF CLAIMS OF MINORS AND INCAPACITATED PERSONS SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT "COURT" FOR THE PURPOSE OF APPROVAL OF SETTLEMENTS OF CLAIMS OF MINORS AND INCAPACITATED PERSONS INCLUDES THE CIRCUIT COURT OR THE PROBATE COURT OF THE COUNTY WHERE SUIT IS PENDING.
Referred to Committee on Judiciary
S. 1012 (Word version) -- Senators J. V. Smith, Fair and Anderson: A BILL TO AMEND SECTION 61-6-2010, AS AMENDED, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE ISSUANCE OF
S. 1266 (Word version) -- Senator Ford: A BILL TO PROVIDE THAT THE CONFEDERATE BATTLE FLAG SHALL BE REMOVED FROM ATOP THE STATE HOUSE, FROM THE FRONT GROUND-FLOOR FOYER OF THE STATE HOUSE, AND FROM THE CHAMBERS OF THE SENATE AND THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND PLACED IN AN UNBREAKABLE GLASS DISPLAY CASE IN FRONT OF THE CONFEDERATE SOLDIER'S MONUMENT ON THE STATE HOUSE GROUNDS, TO PROVIDE THAT THE FIRST NATIONAL FLAG OF THE CONFEDERACY (STARS AND BARS) SHALL BE DISPLAYED AT THE WOMEN'S MONUMENT TO THE CONFEDERACY ON THE STATE HOUSE GROUNDS, AND TO PROVIDE THAT THE UNIVERSAL NEGRO IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION FLAG (BLACK LIBERATION FLAG) SHALL BE DISPLAYED AT THE AFRICAN AMERICAN MONUMENT ON THE STATE HOUSE GROUNDS; AND TO AMEND CHAPTER 1, TITLE 10, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO PUBLIC BUILDINGS AND PROPERTY, BY ADDING SECTION 10-1-165 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT ONLY THE UNITED STATES FLAG AND THE SOUTH CAROLINA STATE FLAG SHALL FLY ATOP THE STATE HOUSE, BE DISPLAYED IN THE FRONT GROUND-FLOOR FOYER OF THE STATE HOUSE, AND IN THE CHAMBERS OF THE SENATE AND THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
Referred to Committee on Judiciary
The roll call of the House of Representatives was taken resulting as follows:
Allen Allison Altman Bailey Bales Barfield Barrett Battle Bowers Breeland Brown, G. Brown, H. Brown, J. Campsen Canty Carnell Cato Chellis Clyburn Cobb-Hunter Cooper Cotty Dantzler Davenport Delleney Easterday Edge Emory Fleming Frye Gamble Gilham Gourdine Hamilton Harrell Harris Harrison Harvin Haskins
Hawkins Hayes Hines, J. Hines, M. Hinson Hosey Howard Huggins Inabinett Jennings Keegan Kennedy Kirsh Klauber Knotts Koon Law Leach Lee Limehouse Littlejohn Lloyd Loftis Lourie Lucas Mack Maddox Martin McCraw McGee McKay McLeod, W. McMahand Meacham-Richardson Miller Moody-Lawrence Neal, J.H. Neal, J.M. Neilson Ott Parks Perry Phillips Pinckney Quinn Rhoad Rice Riser Robinson Rodgers Rutherford Sandifer Scott Sharpe Simrill Smith, D. Smith, F. Smith, J. Smith, R. Stille Stuart Taylor Townsend Tripp Trotter Walker Webb Whatley Whipper Wilder Wilkins Witherspoon Woodrum Young-Brickell
I came in after the roll call and was present for the Session on Tuesday, April 18.
E.B. "Mac" McLeod Mark Kelley Jerry Govan Timothy Wilkes Harry Askins Theodore Brown Robert Sheheen Lynn Seithel
The SPEAKER granted Rep. LANFORD a leave of absence for the day due to a death in the family.
The SPEAKER granted Rep. VAUGHN a leave of absence due to illness.
Announcement was made that Dr. Woodrow Long of Greenville is the Doctor of the Day for the General Assembly.
In accordance with House Rule 5.2 below:
"5.2 Every bill before presentation shall have its title endorsed; every report, its title at length; every petition, memorial, or other paper, its prayer or substance; and, in every instance, the name of the member presenting any paper shall be endorsed and the papers shall be presented by the member to the Speaker at the desk. After a bill or resolution has been presented and given first reading, no further names of co-sponsors may be added. A member may add his name to a bill or resolution or a co-sponsor of a bill or resolution may remove his name at any time prior to the bill or resolution receiving passage on second reading. The member or co-sponsor shall notify the Clerk of the House in writing of his desire to have his name added or removed from the bill or resolution. The Clerk of the House shall print the member's or co-sponsor's written notification in the House Journal. The removal or addition of a name does not apply to a bill or resolution sponsored by a committee."
Bill Number: H. 4753 (Word version)
Date: ADD:
04/18/00 EASTERDAY
Bill Number: H. 4753 (Word version)
Date: ADD:
04/18/00 RICE
Bill Number: H. 4277 (Word version)
Date: ADD:
04/18/00 W. MCLEOD
Bill Number: H. 4801 (Word version)
Date: ADD:
04/18/00 ROBINSON
Bill Number: H. 4802 (Word version)
Date: ADD:
04/18/00 ROBINSON
Bill Number: H. 4892 (Word version)
Date: REMOVE:
04/18/00 LEACH
Bill Number: H. 4892 (Word version)
Date: REMOVE:
04/18/00 TRIPP
The Conference Report on the following Bill was taken up:
S. 226 (Word version) -- Senator McConnell: A BILL TO AMEND SECTION 5-1-30, AS AMENDED, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE PREREQUISITES TO ISSUANCE OF A CORPORATE CERTIFICATE TO A PROPOSED MUNICIPALITY, SO AS TO REQUIRE THE AREA SEEKING TO BE INCORPORATED TO BE CONTIGUOUS, AND PROVIDE THAT CONTIGUITY IS NOT DESTROYED BY AN INTERVENING NAVIGABLE WATERWAY, MARSHLAND, OR LOWLAND WHETHER OR NOT IT HAS BEEN PREVIOUSLY INCORPORATED OR ANNEXED, AND PROVIDE THAT THE NAVIGABLE WATERWAY, MARSHLAND, OR LOWLAND DOES NOT PRECLUDE IT FROM BEING USED BY ANOTHER MUNICIPALITY TO ESTABLISH CONTIGUITY FOR PURPOSES OF AN INCORPORATION OR ANNEXATION PROVIDED THE DISTANCE FROM HIGHLAND TO HIGHLAND OF THE AREA BEING INCORPORATED OR ANNEXED IS NOT GREATER THAN ONE MILE.
The Conference Report was adopted and a message was ordered sent to the Senate accordingly.
The following Bills were taken up, read the second time, and ordered to a third reading:
H. 4899 (Word version) -- Reps. Campsen, Harrell, Limehouse and Whatley: A BILL TO AMEND ACT 340 OF 1967, AS AMENDED, RELATING TO THE CHARLESTON COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT, SO AS TO REQUIRE THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE CHARLESTON SCHOOL DISTRICT TO SUBMIT ITS PROPOSED BUDGETS TO THE COUNTY COUNCIL FOR REVIEW ON OR BEFORE JUNE THIRTIETH OF EACH YEAR, TO AUTHORIZE THE COUNTY COUNCIL TO COMMENT AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE PROPOSED BUDGET TO WHICH THE BOARD MUST RESPOND IN WRITING WHILE LEAVING AUTHORITY TO ACCEPT OR REJECT THESE COMMENTS OR RECOMMENDATIONS WITHIN THE BOARD'S DISCRETION, TO DEVOLVE FROM THE CHARLESTON COUNTY LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION TO THE CHARLESTON COUNTY COUNCIL THE AUTHORITY TO LEVY IN EXCESS OF NINETY MILLS IN PROPERTY TAXES FOR SCHOOL OPERATIONS, AND TO REQUIRE THIS APPROVAL BY ORDINANCE.
H. 4937 (Word version) -- Reps. Cato, Tripp, Easterday, Hamilton, Leach, Loftis, McMahand, F. Smith and Wilkins: A BILL TO PROVIDE THAT THE NAME OF THE GREENVILLE MEMORIAL AUDITORIUM DISTRICT IS CHANGED TO THE GREENVILLE ARENA DISTRICT AND SHALL BE COMPOSED OF THE AREA DEFINED FOR THE GREENVILLE MEMORIAL AUDITORIUM DISTRICT AND IS VESTED WITH ALL THE POWERS, DUTIES, AND AUTHORITY VESTED IN THAT DISTRICT.
H. 4801 (Word version) -- Reps. Breeland, Lourie, Askins, Bailey, Battle, G. Brown, T. Brown, Carnell, Clyburn, Dantzler, Davenport, Gilham, Gourdine, Govan, Hamilton, Harris, Harrison, J. Hines, M. Hines, Hosey, Inabinett, Kennedy, Law, Leach, Lloyd, Mack, McGee, McMahand, Miller, Moody-Lawrence, J. H. Neal, Parks, Phillips, Quinn, Riser,
Rep. BREELAND explained the Bill.
The following Bill was taken up:
H. 4922 (Word version) -- Reps. Allison, Davenport and Hawkins: A BILL TO PROVIDE THAT STUDENTS WHO RESIDE IN AND ATTEND A PUBLIC SCHOOL IN SPARTANBURG COUNTY WHO PARTICIPATE IN INTERSCHOLASTIC SOCCER OR AS A MEMBER OF A SCHOOL SOCCER SQUAD MAY PARTICIPATE IN ORGANIZED SOCCER WHICH IS INDEPENDENT OF THE CONTROL OF THE SCHOOL UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS, AND TO PROVIDE THAT A SCHOOL OR STUDENT IN THOSE SCHOOLS IS NOT INELIGIBLE FOR PARTICIPATION IN INTERSCHOLASTIC SOCCER BECAUSE OF THE PARTICIPATION OF THE STUDENT OF THE SCHOOL AS A MEMBER OF AN ORGANIZED SOCCER TEAM INDEPENDENT OF THE SCHOOL'S CONTROL.
Rep. WALKER moved to commit the Bill.
Rep. DAVENPORT moved to table the motion, which was agreed to.
Rep. WALKER made the Point of Order that the Bill was improperly before the House for consideration since its number and
The following Bill was taken up:
H. 4753 (Word version) -- Reps. Altman, Robinson, Barfield, Cato, Gilham, Leach, Limehouse, Littlejohn, McGee, Meacham-Richardson, Rhoad, Riser, Stille, Young-Brickell, Loftis, Easterday and Rice: A BILL TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 12-6-3525 SO AS TO AUTHORIZE STATE INCOME TAX CREDITS UP TO FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS A YEAR ON A PHASED-IN BASIS FOR CONTRIBUTIONS MADE TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOR SCHOOL SUPPORT AND TO NONPROFIT SCHOLARSHIP FUNDING ORGANIZATIONS THAT PROVIDE SCHOLARSHIPS FOR CHILDREN TO ATTEND A SCHOOL OF THEIR CHOICE.
Reps. PINCKNEY, HOWARD, J. H. NEAL, BALES, WITHERSPOON, RUTHERFORD, LLOYD, HOSEY, YOUNG-BRICKELL, EASTERDAY, HARRELL, HASKINS, TRIPP, SHARPE, R. SMITH, BREELAND, MACK and INABINETT requested debate on the Bill.
The following Bill was taken up:
S. 934 (Word version) -- Senators McConnell, Matthews, Courtney, Patterson, Reese, Hayes, Jackson, Passailaigue, Rankin and Glover: A BILL TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 38-77-144 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT THERE IS NO PERSONAL INJURY PROTECTION (PIP) COVERAGE MANDATED UNDER THE AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, AND PROVIDE THAT IF AN INSURER SELLS NO-FAULT INSURANCE COVERAGE WHICH INCLUDES PERSONAL INJURY PROTECTION, MEDICAL PAYMENT COVERAGE, OR ECONOMIC LOSS COVERAGE, SUCH COVERAGE SHALL NOT BE ASSIGNED OR SUBROGATED AND IS NOT SUBJECT TO A SETOFF.
Reps. FLEMING, TRIPP, KIRSH, ALLISON, LITTLEJOHN, ROBINSON, CATO, KNOTTS and PHILLIPS requested debate on the Bill.
The following Bill was taken up:
H. 4467 (Word version) -- Reps. Cato and Tripp: A BILL TO AMEND TITLE 38, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO INSURANCE, BY ADDING CHAPTER 90, SO AS TO PROVIDE FOR THE REGULATION AND OPERATION OF CAPTIVE INSURANCE COMPANIES, INCLUDING AMONG OTHER THINGS THE SCOPE OF BUSINESS THAT MAY BE CONDUCTED; REQUIREMENTS FOR INCORPORATION, LICENSURE, FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY, AND ANNUAL REPORTS; PROVIDING FOR PERIODIC INSPECTIONS AND EXAMINATIONS OF THE COMPANY'S AFFAIRS; ESTABLISHING GROUNDS FOR LICENSE SUSPENSION AND REVOCATION, SETTING FORTH INVESTMENT REQUIREMENTS; ESTABLISHING PREMIUM TAXES; AND PROVIDING THE PROCEDURES FOR CONVERSIONS AND MERGERS OF CERTAIN CAPTIVE INSURANCE COMPANIES WITH RECIPROCAL INSURERS.
The Labor, Commerce and Industry Committee proposed the following Amendment No. 1 (Doc Name NBD\AMEND\11988AC00), which was adopted:
Amend the bill, as and if amended, Section 38-90-10 by deleting items (12) through (23) beginning on page 3, line 7 through page 4, line 20 and inserting:
/ (12) 'Industrial insured' means an insured as defined in Section 38-25-150(8).
(13) 'Industrial insured captive insurance company' means a company that insures risks of the industrial insureds that comprise the industrial insured group and their affiliated companies.
(14) 'Industrial insured group' means a group that meets either of the following criteria:
(a) a group of industrial insureds that collectively:
(i) own, control, or hold with power to vote all of the outstanding voting securities of an industrial insured captive insurance company incorporated as a stock insurer; or
(ii) have complete voting control over an industrial insured captive insurance company incorporated as a mutual insurer; or
(b) a group which is created under the Product Liability Risk Retention Act of 1981, 15 U.S.C. Section 3901 et seq., as amended, as a corporation or other limited liability association taxable as a stock insurance company or a mutual insurer under this title.
(15) 'Member organization' means a individual, corporation, partnership, or association that belongs to an association.
(16) 'Parent' means a corporation, partnership, or individual that directly or indirectly owns, controls, or holds with power to vote more than fifty per cent of the outstanding voting securities of a pure captive insurance company.
(17) 'Participant' means an entity as defined in Section 38-90-230, and any affiliates of that entity, that are insured by a sponsored captive insurance company, where the losses of the participant are limited through a participant contract to the assets of a protected cell.
(18) 'Participant contract' means a contract by which a sponsored captive insurance company insures the risks of a participant and limits the losses of the participant to the assets of a protected cell.
(19) 'Protected cell' means a separate account established and maintained by a sponsored captive insurance company for one participant.
(20) 'Pure captive insurance company' means a company that insures risks of its parent and affiliated companies.
(21) 'Sponsor' means an entity that meets the requirements of Section 38-90-220 and is approved by the director to provide all or part of the capital and surplus required by applicable law and to organize and operate a sponsored captive insurance company.
(22) 'Sponsored captive insurance company' means a captive insurance company:
(a) in which the minimum capital and surplus required by applicable law is provided by one or more sponsors;
(b) that is formed or licensed under this chapter;
(c) that insures the risks of separate participants through the contract; and
(d) that segregates each participant's liability through one or more protected cells./
(1) a pure captive insurance company may not insure any risks other than those of its parent and affiliated companies or controlled unaffiliated business;
(2) an association captive insurance company may not insure any risks other than those of the member organizations of its association and their affiliated companies;
(3) an industrial insured captive insurance company may not insure any risks other than those of the industrial insureds that comprise the industrial insured group and their affiliated companies;
(4) a captive insurance company may not provide personal motor vehicle or homeowner's insurance coverage or any component of these coverages;
(5) a captive insurance company may not accept or cede reinsurance except as provided in Section 38-90-110;
(6) a captive insurance company which insures life or health risks shall comply with all applicable state and federal laws;
(7) a branch captive insurance company may not write any business in this State except insurance or reinsurance of the employee benefit business of its parent and affiliated companies which is subject to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended; and
(8) a sponsored captive insurance company may not insure any risks other than those of its participants./
Amend the bill, as and if amended, Section 38-90-20(D) page 7 beginning on line 32 by deleting /These examination fees must be retained by the department and are considered other funds./ so when amended Section 38-90-20(D) reads:
/ (D) A captive insurance company shall pay to the director a nonrefundable fee of two hundred dollars for examining, investigating, and processing its application for license, and the director may retain legal, financial, and examination services from outside the department, the reasonable cost of which may be charged against the applicant. Section 38-13-60 applies to examinations, investigations, and processing conducted under the authority of this section. In addition a
(1) in the case of a pure captive insurance company, not less than one hundred thousand dollars;
(2) in the case of an association captive insurance company incorporated as a stock insurer, not less than four hundred thousand dollars;
(3) in the case of an industrial insured captive insurance company incorporated as a stock insurer, not less than two hundred thousand dollars;
(4) in the case of a sponsored captive insurance company, not less than five hundred thousand dollars.
The capital may be in the form of cash or an irrevocable letter of credit issued by a bank chartered by this State or a member bank of the Federal Reserve System and approved by the director.
(B) The director may prescribe additional capital based upon the type, volume, and nature of insurance business transacted. This capital may be in the form of an irrevocable letter of credit issued by a bank
(C) In the case of a branch captive insurance company, as security for the payment of liabilities attributable to branch operations, the director shall require that a trust fund, funded by an irrevocable letter of credit or other acceptable asset, be established and maintained in the United States for the benefit of United States policyholders and United States ceding insurers under insurance policies issued or reinsurance contracts issued or assumed, by the branch captive insurance company through its branch operations. The amount of the security may be no less than the capital and surplus required by this chapter and the reserves on these insurance policies or reinsurance contracts, including reserves for losses, allocated loss adjustment expenses, incurred but not reported losses and unearned premiums with regard to business written through branch operations; however, the director may permit a branch captive insurance company that is required to post security for loss reserves on branch business by its reinsurer to reduce the funds in the trust account required by this section by the same amount so long as the security remains posted with the reinsurer. If the form of security selected is a letter of credit, the letter of credit must be established by, or issued or confirmed by, a bank chartered in this State or a member bank of the Federal Reserve System.
(D) A captive insurance company may not pay a dividend out of, or other distribution with respect to, capital or surplus, in excess of the limitations set forth in Section 38-21-250 through Section 38-21-270, without the prior approval of the director. Approval of an ongoing plan for the payment of dividends or other distributions must be conditioned upon the retention, at the time of each payment, of capital or surplus in excess of amounts specified by, or determined in accordance with formulas approved by, the director.
Amend the bill further, Section 38-90-50 on page 10, immediately after line 3 by inserting /(B) Notwithstanding the requirements of subsection (A) a captive insurance company organized as a reciprocal insurer under this chapter may not be issued a license unless it possesses and thereafter maintains free surplus of one million dollars./ so when amended Section 38-90-50 reads:
/Section 38-90-50. (A) The director may not issue a license to a captive insurance company unless the company possesses and thereafter maintains free surplus of:
(1) in the case of a pure captive insurance company, not less that one hundred and fifty thousand dollars;
(2) in the case of an association captive insurance company incorporated as a stock insurer, not less than three hundred and fifty thousand dollars;
(3) in the case of an industrial insured captive insurance company incorporated as a stock insurer, not less than three hundred thousand dollars;
(4) in the case of an association captive insurance company incorporated as a mutual insurer, not less than seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars;
(5) in the case of an industrial insured captive insurance company incorporated as a mutual insurer, not less than five hundred thousand dollars; and
(6) in the case of a sponsored captive insurance company, not less than five hundred thousand dollars.
The surplus may be in the form of cash or an irrevocable letter of credit issued by a bank chartered by this State or a member bank of the Federal Reserve System and approved by the director.
(B) Notwithstanding the requirements of subsection (A) a captive insurance company organized as a reciprocal insurer under this chapter may not be issued a license unless it possesses and thereafter maintains free surplus of one million dollars.
(C) The director may prescribe additional surplus based upon the type, volume, and nature of insurance business transacted. This capital may be in the form of an irrevocable letter of credit issued by a bank chartered by this State, or a member bank of the Federal Reserve System.
(D) A captive insurance company may not pay a dividend out of, or other distribution with respect to, capital or surplus in excess of the limitations set forth in Section 38-21-270, without the prior approval of the director. Approval of an ongoing plan for the payment of dividends or other distribution must be conditioned upon the retention, at the time of each payment, of capital or surplus in excess of amounts specified by, or determined in accordance with formulas approved by, the director./
Amend the bill further, Section 38-90-70(D) page 13, line 31, after the /./ by inserting /Such waiver must be in writing and subject to public inspection./ so when amended Section 38-90-70(D) reads:
/ (D) Sixty days after the fiscal year end, a branch captive insurance company shall file with the director a copy of all reports and
(B) All examination reports, preliminary examination reports or results, working papers, recorded information, documents and copies of documents produced by, obtained by, or disclosed to the director or any other person in the course of an examination made under this section are confidential and are not subject to subpoena and may not be made public by the director or an employee or agent of the director without the written consent of the company, except to the extent provided in this subsection. Nothing in this subsection prevents the director from using this information in furtherance of the director's regulatory authority under this title. The director may grant access to this information to public officers having jurisdiction over the regulation of
(C)(1) This section applies to all business written by a captive insurance company; however, the examination for a branch captive insurance company must be of branch business and branch operations only, as long as the branch captive insurance company provides annually to the director, a certificate of compliance, or its equivalent, issued by or filed with the licensing authority of the jurisdiction in which the branch captive insurance company is formed and demonstrates to the director's satisfaction that it is operating in sound financial condition in accordance with all applicable laws and regulations of that jurisdiction.
(2) As a condition of licensure, the alien captive insurance company shall grant authority to the director for examination of the affairs of the alien captive insurance company in the jurisdiction in which the alien captive insurance company is formed.
(D) To the extent that the provisions of Chapter 13 do not contradict the provisions of this section, Chapter 13 applies to captive insurance companies licensed under this chapter./
Amend the bill further, beginning on page 15, line 41, by deleting Section 38-90-110 and inserting:
/ Section 38-90-110. (A) A captive insurance company may provide reinsurance, as authorized in this title, on risks ceded by any other insurer.
(B) a captive insurance company may take credit for reserves on risks or portions of risks ceded to reinsurers complying with the provisions of Sections 38-9-200, 38-9-210 and 38-9-220. A captive insurer may not take credit for reserves on risks or portions of risks ceded to a reinsurer if the reinsurer is not in compliance with Sections 38-9-200, 38-9-210, and 38-9-220./
Amend the bill further, Section 38-90-140 page 18 by deleting item (I) on lines 11 through 13./
Renumber sections to conform.
Amend totals and title to conform.
Rep. TRIPP explained the amendment.
Rep. FLEMING requested debate on the Bill.
The Bill, as amended, was read the second time and ordered to third reading.
The following Bill was taken up:
S. 721 (Word version) -- Senator Saleeby: A BILL TO AMEND SECTION 42-7-310, AS AMENDED, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE MANNER OF FUNDING THE SECOND INJURY FUND UNDER THE SOUTH CAROLINA WORKERS' COMPENSATION LAW, SO AS TO DELETE CERTAIN PROVISIONS, AND PROVIDE FOR THE MANNER OF ASSESSING SELF-INSUREDS AND INSURANCE CARRIERS.
The Labor, Commerce and Industry Committee proposed the following Amendment No. 1 (Doc Name PSD\AMEND\7174JM00), which was adopted:
Amend the bill, as and if amended, by striking all after the enacting words and inserting:
/ SECTION 1. Section 42-7-310 of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Section 995 of Act 181 of 1993, is further amended to read:
"Section 42-7-310. (a) There is hereby established, under the Budget and Control Board, the Second Injury Fund for the purpose of making payments in accordance with the provisions of Section 42-9-400, Section 42-9-410, and this section. The fund shall be administered by a director appointed by the State Budget and Control Board. The State Treasurer shall be the custodian of the fund, and all monies and securities in the fund shall be held in a separate and distinct trust account by the State Treasurer.
(b) Disbursements from the fund shall be made with the approval of the director by forwarding a disbursement voucher, along with an itemized statement of payments and such other information as may be necessary to justify payment, to the Comptroller General who shall issue his warrant upon the State Treasurer in payment of the disbursement request.
Agreements to reimburse an employer or his carrier for compensation or medical benefits as provided in Section 42-9-400 or
When awards are made under Section 42-9-400 or 42-9-410 by the commission, it shall transmit to the director of the fund an official copy of such awards which shall contain the name of the employer, carrier, and employee to whom benefits were originally paid, an itemized statement of payments, and such other information as may be necessary to constitute a full record of the case. Upon the receipt of such official award, the director of the fund, if he approves the award, shall forward a disbursement voucher, along with an official copy, to the Comptroller General who shall issue his warrant upon the State Treasurer in payment of the claim. If the director intends to litigate or otherwise contest the award, he shall notify the commission of such intention. Any questions or controversies arising under this subsection shall be decided by the commission in the procedural manner now provided under this title.
(c) The original funding of the Second Injury Fund shall be in a manner as follows:
(1) From the State Accident Fund, the State Treasurer is hereby authorized and directed to transfer one hundred thousand dollars to be deposited in the Second Injury Fund.
(2) The State Treasurer is hereby authorized and directed to deposit in the Second Injury Fund one third of the workers' compensation premium tax.
(3) The State Treasurer shall deposit to the account of the Second Injury Fund the money authorized paid to the Workers' Compensation Commission under Section 42-9-140.
(d) The funding of the Division of the Second Injury Fund on a continuing basis is by:
(1) deposits to the account of the fund by the State Treasurer of those monies authorized to be paid to the Workers' Compensation Commission under Section 42-9-140; and
(2) equitable assessments upon each carrier which, as used in this section, includes all insurance carriers, self-insurers, and the State Accident Fund. Each carrier, under regulations prescribed by the Workers' Compensation Commission, shall make payments to the fund in an amount equal to that proportion of one hundred seventy-five percent of the total disbursement made from the fund during the preceding fiscal year less the amount of net assets in the fund as of June thirtieth of the preceding fiscal year which the normalized
(3) 'Normalized premium' is defined as gross paid losses before salvage and subrogation times a factor representing normalized expenses. Normalized expenses include taxes, licenses, fees, general expenses, profit, contingencies, and other expenses as reported on the Insurance Expense Exhibit of the NAIC Annual Statement blank. This normalized expense factor shall be computed annually by the Workers' Compensation Commission by August first of each year and must be based upon aggregate expense information obtained from the Department of Insurance derived from insurers' most recently filed Annual Statements.
(e) The director shall be authorized to employ necessary staff for administering the fund, and the monies necessary for administration of the fund shall be paid out of the fund. In furtherance of this purpose,
Rep. TRIPP explained the amendment.
The amendment was then adopted.
The Bill, as amended, was read the second time and ordered to third reading.
The following Bill was taken up:
S. 437 (Word version) -- Senators McConnell, Matthews, Courtney, Patterson, Reese, Hayes, Jackson and Passailaigue: A BILL TO AMEND SECTION 38-43-106, AS AMENDED, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO CONTINUING EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS FOR INSURANCE AGENTS, SO AS TO PERMIT, RATHER THAN REQUIRE, THE DEPARTMENT OF INSURANCE TO PROMULGATE REGULATIONS PRESCRIBING THE PARAMETERS OF THE CONTINUING EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS AND CHANGE THE COMPOSITION OF THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE; TO AMEND SECTION 38-77-580, AS AMENDED, RELATING TO THE SOUTH CAROLINA REINSURANCE FACILITY, SO AS TO CHANGE THE COMPOSITION OF THE FACILITY'S GOVERNING BOARD; TO PROVIDE THAT NOTHING INVOLVED IN THE AMENDMENT OF SECTION 38-77-580 IN THIS ACT SHALL BE CONSTRUED TO AFFECT OR CHANGE THE REPEAL OF THIS SECTION AS SCHEDULED FOR JANUARY 1, 2006; TO AMEND SECTION 38-91-130, RELATING TO THE ADVISORY BOARD FOR THE JOINT UNDERWRITING ASSOCIATION FOR PRIVATE PASSENGER AND COMMERCIAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE, SO AS TO CHANGE THE METHOD OF CHOOSING BOARD MEMBERS AND PROVIDE FOR RELATED MATTERS; TO PROVIDE THAT NOTHING INVOLVED IN THE AMENDMENT OF SECTION 38-91-130 IN THIS ACT SHALL BE CONSTRUED TO AFFECT OR CHANGE (1) THE PROVISION IN SECTION 20(B) OF ACT 154 OF 1997 THAT STATES THAT CHAPTER 91 OF TITLE 38 SHALL CEASE TO BE OF ANY FORCE OR EFFECT AFTER FEBRUARY
The Labor, Commerce and Industry Committee proposed the following Amendment No. 1 (Doc Name PSD\AMEND\7175JM00), which was adopted:
Amend the bill, as and if amended, by striking Section 38-77-580, as contained in SECTION 2(A), and inserting:
/ "Section 38-77-580. The operations and affairs of the facility are under the direction and control of a governing board of nineteen persons of whom four must be residents of South Carolina appointed by the Governor of South Carolina to represent consumers. The director shall appoint eight persons to represent the insurance industry;. in appointing these persons, the director shall select two from a list of not less than five nominated by the American Insurance Association from the officers or employees of insurers licensed in South Carolina and which are members or subscribers of that organization; he shall select two from a list of not less than five persons nominated by the American Mutual Insurance Alliance from the officers or employees of insurers licensed in South Carolina and which are members or subscribers of that organization; he shall select two from a list of not less than five persons nominated by the National Association of Independent Insurers from the officers or employees of insurers licensed in South Carolina and which are members or subscribers of that organization; he shall select two persons, one of whom must be an officer or employee of a stock insurer licensed in South Carolina and not a member or subscriber of any of these organizations, and one of whom must be an officer or employee of a nonstock insurer licensed in South Carolina and not a member or subscriber of any of these organizations; In making these appointments, the director may accept nominations for qualified individuals from the American Insurance Association, the National Association of Independent Insurers, The Alliance of American Insurers, and any other individual, group, or trade or professional association. however However, of the eight persons appointed to represent the insurance industry, not less than five
The director shall appoint two persons to represent the designated agents one of whom must be an officer of a premium service finance company and the other of whom must be a designated agent and both of whom must be residents of South Carolina. In addition, the Consumer Advocate is an ex-officio member of the governing board of the Reinsurance Facility. No person who is associated with any business within the meaning of Section 8-13-20, which is either subject to regulation by the Department of Insurance or which provides goods or services to the facility for compensation, is eligible for appointment to the board to represent consumers, except that any person serving on the board representing consumers on the effective date of this provision who would otherwise be disqualified from serving based on this provision may continue to serve for the remainder of his current term.
The director is chairman of the board, ex officio, but has no vote except in the case of a tie. The director, or his designated representative, shall preside over all meetings which must be held not less than quarterly in South Carolina at the times and places the director designates. However, upon the filing with the director of a request for a meeting signed by not fewer than five members of the board and specifying the subjects to be discussed at the proposed meeting, the director shall call a special meeting of the board to be held not less than fifteen nor more than thirty days after receipt of the request. Notice, in writing, of the special meeting must be provided members of the board.
Members of the board shall serve one year two years or until their successors are appointed and have qualified. Any vacancy must be filled for the unexpired term only. The director may receive nominations from any individual, group, or insurance agent trade or professional association for any vacancy.
Amendment of the plan of operation may be made only at the annual meeting of the board or at a special meeting called by the director for that purpose and so specified in the notice of meeting. Amendments of the plan require the affirmative vote of two-thirds of all the board members and are subject to the approval of the director or his designee. The director or his designee may approve amendments only if they are consistent with the purposes of this chapter. If the consumer-representative members of the board unanimously dissent from a proposed amendment and specify their reasons for dissent in writing, the director or his designee may not approve the amendment until after a public hearing addressed to the reasons for the dissent.
The director may make provision for voting by proxy at meetings.
The director or his designee, through the department, may propose to the board any amendment to or modification of the plan that the director or his designee considers to be necessary to render the plan reasonable or consistent with the purposes of this chapter, specifying in writing the reasons for any proposed amendment or modification. In the event that the board fails to adopt his proposed amendment or modification, the director or his designee may, after notice and public hearing addressed to the reasons for the proposed amendment or modification, promulgate the amendment or modification considered necessary to render the plan reasonable or consistent with the purposes of this chapter." /
Amend title to conform.
Rep. TRIPP explained the amendment.
The amendment was then adopted.
Rep. TRIPP explained the Bill.
Rep. TRIPP moved to adjourn debate on the Bill until Wednesday, April 19, which was agreed to.
The following Bill was taken up:
H. 4651 (Word version) -- Reps. Witherspoon, Altman, Askins, Barfield, Barrett, Battle, Bowers, G. Brown, Carnell, Cato, Cooper, Dantzler, Davenport, Edge, Harrison, Hawkins, Hayes, J. Hines, Inabinett, Keegan, Kennedy, Klauber, Koon, Lanford, Lee, Limehouse, Littlejohn, Loftis, Lucas, Maddox, Martin, McCraw, W. McLeod, McMahand, Ott, Phillips, Rhoad, Rice, Riser, Robinson, Sandifer, Sharpe, Taylor, Townsend, Tripp, Trotter, Walker, Webb, Whatley, Wilkes, Allen, Chellis, Haskins, Kirsh, Leach, Meacham-Richardson, Miller, Moody-Lawrence, Parks, Rodgers, Simrill and Stille: A BILL TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING CHAPTER 6 TO TITLE 39 SO AS TO ENACT "THE FAIR PRACTICES OF FARM, CONSTRUCTION, INDUSTRIAL, AND OUTDOOR POWER EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURERS, DISTRIBUTORS, WHOLESALERS, AND DEALERS ACT" TO PROVIDE FOR THE PRACTICES OF MANUFACTURERS, DISTRIBUTORS, WHOLESALERS, AND DEALERS OF FARM, CONSTRUCTION, INDUSTRIAL, AND OUTDOOR POWER EQUIPMENT, INCLUDING SPECIFICATION AND PROHIBITION OF CERTAIN UNFAIR ACTS OF TRADE AND COMPETITION, AND TO PROVIDE FOR JURISDICTION, VENUE, STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS, PRIMA FACIE EVIDENCE, AND LEGAL AND EQUITABLE REMEDIES FOR ACTIONS ARISING OUT OF A VIOLATION OF ITS PROVISIONS.
Rep. MCGEE requested debate on the Bill.
The Labor, Commerce and Industry Committee proposed the following Amendment No. 1 (Doc Name DKA\AMEND\3840MM00), which was adopted:
Amend the bill, as and if amended, by striking all after the enacting words and inserting:
/ SECTION 1. Title 39 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:
Section 39-6-10. This chapter may be cited as the 'Fair Practices of Farm, Construction, Industrial, and Outdoor Power Equipment Manufacturers, Distributors, Wholesalers, and Dealers Act'.
Section 39-6-20. As used in this chapter, unless the text requires otherwise:
(1) 'Dealer' or 'equipment dealer' means a person who sells or attempts to effect the sale of equipment, but not including a:
(a) distributor or wholesaler;
(b) receiver, trustee, administrator, executor, guardian, or other person appointed by or acting pursuant to the judgment or order of a court;
(c) public officer while performing his official duties;
(d) person disposing of equipment acquired for his own use and used in good faith, not for the purpose of avoiding the law;
(e) finance company or other financial institution that sells repossessed equipment;
(f) single line dealer primarily engaged in the retail sale and service of off-road construction and earth-moving equipment. For these purposes, 'single line dealer' is any individual, partnership, corporation, limited liability company, or other legal entity that has:
(i) purchased seventy-five percent or more of its total new product inventory from a single supplier under all agreements with that supplier; and
(ii) a total annual average sales volume in excess of forty-five million dollars for the preceding two years with that single supplier for the territory for which the individual, partnership, corporation, limited liability company, or other legal entity is responsible; or
(g) a person or business who sells only component parts equipment;
(h) multi-line dealer primarily engaged in the retail sale and service of industry and outdoor power equipment. for these purposes, 'multi-line dealer' is any individual, partnership, corporation, limited liability company, or other legal entity that has:
(i) purchased less than fifty percent of its total new product inventory from a single supplier under all agreements with that supplier; and
(ii) a total annual average sales volume in excess of fifty million dollars.
(2) 'Dealership' means the business of selling or attempting to effect the sale by a dealer of new equipment, or the right, whether by
(3) 'Dealership agreement' means an oral or written arrangement for a definite or indefinite period in which a manufacturer, distributor, or wholesaler grants to an equipment dealer a license to use a trade name, service mark, or related characteristic, and in which there is a community of interest in the marketing of equipment or services related to it at wholesale, retail, leasing, or otherwise.
(4) 'Distributor' means a person who sells or distributes new equipment to equipment dealers or who maintains distributor representatives within the State.
(5) 'Distributor branch' means a branch office maintained by a distributor that sells or distributes new equipment to equipment dealers.
(6) 'Distributor representative' means a representative employed by a distributor branch or distributor.
(7) 'Equipment' means machinery, implements, or mechanical devices or apparatuses used in farming, construction, or industry and any outdoor power equipment, but not including:
(a) motor vehicles required to be registered pursuant to Section 56-3-110;
(b) motorcycles as defined in Section 56-16-10;
(c) outdoor power equipment sold by a retailer whose sales of that outdoor power equipment represent less than ten percent of the retailer's total gross sales in the United States;
(d) outdoor power equipment whose primary source of power is a two-cycle or electric motor;
(e) 'all terrain vehicles' or 'ATVs' that are three-and-four-wheeled motorized vehicles, generally characterized by large, low-pressure tires, a seat designed to be straddled by the operator and handlebars for steering, which are intended for off-road use by an individual rider on various types of nonpaved terrain;
(f) cranes; or
(g) tires.
(8) 'Factory branch' means a branch office maintained by a manufacturer that makes or assembles equipment for sale to distributors or equipment dealers or that is maintained for directing and supervising the representatives of the manufacturer.
(9) 'Factory representative' means a representative employed by a manufacturer or by a factory branch for the purpose of selling or promoting the sale of equipment or for supervising, servicing,
(10) 'Fraud' means, in addition to its customary definitions:
(a) a misrepresentation in any manner of a material fact, whether intentionally false or due to gross negligence;
(b) a promise or representation made dishonestly and in bad faith; and
(c) an intentional failure to disclose a material fact.
(11) 'Manufacturer' means a person engaged in the business of manufacturing or assembling new and unused equipment.
(12) 'New equipment' means equipment that has not been sold previously to a person other than a distributor or wholesaler or equipment dealer for resale.
(13) 'Person' means a natural person, corporation, partnership, trust, or other entity, including any other entity in which it has a majority interest or of which it has control, as well as the individual officers, directors, and other persons in active control of the activities of each entity.
(14) 'Sale' means the issuance, transfer, agreement for transfer, exchange, pledge, hypothecation, or mortgage, whether by transfer in trust or any other form, of any equipment or interest in it or of a dealership agreement or sales agreement related to it, and any option, subscription, or contract, or solicitation, looking to a sale, or offer or attempt to sell, whether spoken or written, or any other form. A gift or delivery of equipment or a dealership as a bonus on account of the sale of anything is a sale of the equipment or dealership.
(15) 'Wholesaler' or 'equipment wholesaler' mean a person who sells or attempts to effect the sale of new equipment exclusively to equipment dealers or to other wholesalers.
Section 39-6-30. A person who engages directly or indirectly in purposeful contacts within this State in connection with the offering or advertising of equipment for sale or has business dealings with respect to equipment within this State is subject to the provisions of this chapter and to the jurisdiction of the courts of this State upon service of process in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 9, Title 15.
Section 39-6-40. Unfair methods of competition and unfair or deceptive acts or practices are unlawful as provided in Section 39-6-50, Chapters 5 and 7 of Title 39, and the Federal Trade Commission Act.
Section 39-6-50. (A) It is a violation of Section 39-6-40 for a manufacturer, factory branch, factory representative, distributor, or wholesaler, distributor branch, or distributor representative to engage in
(B) It is a violation of Section 39-6-40 for a manufacturer, distributor, wholesaler, distributor branch or division, factory branch or division, or wholesale branch or division, or officer, agent, or other representative of it, to coerce or attempt to coerce an equipment dealer to order or accept delivery of:
(1) equipment or parts or accessories or other commodity that the equipment dealer has not voluntarily ordered, except as required by applicable law or unless required by a supplier as safety parts or safety accessories;
(2) equipment with special features or accessories not included in the list price of the equipment as publicly advertised by the manufacturer of the equipment; or
(3) any parts, accessories, equipment, machinery, tools, or other commodity for a person.
(C) It is a violation of Section 39-6-40 for a manufacturer, a distributor, a wholesaler, a distributor branch or division, a factory branch or division, or a wholesale branch or division, or officer, agent, or other representative of it to:
(1) discriminate, directly or indirectly, in filling an order for the purchase or lease of new equipment placed by a dealer of its product line or model:
(a) as between dealers of the same product line or model; or
(b) as between dealers and persons that purchase or lease new equipment directly from the manufacturer, distributor, wholesaler, distributor branch or division, factory branch or division, or wholesale branch or division;
(2) coerce or attempt to coerce an equipment dealer to enter into an agreement with the manufacturer, distributor, wholesaler, distributor branch or division, factory branch or division, or wholesale branch or division, or officer, agent or other representative of it, or to do any other act prejudicial to the dealer by threatening to cancel a dealership agreement or contractual agreement existing between the manufacturer, distributor, wholesaler, distributor branch or division, factory branch or division, or wholesale branch or division, and the dealer, except that notice in good faith to an equipment dealer of the dealer's violation of terms or provisions of the dealership agreement or contractual agreement is not a violation of Section 39-6-40;
(3) terminate or cancel the dealership agreement or selling agreement of dealer without due cause. 'Due cause' means failure by the dealer to comply with reasonable requirements imposed on the dealer by a dealer agreement if the requirements do not differ materially from those imposed on other similarly situated dealers in this state. 'Due cause' also means that the dealer consistently fails to:
(a) provide service and replacement parts or perform warranty obligations, or the dealer otherwise engages in business practices that are detrimental to the consumer or the manufacturer including excessive pricing or misleading advertising;
(b) provide adequate sales, service, or parts personnel commensurate with the dealer agreement;
(c) meet reasonable building and housekeeping requirements;
(d) comply with the applicable licensing laws pertaining to products and services the dealer represents as being on behalf of the manufacturer;
(e) meet the manufacturer's market penetration requirements based on available record information after receiving notice from the manufacturer of the requirements as provided in Section 39-6-60(D).
(4) sell or offer to sell new equipment to an equipment dealer at a lower actual price than the actual price offered to another equipment dealer for the same new equipment, except that this provision does not apply to sales by a manufacturer, distributor, or wholesaler to the United States Government or an agency of it or prohibit a manufacturer, distributor, wholesaler, distributor branch or division, factory branch or division, or wholesaler branch or division from granting an equipment dealer a bonus based upon the volume of the dealer's sales, provided that the volume bonus is offered the other dealers of the same product line or make of new equipment having the same sales volumes;
(5) sell or offer to sell parts or accessories to a new equipment dealer for use in his own business, for the purpose of repairing or replacing them on a comparable part or accessory, at a lower actual price than the actual price charged to another new equipment dealer for similar parts or accessories for use in his own business;
(6) prevent or attempt to prevent by contract or otherwise an equipment dealer from changing the capital structure of his dealership or the means by or through which he finances the operation of his dealership, provided that the dealer at all times meets reasonable
(7) prevent or attempt to prevent by contract or otherwise an equipment dealer or any officer, partner, or stockholder of an equipment dealer from selling or transferring any part of his interest to another person; except that a dealer, officer, partner, or stockholder may not sell, transfer, or assign the dealership agreement or power of management or control under it without the consent of the manufacturer, distributor, or wholesaler, but that consent may not be withheld unfairly or unreasonably.
(8) obtain money, goods, services, anything of value, or another benefit from a person with whom the equipment dealer does business, on account of or in relation to the transactions between the dealer and that other person, unless the benefit is accounted for and transmitted promptly to the equipment dealer;
(9) require an equipment dealer to assent to a release, assignment, novation, waiver, or estoppel that would relieve a person from liability imposed by Section 39-6-40.
Section 39-6-60. (A) Except as provided in subsection (E), a manufacturer, distributor, wholesaler, distributor branch or division, factory branch or division, or wholesale branch or division, or officer, agent, or other representative of it shall notify an equipment dealer in writing of the termination or cancellation of the dealership agreement or selling agreement of the dealer at least one hundred eighty days before its effective date, stating the specific grounds for the termination or cancellation.
(B) The manufacturer, distributor, wholesaler, distributor branch or division, factory branch or division, or wholesale branch or division, or officer, agent, or other representative of it shall notify an equipment dealer in writing at least one hundred eighty days before the contractual term of his dealership agreement or selling agreement expires that the agreement will not be renewed, stating the specific grounds for the nonrenewal in those cases where there is no intention to renew. The contractual term of a dealership agreement or selling agreement may not expire, without the written consent of the equipment dealer involved, before the expiration of at least one hundred eighty days following the written notice.
(C) During the one hundred eighty-day period, either party may petition a court to modify the one hundred eighty-day stay or to extend
(D) Before termination or nonrenewal of the dealership agreement or selling agreement because of the dealer's failure to meet reasonable marketing criteria or market penetration, the manufacturer, distributor, wholesaler, distributor branch or division, factory branch or division, or wholesale branch or division, shall provide written notice of the intention at least one year in advance. After the notice, the manufacturer, distributor, wholesaler, distributor branch or division, factory branch or division, or wholesale branch or division shall provide fair and reasonable efforts to work with the equipment dealer to gain the desired market share including, without limitation, reasonably making available to the dealer an adequate inventory of new equipment and parts and competitive marketing programs. The manufacturer, distributor, factory branch or division, or wholesale branch or division, at the end of the one-year notice period, may terminate or elect not to renew the agreement only upon written notice specifying the reasons for determining that the dealer failed to meet reasonable criteria or market penetration. This written notice must specify that termination or nonrenewal is effective one hundred eighty days from the date of the notice. Either party may petition the court pursuant to subsection (C).
(E) Immediate notice of termination without an opportunity to cure is considered reasonable if, during the agreement term, the equipment dealer:
(1) is declared bankrupt or is determined judicially to be insolvent, assigns all or a substantial part of his assets to or for the benefit of a creditor, or admits his inability to pay his debts as they come due;
(2) abandons the dealership agreement or sales agreement by failing to operate the business for five consecutive days that the equipment dealer is required to operate the business pursuant to the terms of the dealership agreement or sales agreement, or any shorter period after which it is reasonable under the facts and circumstances for the manufacturer, distributor, wholesaler, distributor branch or division, factory branch or division, or wholesale branch or division to conclude that the equipment dealer does not intend to continue to operate pursuant to the dealership agreement or sales agreement, unless the failure to operate is due to fire, flood, earthquake, or other similar causes beyond the equipment dealer's control;
(3) agrees in writing with the manufacturer, distributor, wholesaler, distributor branch or division, factory branch or division, or wholesale branch or division agrees to terminate the dealership agreement or sales agreement;
(4) makes a misrepresentation material to the acquisition of the dealership agreement or sales agreement or engages in conduct that reflects materially and unfavorably upon the reputation of the business of the manufacturer, distributor, wholesaler, distributor branch or division, factory branch or division, or wholesale branch or division;
(5) fails to comply with a federal, state, or local law or regulation applicable to the operation of his business for a period of ten days after notification of noncompliance; or
(6) has his business or business premises seized, taken over, or foreclosed by a government official in the exercise of his duties or by a creditor, lienholder, or lessor, and a final judgment against the dealer remains unsatisfied for thirty days absent a filing of a supersedes or other appeal bond, or a levy of execution is made upon a license granted by the dealership agreement or sales agreement and it is not discharged within five days of the levy;
(7) makes a material misrepresentation or falsification of a record;
(8) pleads guilty to or is convicted of a felony;
(9) transfers a controlling ownership interest in the dealership without the manufacturer's consent, except that the manufacturer may not withhold consent unfairly or unreasonably;
(10) relocates or establishes a new or additional dealer location without the supplier's consent;
(11) fails to satisfy a payment obligation as it comes due and payable to the manufacturer; or
(12) fails to account promptly to the manufacturer for proceeds from the sale of equipment or to hold those proceeds in trust for the manufacturer's benefit.
Section 39-6-70. (A)(1) It is unlawful for a manufacturer, distributor, or wholesaler or any parent, affiliate, wholly or partially owned subsidiary, officer, or representative of a manufacturer, distributor, or wholesaler to:
(a) own, operate, or control or to participate in the ownership, operation, or control of a new equipment dealer in this State;
(b) establish in this State an additional dealer or dealership in which that person or entity has an interest; or
(c) own, operate, or control, directly or indirectly, an interest in a dealer or dealership in this State.
(2) This subsection does not prohibit the making of a loan by a manufacturer, distributor, or wholesaler to any person or entity for the purpose of acquiring a dealer or dealership, nor does it prohibit the ownership, operation, or control of a new equipment dealer by a manufacturer, distributor, or wholesaler:
(a) for a temporary period, not to exceed three years, during the transition from one owner or operator to another;
(b) if a prospective new equipment dealer is not available to own or operate the dealership within a particular geographic market area not serviced by an existing dealer and the manufacturer, distributor, or wholesaler contracts with or employs a third party to open or operate a dealership owned or controlled by the manufacturer, distributor, or wholesaler pursuant to a bona fide written agreement or plan giving a third party ownership of the new equipment dealer or dealership over time;
(c) during the period the new equipment dealer is being sold pursuant to a bona fide contract, shareholder agreement, or purchase option to the operator of the dealership; or
(d) if the manufacturer, distributor, or wholesaler is an owner, operator, or controller as of January 1, 2000, of a dealership that has been engaged in the retail sale of equipment within the same geographical market area for a continuous two-year period of time immediately before January 1, 2000, and a prospective new equipment dealer is not available to own or operate the dealership in a manner consistent with the public interest.
(B) It is unlawful for a manufacturer, distributor, or wholesaler or any parent, affiliate, wholly or partially owned subsidiary, officer, or representative of a manufacturer, distributor, or wholesaler to compete unfairly with a new equipment dealer of the same product line or make of new equipment operating pursuant to a dealership agreement or sales agreement in this State. Except as otherwise provided in this section, the mere ownership, operation, or control of a new equipment dealer by a manufacturer, distributor, or wholesaler is not a violation of this section.
Section 39-6-80. (A) A manufacturer, distributor, or wholesaler who intends to establish a new dealer or dealership or to relocate a current dealer or dealership for a particular product line or make of new equipment within the geographic market area of an existing dealer of the same product line or make of new equipment shall give written
(1) specific location;
(2) date of commencement of operation at the new location;
(3) identities of all existing dealers or dealerships located in its market area; and
(4) names and addresses of the dealer and principals.
(B) An existing dealer located in the geographic market area in which a manufacturer, distributor, or wholesaler intends to establish a new dealership or to relocate a current dealer may petition the court, within sixty days of the receipt of the notice, to enjoin or prohibit the establishment of the new or relocated dealer or dealership within the geographic market area of the existing dealer. The court may enjoin or prohibit the establishment of the new dealer or dealership or relocation of a current dealer within the geographic market area of the existing dealer if the dealer proves by a preponderance of the evidence that the existing dealer is providing adequate representation of the product line or make of new equipment in his geographic market area. In determining if the existing dealer is providing adequate representation and whether the new or relocated dealer or dealership is necessary, the court may consider, but is not limited to considering:
(1) the impact the establishment of the new or relocated dealer or dealership will have on users of new equipment, the public, and the existing dealer, except that financial impact may be considered only with respect to the existing dealer;
(2) the size and permanency of investment reasonably made and the reasonable obligations incurred by the existing dealer to perform its obligation pursuant to the dealership agreement or sales agreement;
(3) the reasonably expected market penetration of the product line or make of equipment for the geographic market area, after consideration of all factors that may affect the penetration including, but not limited to, demographic factors such as age, income, education, size class preference, product popularity, retail lease transactions, and other factors affecting sales of equipment in the geographic market area;
(4) actions by the manufacturer, distributor, or wholesaler in denying its existing dealer of the same product line or make of equipment the opportunity for reasonable growth, market expansion, or relocation including the availability of equipment in keeping with
(5) attempts by the manufacturer, distributor, or wholesaler to coerce the existing dealer into consenting to an additional or relocated dealer or dealership of the same product line or make of new equipment in the geographic market area;
(6) distance, travel time, traffic patterns, and accessibility between the existing dealer's place of business for the same product line or make of new equipment and location of the proposed new or relocated dealer or dealership;
(7) the likelihood of benefits to users of new equipment from the establishment or relocation of the dealer or dealership, which may not be obtained by other demographic changes or other expected changes in the geographic market area;
(8) if the existing dealer is in substantial compliance with its dealership agreement or sales agreement;
(9) if there is adequate interbrand and intrabrand competition with respect to the product line or make of new equipment, including the adequacy of sales and service facilities;
(10) if the establishment or relocation of the proposed dealer or dealership appears to be warranted and justified based on economic and market conditions pertinent to dealers competing in the geographic market area including anticipated changes; and
(11) the volume of registrations and service business transacted by the existing dealer in the geographic market area of the proposed dealer or dealership.
(C) This section does not apply to the:
(1) addition of a new dealership at a location that is within a three-mile radius of a former dealership of the same product line or make of new equipment that has been closed for less than two years;
(2) relocation of an existing dealer to a new location that is farther away from the protesting dealer's location than the relocated dealer's previous location; or
(3) relocation of an existing dealer to a new location that is within a three-mile radius of the dealer's current location, when it has been at the current location at least ten years.
Section 39-6-90. (A) A manufacturer, distributor, wholesaler, distributor branch or division, factory branch or division, or wholesale branch or division may sell or lease new equipment for use within this State. If the equipment is prepared for delivery or serviced by a dealer,
(B) For purposes of this section, equipment is considered to be used primarily within a dealer's geographic market area if the new equipment is located or housed at a user's facility located within that geographic market area.
Section 39-6-100. (A) Each manufacturer, distributor, wholesaler, distributor branch or division, factory branch or division, or wholesale branch or division must fulfill properly a warranty agreement and compensate adequately and fairly each of its equipment dealers for labor and parts. All claims made by equipment dealers pursuant to this section for the labor and parts and pursuant to Section 39-6-90 must be paid within thirty days following their approval. All claims must be approved or disapproved within thirty days after their receipt. The equipment dealer who submits a disapproved claim must be notified in writing of its disapproval within that period, and the notice must state the specific grounds for the disapproval. Special handling of claims required by the manufacturer, distributor, wholesaler, distributor branch or division, factory branch or division, or wholesale branch or division, but not uniformly required of all dealers of that make, may be enforced only after thirty days' notice in writing of good and sufficient reason.
(B) An audit for sales incentives, service incentives, rebates, or other forms of incentive compensation may include only the twelve-month period immediately following the date of the termination of the incentive compensation program. This limitation is not effective in the case of fraudulent claims.
(C) It is unlawful to deny, delay payment for, or restrict a claim by a dealer for payment or reimbursement for warranty service or parts, incentives, hold-backs, or other amounts owed to the dealer unless the denial, delay, or restriction is the direct result of a material defect in the claim that affects its validity, except that the manufacturer, distributor, distributor branch or division, factory branch or division, or wholesale branch or division may withhold payment as setoff against obligations otherwise owed by the dealer to the manufacturer, distributor,
Section 39-6-110. (A) It is unlawful to impose, directly or indirectly, unreasonable restrictions on the equipment dealer relative to transfer, sale, renewal, termination, discipline, noncompetition, or site-control.
(B) A manufacturer may not prevent a dealer from having an investment in or holding a dealership contract for the sale of competing product lines or makes of equipment.
(C) This section does not prevent a manufacturer from requiring that competing lines of equipment be established in separate facilities. Written notice must be provided to a dealer by the manufacturer at least four years before requiring separate facilities for competing lines of equipment.
Section 39-6-120. The provisions of this chapter apply to all written and oral agreements between a manufacturer, distributor, wholesaler, distributor branch or division, factory branch or division, or wholesale branch or division and an equipment dealer including, but not limited to, the dealership agreement, goods and services sales contracts, advertising contracts, leases or mortgages of real or personal property, promises to pay, security interests, pledges, insurance contracts, construction or installation contracts, servicing contracts, and all other agreements in which the manufacturer, distributor, wholesaler, distributor branch or division, factory branch or division, or wholesale branch or division has any direct or indirect interest.
Section 39-6-130. It is unlawful for the manufacturer, wholesaler, distributor, distributor branch or division, factory branch or division, or wholesale branch or division without due cause to fail to renew or to terminate a dealership agreement.
Section 39-6-140. A person who is injured in his business or property by reason of a violation of this chapter may sue in the court of common pleas and may recover only the actual damages sustained by him and the cost of suit, including a reasonable attorney's fee.
Section 39-6-150. Actions rising out of this chapter must be commenced within three years after the cause of action accrues, except that if a liable person conceals the cause of action from the knowledge of the person entitled to bring it, the period prior to the discovery of his cause of action by the entitled person is excluded in determining the time limited for the commencement of the action. If a cause of action accrues against a person during the pendency against him of any civil, criminal, or administrative proceeding brought by the United States, or
Section 39-6-160. A provision of a contract or a practice pursuant to a contract in violation of this chapter is against public policy and unenforceable.
Section 39-6-170. A contract entered into after July 1, 2000 and covered by this chapter, may not establish requirements for venue and jurisdiction.
Section 39-6-180. If a section, paragraph, provision, or portion of this chapter is held to be unconstitutional or invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, this holding does not affect the constitutionality or validity of the remaining portions of this chapter, and for this purpose the General Assembly declares that the provisions of this act are severable from each other."
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor. /
Renumber sections to conform.
Amend totals and title to conform.
Rep. LAW explained the amendment.
The amendment was then adopted.
Rep. LAW proposed the following Amendment No. 2 (Doc Name COUNCIL\DKA\AMEND\3841MM00), which was adopted:
Amend the bill, as and if amended, Section 39-6-20(7), SECTION 1, page 3, beginning on line 15, by striking subitem (c) in its entirety.
Reletter subitems to conform.
Renumber sections to conform.
Amend totals and title to conform.
Rep. LAW explained the amendment.
The amendment was then adopted.
Rep. LAW proposed the following Amendment No. 3 (Doc Name COUNCIL\DKA\AMEND\3847MM00), which was adopted:
Amend the amendment, as and if amended, offered by the Labor, Commerce and Industry Committee, bearing document Number V:\
Rep. LAW explained the amendment.
The amendment was then adopted.
The Bill, as amended, was read the second time and ordered to third reading.
The following Bill was taken up:
H. 4617 (Word version) -- Rep. Davenport: A BILL TO AMEND SECTION 40-11-370, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO ENGAGING IN CONSTRUCTION PURSUANT TO A LICENSE, SO AS TO DEFINE "ENGAGING IN CONSTRUCTION" AND TO REQUIRE THAT A LICENSED CONTRACTOR ENGAGE IN CONSTRUCTION IN THE EXACT LICENSED NAME; AND TO AMEND SECTION 40-11-410, AS AMENDED, RELATING TO LICENSE CLASSIFICATIONS AND SUBCLASSIFICATIONS SO AS TO DELETE "GLASS" AND "GLAZING" FROM THE SUBCLASSIFICATION OF "INTERIOR RENOVATION" AND TO ADD AND DEFINE "GLASS AND GLAZING" AS A SUBCLASSIFICATION OF "GENERAL CONTRACTORS SPECIALTY".
Rep. DAVENPORT explained the amendment.
The amendment was then adopted.
The Bill, as amended, was read the second time and ordered to third reading.
The following Bill was taken up:
H. 4767 (Word version) -- Rep. Haskins: A BILL TO AMEND SECTION 6-9-40, AS AMENDED, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE TIME THAT CERTAIN BUILDING CODES AND STANDARDS MUST BE ADOPTED BY THE STATE MUNICIPALITIES AND COUNTIES AFTER THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A BUILDING INSPECTION DEPARTMENT, SO AS TO PROHIBIT THE ADOPTION BY THE STATE OF ANY PORTION OF A REGIONAL OR NATIONAL BUILDING CODE THAT RELATES PRIMARILY TO SAFETY UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS; AND TO AMEND SECTION 6-9-120, RELATING TO EXEMPTING WATER OR SEWER SYSTEMS FROM THE PROVISIONS OF CHAPTER 9, TITLE 6 (BUILDING CODES), SO AS TO EXEMPT LANDSCAPE IRRIGATION SYSTEMS.
The Labor, Commerce and Industry Committee proposed the following Amendment No. 1 (Doc Name COUNCIL\SKB\ AMEND\18319SOM00), which was adopted:
Amend the bill, as and if amended, by striking SECTION 1 in its entirety.
Renumber sections to conform.
Amend title to conform.
Rep. HASKINS explained the amendment.
The amendment was then adopted.
The Bill, as amended, was read the second time and ordered to third reading.
The following Bill was taken up:
S. 304 (Word version) -- Senators Hayes and Giese: A BILL TO AMEND CHAPTER 47, TITLE 40, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO PHYSICIANS, SURGEONS, AND OSTEOPATHS, AND THE STATE BOARD OF MEDICAL EXAMINERS, BY ADDING ARTICLE 7 SO AS TO PROVIDE FOR THE LICENSURE AND REGULATION OF DIETETICS; TO
Reps. KLAUBER, MCGEE, TROTTER, WITHERSPOON, BARFIELD, KIRSH, CHELLIS, PERRY, ROBINSON, DAVENPORT, PHILLIPS, QUINN and EDGE requested debate on the Bill.
Rep. COOPER objected to the Bill.
The following Joint Resolution was taken up:
H. 4802 (Word version) -- Reps. Breeland, J. Brown, Clyburn, Davenport, Fleming, Hayes, J. Hines, Howard, Keegan, Kelley, Lee, Lloyd, Mack, Maddox, Moody-Lawrence, Parks, Pinckney, Rodgers, Rutherford, Scott, Simrill, J. Smith, Whatley and Robinson: A JOINT RESOLUTION TO ESTABLISH A COMMITTEE TO STUDY CERTAIN ISSUES AFFECTING VETERANS AND PROVIDE FOR RELATED MATTERS INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP AND DUTIES, THE FILLING OF VACANCIES, AND COMMITTEE MEETINGS AND STAFFING.
Rep. BREELAND explained the Joint Resolution.
Rep. LITTLEJOHN requested debate on the Joint Resolution.
The Joint Resolution was read second time and ordered to third reading.
The following Bill was taken up:
H. 4555 (Word version) -- Reps. J. Smith and Walker: A BILL TO AMEND SECTION 20-7-9710, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE SOUTH CAROLINA FIRST STEPS TO SCHOOL READINESS BOARD OF TRUSTEES, SO AS TO ADD THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF THE STATE BOARD FOR
Rep. WALKER explained the Bill.
The Bill was read second time and ordered to third reading by a division vote of 50 to 9.
Rep. LEACH moved that the House do now adjourn, which was agreed to.
The Senate returned to the House with concurrence the following:
H. 4916 (Word version) -- Reps. Carnell, Klauber, Parks, Taylor, Wilder, Allen, Allison, Altman, Askins, Bailey, Bales, Barfield, Barrett, Battle, Bowers, Breeland, G. Brown, H. Brown, J. Brown, T. Brown, Campsen, Canty, Cato, Chellis, Clyburn, Cobb-Hunter, Cooper, Cotty, Dantzler, Davenport, Delleney, Easterday, Edge, Emory, Fleming, Frye, Gamble, Gilham, Gourdine, Govan, Hamilton, Harrell, Harris, Harrison, Harvin, Haskins, Hawkins, Hayes, J. Hines, M. Hines, Hinson, Hosey, Howard, Huggins, Inabinett, Jennings, Keegan, Kelley, Kennedy, Kirsh, Knotts, Koon, Lanford, Law, Leach, Lee, Limehouse, Littlejohn, Lloyd, Loftis, Lourie, Lucas, Mack, Maddox, Martin, McCraw, McGee, McKay, M. McLeod, W. McLeod, McMahand, Meacham-Richardson, Miller, Moody-Lawrence, J. H. Neal, J. M. Neal, Neilson, Ott, Perry, Phillips, Pinckney, Quinn, Rhoad, Rice, Riser, Robinson, Rodgers, Rutherford, Sandifer, Scott, Seithel, Sharpe, Sheheen, Simrill, F. Smith, J. Smith, R. Smith, D. Smith, Stille, Stuart, Townsend, Tripp, Trotter, Vaughn, Walker, Webb, Whatley, Whipper, Wilkes, Wilkins, Witherspoon, Woodrum and Young-Brickell: A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION COMMENDING AND THANKING DR. WILLIAM C. (BILL) MORAN FOR HIS OUTSTANDING, DEDICATED SERVICE AS PRESIDENT OF LANDER UNIVERSITY, AND WISHING HIM SUCCESS AND HAPPINESS FOLLOWING HIS RETIREMENT.
At 1:15 p.m. the House, in accordance with the motion of Rep. FLEMING, adjourned in memory of Jimmy Gault, county councilman of Jonesville, to meet at 10:00 a.m. tomorrow.
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