Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter
The House assembled at 2:00 p.m.
Deliberations were opened with prayer by Rev. Charles E. Seastrunk, Jr., as follows:
Our thought for today is from Jeremiah 31:35: "Thus says the lord, who gives the sun for light by day and the fixed order of the moon and stars for light by night, who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar. The Lord of Hosts is His Name."
Let us pray. Heavenly Father, You provide for us every needful thing. May these Representatives and staff use what You have blessed them with to accomplish great things. Keep each of Your people in good health that they may be able to be the light that shines in the darkness of this world. Bless our Nation, President, State, Governor, Speaker, staff, and all who labor here. Protect our defenders of freedom, at home and abroad, as they protect us. Heal the wounds, those seen and those hidden, of our brave warriors. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer. 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 yesterday, the SPEAKER ordered it confirmed.
Rep. RIDGEWAY moved that when the House adjourns, it adjourn in memory of William "Gregg" Gregory IV, of Manning, which was agreed to.
Document No. 4329
Agency: Department of Agriculture
Statutory Authority: 1976 Code Section 39-25-180
Cheese & Butter
Received by Speaker of the House of Representatives March 14, 2013
Referred to Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs Committee
Legislative Review Expiration: Permanently Withdrawn
The following was received and referred to the appropriate committee for consideration:
Document No. 4421
Agency: State Board of Education
Statutory Authority: 1976 Code Section 24-25-10
Defined Program for the Palmetto Unified School District (PUSD)
Received by Speaker of the House of Representatives
January 21, 2014
Referred to Education and Public Works Committee
Legislative Review Expiration May 21, 2014
The following was received:
Columbia, S.C., January 21, 2014
Mr. Speaker and Members of the House:
The Senate respectfully informs your Honorable Body that it has adopted the report of the Committee of Conference on S. 22:
S. 22 (Word version) -- Senators Sheheen, Massey, L. Martin, Hayes, Campsen, Nicholson, Young and Alexander: A BILL TO ENACT THE "SOUTH CAROLINA RESTRUCTURING ACT OF 2013" INCLUDING PROVISIONS TO AMEND SECTION 1-30-10 OF THE 1976 CODE, RELATING TO THE AGENCIES OF THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH OF STATE GOVERNMENT BY ADDING THE DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATION; BY AMENDING SECTION 1-11-10, TO DIVEST THE BUDGET AND CONTROL BOARD OF CERTAIN PROGRAMS, POWERS, DUTIES, AND RESPONSIBILITIES AND TRANSFER THOSE PROGRAMS, POWERS, DUTIES, AND RESPONSIBILITIES TO OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCIES; BY AMENDING SECTION 1-11-20, TO ESTABLISH THE DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATION AS AN AGENCY OF THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH OF STATE GOVERNMENT TO BE HEADED BY A DIRECTOR APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR UPON THE ADVICE AND CONSENT OF THE SENATE, AND TO TRANSFER TO THIS NEWLY CREATED DEPARTMENT CERTAIN OFFICES AND DIVISIONS OF THE STATE BUDGET AND CONTROL BOARD, OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR, AND OTHER AGENCIES, AND TO PROVIDE FOR THE TRANSITION; BY ADDING ARTICLE 2 TO CHAPTER 3, TITLE 1, TO ESTABLISH THE EXECUTIVE BUDGET AND STRATEGIC PLANNING OFFICE WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATION, AND TO PROVIDE FOR THE POWERS, DUTIES, AND AUTHORITY OF THE OFFICE; BY ADDING CHAPTER 2 TO TITLE 2 TO PROVIDE FOR LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT OF EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS AND THE PROCESSES AND PROCEDURES TO BE FOLLOWED IN CONNECTION WITH THIS OVERSIGHT; BY ADDING CHAPTER 55 TO TITLE 11 TO ESTABLISH THE STATE FISCAL ACCOUNTABILITY AUTHORITY, TO PROVIDE FOR THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE AUTHORITY, AND TO PROVIDE FOR THE POWERS, DUTIES, AND AUTHORITY TO BE EXERCISED BY THE AUTHORITY; TO AMEND CHAPTER 35, TITLE 11 BY ADDING SECTION 11-35-315 TO ESTABLISH THE PROCUREMENT OVERSIGHT BOARD, THE MEMBERSHIP ON THE BOARD, AND THE POWERS, DUTIES, AND AUTHORITY TO BE EXERCISED BY THE BOARD; TO AMEND CHAPTER 3, TITLE 2 BY ESTABLISHING THE LEGISLATIVE FISCAL OFFICE, AND TO PROVIDE FOR THE POWERS, DUTIES, AND AUTHORITY TO BE EXERCISED BY THE OFFICE, TO AMEND TITLE 2 BY ADDING CHAPTER 79 TO ENACT THE STATE AGENCY DEFICIT PREVENTION AND RECOGNITION ACT, AND TO PROVIDE FOR THE PROCESSES AND PROCEDURES TO BE FOLLOWED IN CONNECTION WITH AGENCY DEFICIT PREVENTION AND RECOGNITION; TO AMEND CHAPTER 17, TITLE 60 TO ESTABLISH THE CONFEDERATE RELIC ROOM AND MILITARY MUSEUM COMMISSION, TO PROVIDE FOR THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE COMMISSION AND THE POWERS, DUTIES, AND AUTHORITY TO BE EXERCISED BY THE COMMISSION; TO AMEND TITLE 2 BY ADDING A CHAPTER 9 TO ESTABLISH THE JOINT STRATEGIC TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE, TO PROVIDE FOR THE MEMBERS ON THE COMMITTEE AND THE POWERS, DUTIES, AND AUTHORITY TO BE EXERCISED BY THE COMMITTEE; TO ESTABLISH THE CHARLESTON NAVY BASE MUSEUM AUTHORITY, TO PROVIDE THAT THE AUTHORITY MAY EXERCISE ALL POWERS AND AUTHORITY GRANTED TO THE HUNLEY COMMISSION BY SPECIFIC STATUTORY AUTHORITY REFERENCED IN SECTIONS 54-7-100 AND 54-7-110; BY ADDING SECTION 1-11-185, TO PROVIDE FOR APPROVALS FOR PERMANENT IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS; BY ADDING SECTION 11-31-5, TO PROVIDE THAT STATE BOARD MEANS THE GOVERNING BODY OF THE STATE FISCAL AFFAIRS AUTHORITY; BY ADDING SECTION 11-50-65, TO PROVIDE THAT THE STATE FISCAL AFFAIRS AUTHORITY MUST PROVIDE ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT TO THE RURAL INFRASTRUCTURE AUTHORITY; TO AMEND SECTIONS 1-11-20, 1-11-25, 1-11-26, 1-11-55, 1-11-56, 1-11-58, 1-11-65, 1-11-67, 1-11-70, 1-11-80, 1-11-90, 1-11-100, 1-11-110, 1-11-140, 1-11-180, 1-11-220, 1-11-225, 1-11-250, 1-11-260, 1-11-270, 1-11-280, 1-11-290, 1-11-300, 1-11-310, 1-11-315, 1-11-320, 1-11-335, 1-11-340, 1-11-435, 1-11-440, 1-15-10, CHAPTER 47, TITLE 2, 2-7-72, 2-7-73, 2-7-74, 2-7-76, 2-13-240, 2-15-50, 2-59-10, CHAPTER 9, TITLE 3; 10-1-10, 10-1-30, 10-1-130, 10-1-190, CHAPTER 9, TITLE 10, 10-11-50, 10-11-90, 10-11-110, 10-11-140, 10-11-330, 11-9-610, 11-9-620, 11-9-630, 11-9-665,11-9-670, 11-9-680, 11-9-820, 11-9-825, 11-9-830,11-9-880, 11-9-890, 11-18-20, 11-27-10, 11-35-310, 11-35-3820, 11-35-3840, 11-35-5270, 11-37-30, 11-37-200, 11-38-20, 11-40-20, 11-40-250, 11-41-70, 11-41-80, 11-41-90, 11-41-100, 11-42-30, 11-42-40, 11-42-60, 11-43-510, 11-45-30, 11-45-55, 11-45-105, 11-49-40, 11-50-50, 11-49-100, 11-51-30, 11-51-125, 11-51-190, 11-53-20, 13-7-10, 13-7-30, 13-7-810, 13-7-830, 13-7-860, 15-78-140, 16-3-1620, 16-3-1680, 25-11-10, 25-11-80, 25-11-90, 25-11-310, 44-38-380, 44-53-530, 44-96-140, 48-46-30, 48-46-40, 48-46-50, 48-46-60, 48-46-90, 48-52-410, 48-52-440, 48-52-460, 48-52-635, 48-52-680, 59-109-30, 59-109-40, 59-115-20, 59-115-40, 63-11-500, 63-11-700, 63-11-730, 63-11-1110, 63-11-1140, 63-11-1310, 63-11-1340, 63-11-1360 AND 63-11-1510 RELATING TO VARIOUS AGENCY OR DEPARTMENT PROVISIONS SO AS TO CONFORM THEM TO THE ABOVE PROVISIONS PERTAINING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATION, STATE FISCAL ACCOUNTABILITY AUTHORITY, AND OTHER STATE AGENCIES, AND TO SUPPLEMENT SUCH PROVISIONS; AND TO REPEAL SECTIONS 1-30-110, 1-11-22, AND 11-11-90.
The Report of the Committee of Conference having been adopted by both Houses ordered that the title be changed to that of an Act, and the Act enrolled for Ratification.
Very respectfully,
President
Received as information.
Rep. BARFIELD, from the Committee on Invitations and Memorial Resolutions, submitted a favorable report on:
H. 4482 (Word version) -- Rep. Ridgeway: A BILL TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 1-1-691 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT THE WOOLY MAMMOTH IS DESIGNATED AS THE OFFICIAL STATE FOSSIL OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
Ordered for consideration tomorrow.
Rep. BARFIELD, from the Committee on Invitations and Memorial Resolutions, submitted a favorable report on:
H. 4484 (Word version) -- Reps. Hodges, R. L. Brown and Knight: A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION TO REQUEST THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION NAME THE INTERSECTION LOCATED AT THE JUNCTURE OF AUGUSTA HIGHWAY (SC 61) AND SIDNEY'S ROAD (S-21) IN COLLETON COUNTY "GRUBER'S CROSSROADS", AND ERECT APPROPRIATE MARKERS OR SIGNS AT THIS INTERSECTION THAT CONTAIN THE WORDS "GRUBER'S CROSSROADS".
Ordered for consideration tomorrow.
Rep. BARFIELD, from the Committee on Invitations and Memorial Resolutions, submitted a favorable report on:
H. 4506 (Word version) -- Reps. Gagnon, Gambrell and Putnam: A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION TO REQUEST THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION NAME THE PORTION OF SOUTH CAROLINA HIGHWAY 187 IN ANDERSON COUNTY FROM ITS INTERSECTION WITH UNITED STATES HIGHWAY 29 TO ITS INTERSECTION WITH SOUTH CAROLINA HIGHWAY 181 "PAUL ROBISON EARLE MEMORIAL HIGHWAY", AND ERECT APPROPRIATE MARKERS OR SIGNS ALONG THIS PORTION OF HIGHWAY THAT CONTAIN THE WORDS "PAUL ROBISON EARLE MEMORIAL HIGHWAY".
Ordered for consideration tomorrow.
Rep. BARFIELD, from the Committee on Invitations and Memorial Resolutions, submitted a favorable report on:
H. 4385 (Word version) -- Rep. Parks: A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION TO REQUEST THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION NAME THE PORTION OF UNITED STATES HIGHWAY 178 IN GREENWOOD COUNTY FROM ITS INTERSECTION WITH "MAYS CROSSROADS" TO ITS INTERSECTION WITH UNITED STATES HIGHWAY 25 "DR. BENJAMIN E. MAYS HIGHWAY", AND THAT APPROPRIATE MARKERS OR SIGNS BE ERECTED ALONG THIS PORTION OF HIGHWAY THAT CONTAIN THE WORDS "DR. BENJAMIN E. MAYS HIGHWAY".
Ordered for consideration tomorrow.
Rep. BARFIELD, from the Committee on Invitations and Memorial Resolutions, submitted a favorable report on:
H. 4394 (Word version) -- Rep. Allison: A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION TO REQUEST THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION ERECT APPROPRIATE DEDICATION SIGNS AT THE INTERSECTION OF HIGHWAY 14 AND INTERSTATE HIGHWAY 85 IN GREENVILLE COUNTY THAT CONTAIN THE WORDS "GIBBS CANCER CENTER & RESEARCH INSTITUTE-PELHAM", AND ERECT APPROPRIATE DEDICATION SIGNS AT THE INTERSECTION OF INTERSTATE HIGHWAYS 585 AND 85 IN SPARTANBURG COUNTY THAT CONTAIN THE WORDS "GIBBS CANCER CENTER & RESEARCH INSTITUTE".
Ordered for consideration tomorrow.
Rep. BARFIELD, from the Committee on Invitations and Memorial Resolutions, submitted a favorable report on:
H. 4441 (Word version) -- Rep. Bannister: A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION TO REQUEST THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION NAME THE PORTION OF UNITED STATES HIGHWAY 521 IN GEORGETOWN COUNTY FROM ITS INTERSECTION WITH BRICK CHIMNEY ROAD TO ITS INTERSECTION WITH DISHER STREET "LARRY HOLLIDAY MEMORIAL HIGHWAY" AND ERECT APPROPRIATE MARKERS OR SIGNS ALONG THIS PORTION OF HIGHWAY THAT CONTAIN THE WORDS "LARRY HOLLIDAY MEMORIAL HIGHWAY".
Ordered for consideration tomorrow.
Rep. BARFIELD, from the Committee on Invitations and Memorial Resolutions, submitted a favorable report on:
H. 4395 (Word version) -- Rep. Bales: A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION TO REQUEST THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION NAME THE INTERSECTION LOCATED AT THE JUNCTURE OF UNITED STATES HIGHWAY 601 AND REYNOLDS ROAD IN THE TOWN OF EASTOVER IN HONOR OF ELIZABETH WORKMAN DEVEAUX, AND ERECT APPROPRIATE SIGNS OR MARKERS AT THIS INTERSECTION THAT CONTAIN THE WORDS "ELIZABETH WORKMAN DEVEAUX INTERSECTION".
Ordered for consideration tomorrow.
The following was introduced:
H. 4528 (Word version) -- Rep. White: A HOUSE RESOLUTION TO PROVIDE THAT THE STAFF SERVING THE MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES IS NOT REQUIRED TO WORK ON GOOD FRIDAY, APRIL 18, 2014.
The Resolution was adopted.
The following was introduced:
H. 4529 (Word version) -- Reps. Mitchell, Alexander, Allison, Anderson, Anthony, Atwater, Bales, Ballentine, Bannister, Barfield, Bedingfield, Bernstein, Bingham, Bowen, Bowers, Branham, Brannon, G. A. Brown, R. L. Brown, Burns, Chumley, Clemmons, Clyburn, Cobb-Hunter, Cole, H. A. Crawford, K. R. Crawford, Crosby, Daning, Delleney, Dillard, Douglas, Edge, Erickson, Felder, Finlay, Forrester, Funderburk, Gagnon, Gambrell, George, Gilliard, Goldfinch, Govan, Hamilton, Hardee, Hardwick, Harrell, Hart, Hayes, Henderson, Herbkersman, Hiott, Hixon, Hodges, Horne, Hosey, Howard, Huggins, Jefferson, Kennedy, King, Knight, Limehouse, Loftis, Long, Lowe, Lucas, Mack, McCoy, McEachern, M. S. McLeod, W. J. McLeod, Merrill, D. C. Moss, V. S. Moss, Munnerlyn, Murphy, Nanney, Neal, Newton, Norman, R. L. Ott, Owens, Parks, Patrick, Pitts, Norrell, Pope, Putnam, Quinn, Ridgeway, Riley, Rivers, Robinson-Simpson, Rutherford, Ryhal, Sabb, Sandifer, Sellers, Simrill, Skelton, G. M. Smith, G. R. Smith, J. E. Smith, J. R. Smith, Sottile, Southard, Spires, Stavrinakis, Stringer, Tallon, Taylor, Thayer, Toole, Vick, Weeks, Wells, Whipper, White, Whitmire, Williams, Willis and Wood: A HOUSE RESOLUTION TO EXPRESS THE PROFOUND SORROW OF THE MEMBERS OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES UPON THE DEATH OF MAXINE HERRING PARKER OF BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA, AND TO EXTEND THE DEEPEST SYMPATHY TO HER FAMILY AND MANY FRIENDS.
The Resolution was adopted.
The following was introduced:
H. 4530 (Word version) -- Rep. Riley: A HOUSE RESOLUTION TO EXTEND THE PRIVILEGE OF THE FLOOR OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TO THE NINETY SIX HIGH SCHOOL MARCHING BAND OF GREENWOOD COUNTY WITH THE DIRECTOR OF BANDS AND SCHOOL OFFICIALS, AT A DATE AND TIME TO BE DETERMINED BY THE SPEAKER, FOR THE PURPOSE OF BEING RECOGNIZED AND COMMENDED FOR CAPTURING THE 2013 SOUTH CAROLINA CLASS A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE.
Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:
That the privilege of the floor of the South Carolina House of Representatives be extended to the Ninety Six High School marching band of Greenwood County with the director of bands and school officials, at a date and time to be determined by the Speaker, for the purpose of being recognized and commended for capturing the 2013 South Carolina Class A State Championship title.
The Resolution was adopted.
The following was introduced:
H. 4531 (Word version) -- Reps. Riley, Parks, Pitts, Alexander, Allison, Anderson, Anthony, Atwater, Bales, Ballentine, Bannister, Barfield, Bedingfield, Bernstein, Bingham, Bowen, Bowers, Branham, Brannon, G. A. Brown, R. L. Brown, Burns, Chumley, Clemmons, Clyburn, Cobb-Hunter, Cole, H. A. Crawford, K. R. Crawford, Crosby, Daning, Delleney, Dillard, Douglas, Edge, Erickson, Felder, Finlay, Forrester, Funderburk, Gagnon, Gambrell, George, Gilliard, Goldfinch, Govan, Hamilton, Hardee, Hardwick, Harrell, Hart, Hayes, Henderson, Herbkersman, Hiott, Hixon, Hodges, Horne, Hosey, Howard, Huggins, Jefferson, Kennedy, King, Knight, Limehouse, Loftis, Long, Lowe, Lucas, Mack, McCoy, McEachern, M. S. McLeod, W. J. McLeod, Merrill, Mitchell, D. C. Moss, V. S. Moss, Munnerlyn, Murphy, Nanney, Neal, Newton, Norman, R. L. Ott, Owens, Patrick, Norrell, Pope, Putnam, Quinn, Ridgeway, Rivers, Robinson-Simpson, Rutherford, Ryhal, Sabb, Sandifer, Sellers, Simrill, Skelton, G. M. Smith, G. R. Smith, J. E. Smith, J. R. Smith, Sottile, Southard, Spires, Stavrinakis, Stringer, Tallon, Taylor, Thayer, Toole, Vick, Weeks, Wells, Whipper, White, Whitmire, Williams, Willis and Wood: A HOUSE RESOLUTION TO RECOGNIZE AND HONOR THE NINETY SIX HIGH SCHOOL MARCHING BAND, DIRECTOR OF BANDS, AND SCHOOL OFFICIALS FOR AN OUTSTANDING SEASON AND TO CONGRATULATE THEM FOR WINNING THE 2013 CLASS A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE.
The Resolution was adopted.
The following was introduced:
H. 4538 (Word version) -- Rep. Hardee: A HOUSE RESOLUTION TO EXPRESS THE PROFOUND SORROW OF THE MEMBERS OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, UPON THE PASSING OF RODNEY CLIFTON HARDEE OF HORRY COUNTY, AND TO EXTEND THEIR DEEPEST SYMPATHY TO HIS LARGE AND LOVING FAMILY AND HIS MANY FRIENDS.
The Resolution was adopted.
The following was introduced:
H. 4539 (Word version) -- Rep. Hardee: A HOUSE RESOLUTION TO EXPRESS THE PROFOUND SORROW OF THE MEMBERS OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, UPON THE PASSING OF LINDA RUTH BELLAMY BOYD OF HORRY COUNTY, AND TO EXTEND THEIR DEEPEST SYMPATHY TO HER LARGE AND LOVING FAMILY AND HER MANY FRIENDS.
The Resolution was adopted.
The following was introduced:
H. 4540 (Word version) -- Rep. Hardee: A HOUSE RESOLUTION TO EXPRESS THE PROFOUND SORROW OF THE MEMBERS OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES UPON THE DEATH OF HOYT J. HARDEE OF LORIS AND TO EXTEND THE DEEPEST SYMPATHY TO HIS FAMILY AND MANY FRIENDS.
The Resolution was adopted.
The following was introduced:
H. 4532 (Word version) -- Reps. K. R. Crawford, Alexander, Allison, Anderson, Anthony, Atwater, Bales, Ballentine, Bannister, Barfield, Bedingfield, Bernstein, Bingham, Bowen, Bowers, Branham, Brannon, G. A. Brown, R. L. Brown, Burns, Chumley, Clemmons, Clyburn, Cobb-Hunter, Cole, H. A. Crawford, Crosby, Daning, Delleney, Dillard, Douglas, Edge, Erickson, Felder, Finlay, Forrester, Funderburk, Gagnon, Gambrell, George, Gilliard, Goldfinch, Govan, Hamilton, Hardee, Hardwick, Harrell, Hart, Hayes, Henderson, Herbkersman, Hiott, Hixon, Hodges, Horne, Hosey, Howard, Huggins, Jefferson, Kennedy, King, Knight, Limehouse, Loftis, Long, Lowe, Lucas, Mack, McCoy, McEachern, M. S. McLeod, W. J. McLeod, Merrill, Mitchell, D. C. Moss, V. S. Moss, Munnerlyn, Murphy, Nanney, Neal, Newton, Norman, R. L. Ott, Owens, Parks, Patrick, Pitts, Norrell, Pope, Putnam, Quinn, Ridgeway, Riley, Rivers, Robinson-Simpson, Rutherford, Ryhal, Sabb, Sandifer, Sellers, Simrill, Skelton, G. M. Smith, G. R. Smith, J. E. Smith, J. R. Smith, Sottile, Southard, Spires, Stavrinakis, Stringer, Tallon, Taylor, Thayer, Toole, Vick, Weeks, Wells, Whipper, White, Whitmire, Williams, Willis and Wood: A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION TO CONGRATULATE FORMER STATE TROOPER CORPORAL JULIUS Z. DUKE II OF FLORENCE COUNTY UPON THE OCCASION OF HIS RETIREMENT, TO COMMEND HIM FOR MORE THAN FIFTEEN YEARS OF DEDICATED SERVICE AS A STATE TROOPER, AND TO EXTEND BEST WISHES FOR MUCH SUCCESS AND FULFILLMENT IN THE DAYS AHEAD.
The Concurrent Resolution was agreed to and ordered sent to the Senate.
The following was introduced:
H. 4533 (Word version) -- Rep. Pope: A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION TO RECOGNIZE AND HONOR BETHEL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF YORK COUNTY, UPON THE CELEBRATION OF ITS TWO HUNDRED FIFTY YEAR ANNIVERSARY AND TO COMMEND THE LONG AND BENEFICIAL IMPACT THAT THE CHURCH HAS HAD ON ITS COMMUNITY, STATE, AND NATION.
The Concurrent Resolution was agreed to and ordered sent to the Senate.
The following was introduced:
H. 4537 (Word version) -- Rep. Hardee: A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION TO REQUEST THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION NAME THE INTERSECTION LOCATED AT THE JUNCTION OF HIGHWAY S-26-19 AND HIGHWAY S-26-139 IN HORRY COUNTY "DORMANS CROSSROADS" AND ERECT APPROPRIATE MARKERS OR SIGNS AT THIS LOCATION THAT CONTAIN THE WORDS "DORMANS CROSSROADS".
The Concurrent Resolution was ordered referred to the Committee on Invitations and Memorial Resolutions.
The following Bills were introduced, read the first time, and referred to appropriate committees:
H. 4534 (Word version) -- Reps. Stavrinakis, McCoy, Sottile and Merrill: A BILL TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 29-3-635 SO AS TO PROVIDE NO CAUSE OF ACTION FOR FORECLOSURE OF A REAL ESTATE MORTGAGE MAY BE COMMENCED IF THE ALLEGED DEFAULT WAS BASED SOLELY ON A FAILURE TO PURCHASE OR MAINTAIN FLOOD INSURANCE COVERING THE MORTGAGED PROPERTY; TO PROVIDE NO CAUSE OF ACTION EXISTS FOR FORECLOSING A REAL ESTATE MORTGAGE WHEN THE ALLEGED DEFAULT WAS BASED SOLELY ON A FAILURE TO PURCHASE OR MAINTAIN FLOOD INSURANCE COVERING THE MORTGAGED PROPERTY; TO PROVIDE REMAINING PROVISIONS IN A MORTGAGE REMAIN IN FULL FORCE AND EFFECT DESPITE A FAILURE TO PURCHASE OR MAINTAIN FLOOD INSURANCE COVERING THE MORTGAGED PROPERTY; AND TO PROVIDE COMPLIANCE WITH THESE PROVISIONS DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A WAIVER OF ANY OTHER RIGHTS OR TERMS OF A MORTGAGE AND DOES NOT ESTOP A MORTGAGOR OR MORTGAGEE FROM ASSERTING THOSE OTHER RIGHTS.
Referred to Committee on Judiciary
H. 4535 (Word version) -- Rep. Barfield: A BILL TO AMEND SECTION 2-20-35, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE ELECTION OF COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY TRUSTEES, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT A PERSON WHO SERVES AS AN EMPLOYEE OF A PUBLIC COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY MAY NOT BE ELECTED TO THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF ANOTHER PUBLIC COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY FOR A PERIOD OF ONE YEAR AFTER HE CEASES TO BE AN EMPLOYEE OF THAT COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY.
Referred to Committee on Education and Public Works
H. 4536 (Word version) -- Reps. Allison, Brannon, Tallon, Chumley, Forrester and Wood: A BILL TO AMEND SECTION 9-1-580, AS AMENDED, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE OPTION OF CERTAIN EMPLOYEES OF HOSPITAL MEMBERS OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA RETIREMENT SYSTEM (SCRS) TO OPT OUT OF MEMBERSHIP IN SCRS, SO AS TO ALLOW ALL SUCH EMPLOYEES, RATHER THAN SPECIFIC CATEGORIES OF HOSPITAL EMPLOYEES TO OPT OUT OF MEMBERSHIP IN SCRS AND TO EXTEND THIS OPTION TO EMPLOYEES OF A HOSPITAL SYSTEM THAT IS AN EMPLOYER MEMBER OF SCRS.
Referred to Committee on Ways and Means
H. 4541 (Word version) -- Rep. Barfield: A BILL TO AMEND SECTION 50-13-325, AS AMENDED, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE TAKING OF CERTAIN NONGAME FISH IN GILL NETS AND SHAD NETS, SO AS TO REVISE THE RESTRICTIONS PLACED ON SETTING NETS ALONG THE LITTLE PEE DEE RIVER UPSTREAM OF PUNCH BOWL LANDING.
On motion of Rep. BARFIELD, with unanimous consent, the Bill was ordered placed on the Calendar without reference.
H. 4542 (Word version) -- Reps. Long, Erickson, Daning, J. R. Smith, Bales, Robinson-Simpson, Williams and Jefferson: A BILL TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 40-51-210 SO AS TO PROVIDE CERTAIN PODIATRIC SURGERY MUST BE PERFORMED IN CERTAIN FACILITIES, TO PROVIDE A PODIATRIST WHO PERFORMS THESE PROCEDURES MUST MEET CERTAIN CRITERIA, TO PROVIDE FOR THE EXTENSION OF PROFESSIONAL PRIVILEGES TO THESE PODIATRISTS BY CERTAIN HEALTH FACILITIES, TO REQUIRE HEALTH FACILITIES IN THIS STATE PROVIDE THE RIGHT TO PURSUE AND PRACTICE FULL CLINICAL AND SURGICAL PRIVILEGES TO PODIATRISTS WHO MEET CERTAIN CRITERIA, TO PROVIDE AN ABILITY TO LIMIT THESE PRIVILEGES IN CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, TO PROVIDE THIS SECTION DOES NOT REQUIRE A HEALTH FACILITY IN THIS STATE TO OFFER A SPECIFIC HEALTH SERVICE NOT OTHERWISE OFFERED BY IT, AND TO PROVIDE THAT IF THE FACILITY DOES OFFER A HEALTH SERVICE, IT MAY NOT DISCRIMINATE AMONG CERTAIN HEALTH PROFESSIONALS AUTHORIZED BY LAW TO PROVIDE THESE SERVICES; AND TO AMEND SECTION 40-51-20, RELATING TO DEFINITIONS, SO AS TO REVISE, DELETE, AND ADD CERTAIN DEFINITIONS.
Referred to Committee on Medical, Military, Public and Municipal Affairs
H. 4543 (Word version) -- Reps. Southard, R. L. Ott, Jefferson, H. A. Crawford, M. S. McLeod, Vick, Hardwick, Williams, Robinson-Simpson, George, Daning, Munnerlyn, Long, Crosby, Felder, Gagnon, Hayes, Hixon, Howard, Norman and Stavrinakis: A BILL TO AMEND SECTION 50-13-640, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF BLUE CATFISH, SO AS TO DECREASE THE MAXIMUM LENGTH OF A BLUE CATFISH THAT MAY BE TAKEN ON CERTAIN BODIES OF WATER, TO MAKE A TECHNICAL CHANGE, AND TO ESTABLISH THE DAILY POSSESSION LIMIT FOR BLUE CATFISH TAKEN FROM LAKE MARION AND LAKE MOULTRIE; AND TO AMEND SECTION 50-9-1120, AS AMENDED, RELATING TO THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE POINT SYSTEM FOR VIOLATING CERTAIN PROVISIONS THAT REGULATE FISHING AND HUNTING, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT TAKING OR POSSESSING MORE THAN THE LEGAL CREEL OR SIZE LIMIT OF BLUE CATFISH IS A FOURTEEN POINT VIOLATION.
Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs
The roll call of the House of Representatives was taken resulting as follows:
Alexander Allison Anthony Atwater Bales Ballentine Bannister Barfield Bedingfield Bernstein Bingham Bowen Bowers Branham Brannon G. A. Brown R. L. Brown Burns Chumley Clemmons Clyburn Cobb-Hunter Cole H. A. Crawford K. R. Crawford Crosby Daning Delleney Dillard Douglas Edge Erickson Felder Finlay Forrester Funderburk Gagnon George Gilliard Hamilton Hardee Hardwick Harrell Hayes Henderson Herbkersman Hiott Hixon Hodges Horne Hosey Howard Huggins Jefferson Kennedy Knight Limehouse Loftis Long Lowe Lucas Mack McCoy McEachern M. S. McLeod Merrill D. C. Moss V. S. Moss Munnerlyn Murphy Nanney Neal Newton Norman R. L. Ott Owens Parks Patrick Pitts Pope Putnam Quinn Ridgeway Riley Rivers Robinson-Simpson Rutherford Ryhal Sabb Sandifer Sellers Simrill Skelton G. R. Smith J. E. Smith J. R. Smith Sottile Southard Spires Stavrinakis Stringer Tallon Taylor Thayer Toole Vick Weeks Wells White Whitmire Williams Willis Wood
I came in after the roll call and was present for the Session on .
G. Murrell Smith John King Carl Anderson Jerry Govan Walton J. McLeod Chris Hart Harold Mitchell
The SPEAKER granted Rep. NORRELL a leave of absence for the day due to a family commitment .
The SPEAKER granted Rep. GOLDFINCH a leave of absence for the day due to family reasons.
The SPEAKER granted Rep. GAMBRELL a leave of absence for the day due to medical reasons.
The SPEAKER granted Rep. W. J. MCLEOD a temporary leave of absence.
Rep. ERICKSON signed a statement with the Clerk that she came in after the roll call of the House and was present for the Session on Tuesday, January 21.
Rep. QUINN signed a statement with the Clerk that he came in after the roll call of the House and was present for the Session on Wednesday, January 15.
Announcement was made that Dr. Gary Culbertson was the Doctor of the Day for the General Assembly.
Reps. G. R. SMITH, BANNISTER and BEDINGFIELD presented to the House the Mauldin High School Boys Cross Country Team, the 2013 AAAA State Champions, their coaches and other school officials.
The SPEAKER granted Rep. G. M. SMITH a leave of absence for the remainder of the day due to a doctor's appointment.
The following Bill was taken up:
H. 3764 (Word version) -- Reps. Long, K. R. Crawford, Norrell, Knight, Erickson, Barfield, Delleney, Dillard, Douglas, Gagnon, Henderson, Loftis, Newton, Pope, Ridgeway, Spires, Stringer and Wood: A BILL TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, SO AS TO ENACT THE "NONEMBRYONIC AND NONFETAL CELL THERAPY ACT" BY ADDING ARTICLE 15 TO CHAPTER 43, TITLE 44 SO AS TO AUTHORIZE THE ESTABLISHMENT AND OPERATION OF NONEMBRYONIC AND NONFETAL CELL OR TISSUE BANKS; TO DEFINE NONEMBRYONIC AND NONFETAL CELL FOR PURPOSES OF THE ARTICLE; TO PROHIBIT STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTAL AUTHORITIES FROM REGULATING NONEMBRYONIC AND NONFETAL CELL OR TISSUE BANKS OR FROM TAKING DISCIPLINARY ACTION OR IMPOSING PENALTIES OR CIVIL OR CRIMINAL LIABILITY FOR ENGAGING IN ACTIVITIES AUTHORIZED BY THIS ARTICLE; TO PROHIBIT LICENSING BOARDS FROM ABSOLVING THEMSELVES OF THE RESPONSIBILITY TO REGULATE LICENSEES OR TO REGULATE PROCEDURES USED TO PERFORM THE ACTIVITIES PERMITTED PURSUANT TO THIS ARTICLE; TO PROHIBIT IMMUNITY FROM PENALTIES OR CIVIL AND CRIMINAL LIABILITY FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO FAIL TO EXERCISE REASONABLE CARE IN PROVIDING SERVICES PURSUANT TO THIS ARTICLE; AND TO ESTABLISH QUALIFICATIONS AND LIMITATIONS PERTAINING TO THE PURCHASE, COMPOUNDING, DELIVERY, AND ADMINISTRATION OF NONEMBRYONIC AND NONFETAL CELLS.
The Committee on Judiciary proposed the following Amendment No. 1 to H. 3764 (COUNCIL\NBD\3764C001.NBD.VR13), which was adopted:
Amend the bill, as and if amended, by deleting Section 44-43-1550(2), as contained in SECTION 1, page 3, and inserting:
/ (2) a physician licensed or authorized in this State by the South Carolina Board of Medical Examiners to practice medicine or health care to others if the mode of delivery used by the person to deliver the nonembryonic and nonfetal cells is a mode of delivery permitted under the person's license or authorization. /
Amend the bill further, by deleting section 44-43-1570(B), as contained in SECTION 1, beginning on page 3, and inserting:
/ (B) A physician who is licensed or authorized in this State by the South Carolina Board of Medical Examiners to practice medicine or health care to others may administer, or assist in the administration of, to a person described in subsection (A)(1), the imported compound, drug, or other treatment to a person described in subsection (A) if the mode of delivery used to deliver the nonembryonic and nonfetal cells by the person who is licensed or authorized in this State is a mode of delivery permitted under the person's license or authorization." /
Renumber sections to conform.
Amend title to conform.
Rep. COLE explained the amendment.
The amendment was then adopted.
The yeas and nays were taken resulting as follows:
Those who voted in the affirmative are:
Alexander Allison Anderson Anthony Atwater Bales Ballentine Bannister Barfield Bedingfield Bingham Bowen Bowers Branham Brannon R. L. Brown Burns Chumley Clemmons Clyburn Cobb-Hunter Cole H. A. Crawford K. R. Crawford Crosby Daning Delleney Dillard Douglas Edge Erickson Felder Finlay Forrester Funderburk Gagnon Gilliard Govan Hamilton Hardee Hardwick Harrell Hart Hayes Henderson Herbkersman Hiott Hixon Hodges Horne Hosey Howard Huggins Jefferson Kennedy Limehouse Loftis Long Lowe Lucas Mack McCoy McEachern M. S. McLeod Merrill Mitchell D. C. Moss V. S. Moss Munnerlyn Murphy Nanney Neal Newton Norman R. L. Ott Parks Patrick Pitts Pope Putnam Quinn Ridgeway Riley Rivers Robinson-Simpson Rutherford Ryhal Sandifer Simrill Skelton J. E. Smith J. R. Smith Sottile Southard Spires Stavrinakis Stringer Tallon Taylor Thayer Toole Weeks Wells White Whitmire Willis Wood
Those who voted in the negative are:
So, the Bill, as amended, was read the second time and ordered to third reading.
I was temporarily out of the Chamber on constituent business during the vote on H. 3764. If I had been present, I would have voted in favor of the Bill.
Rep. Patsy Knight
The following Bill was taken up:
H. 4521 (Word version) -- Reps. Newton, Herbkersman and Bowers: A BILL TO AMEND SECTION 7-7-330, AS AMENDED, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE DESIGNATION OF VOTING PRECINCTS IN JASPER COUNTY, SO AS TO ADD A PRECINCT AND TO REDESIGNATE THE MAP NUMBER ON WHICH THE NAME OF THESE PRECINCTS MAY BE FOUND AND MAINTAINED BY THE OFFICE OF RESEARCH AND STATISTICS OF THE STATE BUDGET AND CONTROL BOARD.
The yeas and nays were taken resulting as follows:
Those who voted in the affirmative are:
Allison Anthony Atwater Bales Bannister Bedingfield Bernstein Bingham Bowen Bowers Branham Brannon G. A. Brown R. L. Brown Burns Chumley Clemmons Clyburn Cole K. R. Crawford Crosby Delleney Dillard Douglas Edge Erickson Felder Finlay Forrester Gagnon Govan Hamilton Hardee Hardwick Hart Henderson Herbkersman Hixon Hodges Hosey Howard Huggins Kennedy Knight Limehouse Loftis Long Lowe Lucas McCoy McEachern M. S. McLeod Mitchell D. C. Moss V. S. Moss Nanney Newton Norman Owens Parks Patrick Pitts Pope Putnam Quinn Ridgeway Riley Robinson-Simpson Rutherford Ryhal Sabb Sandifer Sellers Simrill J. R. Smith Southard Spires Tallon Taylor Weeks Wells White Whitmire Willis Wood
Those who voted in the negative are:
So, the Bill was read the second time and ordered to third reading.
Upon the withdrawal of requests for debate by Reps. FORRESTER, HAMILTON, JEFFERSON, WELLS, TAYLOR, NEAL and HART, the following Bill was taken up:
H. 3644 (Word version) -- Reps. Loftis, Gagnon, Herbkersman, Lowe, Lucas, D. C. Moss, H. L. Ott, Pitts, Toole and Bowers: A BILL TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 13-1-390 SO AS TO ESTABLISH WITHIN THE DIVISION OF STATE DEVELOPMENT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE THE CLEAN ENERGY INDUSTRY MARKET DEVELOPMENT ADVISORY COUNCIL AND PROVIDE FOR ITS MEMBERSHIP AND FUNCTIONS; TO AMEND SECTION 12-6-3588, RELATING TO THE RENEWABLE ENERGY TAX CREDIT INCENTIVE PROGRAM, SO AS TO REDESIGNATE THE PROGRAM THE SOUTH CAROLINA CLEAN ENERGY TAX INCENTIVE PROGRAM, TO REVISE DEFINITIONS TO EXTEND THE CREDIT TO ADDITIONAL FORMS OF ENERGY PRODUCTION AND OPERATIONS, TO DECREASE INVESTMENT THRESHOLDS AND DECREASE JOB CREATION THRESHOLDS FOR QUALIFYING FOR THE CREDIT AND MAKE THE CREDIT, PREVIOUSLY DUE TO EXPIRE DECEMBER 31, 2015, AVAILABLE THROUGH 2019 AND TO REVISE CREDIT ADMINISTRATION PROCEDURES; AND TO AMEND SECTION 12-6-3600, AS AMENDED, RELATING TO THE INCOME TAX CREDIT FOR CORN-BASED ETHANOL OR SOY-BASED BIODIESEL PRODUCTION IN THIS STATE, SO AS TO EXTEND THE CREDIT TO ALL LIQUID FUELS DERIVED FROM RENEWABLE SOURCES, MAKE CONFORMING DEFINITIONS, REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF LIQUID FUEL ELIGIBLE FOR THE CREDIT, AND TO EXTEND THE PERIOD DURING WHICH THE CREDIT MAY BE CLAIMED THROUGH 2019.
Rep. SANDIFER moved to adjourn debate on the Bill until Tuesday, January 28, which was agreed to.
The Veto on the following Act was taken up:
(R. 94) H. 3342 (Word version) -- Reps. Hart and King: AN ACT TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 17-15-175 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT AFTER AN INITIAL APPEARANCE, A CIRCUIT COURT JUDGE MAY NOT ISSUE A BENCH WARRANT FOR FAILURE TO APPEAR UPON MOTION BY A SOLICITOR UNLESS THE SOLICITOR HAS POSTED CERTAIN NOTICE BEFORE THE BENCH WARRANT IS ISSUED AND TO PROVIDE AN EXCEPTION.
Rep. WEEKS moved to adjourn debate on the Veto until Thursday, January 23, which was agreed to.
The Senate Amendments to the following Bill were taken up for consideration:
S. 308 (Word version) -- Senators Bennett, Shealy, Grooms, Hembree, L. Martin, Massey, Campbell, Turner, Thurmond, Bryant, Verdin, S. Martin, Davis, Bright, Corbin, Campsen, Fair and Cromer: A BILL TO AMEND SECTION 16-23-465 OF THE 1976 CODE, RELATING TO THE CARRYING OF A CONCEALED WEAPON IN A BUSINESS THAT SELLS ALCOHOL TO BE CONSUMED ON THE PREMISES, TO PERMIT THE POSSESSION OF A WEAPON UNLESS NOTICE OF A PROHIBITION IS PROVIDED BY THE BUSINESS, TO PROHIBIT THE CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES IN A BUSINESS BY SOMEONE CARRYING A FIREARM, AND TO REDUCE THE PENALTIES FOR VIOLATIONS.
Rep. PITTS explained the Senate Amendments.
Rep. J. E. SMITH made the Point of Order that the Senate Amendments were improperly before the House for consideration since its number and title have not been printed in the House Calendar at least one statewide legislative day prior to second reading.
The SPEAKER sustained the Point of Order.
Rep. D. C. MOSS moved that the House recede until 6:45 p.m., which was agreed to.
At 7:00 p.m. the Senate appeared in the Hall of the House. The President of the Senate called the Joint Assembly to order and announced that it had convened under the terms of a Concurrent Resolution adopted by both Houses.
H. 4486 (Word version) -- Reps. Harrell, Lucas, Delleney, Hardwick, Howard, Owens, Sandifer, White, Bannister and Rutherford: A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION INVITING HER EXCELLENCY, NIKKI HALEY, GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA, TO ADDRESS THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY IN JOINT SESSION AT 7:00 P.M. ON WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2014, IN THE CHAMBER OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
Governor Nikki Haley and distinguished party were escorted to the rostrum by Senators Setzler, Leatherman, Peeler, Matthews, and L. Martin and Representatives HAMILTON, BALLENTINE, MCEACHERN, GEORGE and H. A. CRAWFORD. The President of the Senate introduced Governor Haley, who then addressed the Joint Assembly as follows:
Mr. Speaker, Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen of the General Assembly, Constitutional Officers, and my fellow South Carolinians:
Let us start tonight, as we have rightfully done in the past, by honoring those heroes we lost over the last year. It is my sincere prayer that a year will come that there are no names for us to read.
So now, please join me as we pay tribute to those who gave the last full measure of devotion in the service of their state and country:
Specialist Ember M. Alt, Beech Island
Deputy Sheriff Joseph C. Antwine, Lake City
Private First Class Barrett L. Austin, Easley
Volunteer Firefighter Michael L. Broz, Ridgeville
Deputy First Class Timothy E. Causey, Nichols
Deputy Sheriff Robert L. Evans, Lugoff
Assistant Chief Rodney C. Hardee, Loris
First Sergeant Inez "Renee" Odom-Baker, U.S. Army-Retired, Cayce
Chief Warrant Officer Curtis "Skinny" Reagan, Summerville
On behalf of all South Carolinians, to their families, know we will never forget. I am blessed to have the support of an amazing family. Both sets of parents, my brothers, and my sister. But more than anything, I am the proud mom of two amazing kids who keep me grounded. To them I am "Just Mom" and nothing makes me happier. Please help me welcome Nalin who is now 12 and my star basketball player, and Rena who is now 15 and my happy cheerleader!
I am touched, honored, and so fortunate to be a military spouse. Michael's deployment to Afghanistan played out a little more publicly than we would have wished. It was a trying time for the kids. Many told me the year would go by fast. It didn't. But we are all thrilled and I am a happy girl to be able to say I have my soldier home. Please help me welcome back the coolest First Man, Michael Haley.
One of the best things about giving this speech each January is it gives me the opportunity to celebrate some of the people and deeds that have made us all smile. Last year we had one in particular that showed the country her exceptional grace and talent. Candice Glover wowed the nation when she won American Idol. And when I met her, she wowed me. Candace is an inspiration, a shining example of what it means to never give up. She was forced to audition three times before she ever made the live show. But once she got her chance, she grabbed it with both hands and never let go.
Candice, the daughter of John and Carole Glover, is the oldest of seven children and a graduate of Beaufort High School. John and Carole, you are amazing parents and raised an exceptional daughter, a wonderful young woman who portrays South Carolina in the best possible light. Please help me congratulate, thank, and celebrate our very own American Idol, Candice Glover. You have made your home state incredibly proud.
I can't go any further without talking about what happened in this State House yesterday. And I'll start by saying this -- Carroll Campbell, the father of restructuring in our State, is smiling down on South Carolina this evening. They say that good things come to those who wait. And while patience has not always been my strong suit, the passage of the Department of Administration, the biggest and most important piece of government reform South Carolina has seen in two decades, was well worth the wait. That we are able to celebrate this win is the product of a lot of work by a lot of people. But there are a few who have been down in the trenches fighting to make this a reality, and I'm going to take a moment to single them out: Representative Garry Smith, Representative Jay Lucas, Representative Greg Delleney, former-Representative Jim Harrison, Senator Vincent Sheheen, Senator Thomas Alexander, Senator Larry Martin, and Senator Shane Massey. Thank you. South Carolina is a better place for your efforts.
There is not time tonight for me to go into all the good that will come from this change, but I will say this: the Budget and Control Board -- what I call the big, green, ugly monster -- is dead, and with it the legacy of a backwards administrative government that was as wasteful as it was clumsy, as inefficient as it was embarrassing. We are a better state today. We will be a better state tomorrow. And yesterday truly was a great day in South Carolina.
And just think, if we can do this in the first two weeks of session, how much we can accomplish over the next six months if we choose to work together. Tonight marks the fourth time I have stood in this Chamber and described to you and our fellow South Carolinians where I believe our State stands, and more importantly, where I believe she can go.
Time flies. But during that time, much has been accomplished, and South Carolina is in a far different place than we were in January of 2011. Ladies and gentlemen, I'm pleased to report that the state of our State is strong. And that we're just getting started.
It's important that we take a look at why our State is on the move, because our successes have so much to teach us. The Bible tells us that, "If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand." President Lincoln famously applied that truth to our Nation. I believe it applies to South Carolina.
There is no state in this country, no place in the world, that has more potential than we do. But for too long we weren't realizing it. For too long we were held back by our differences, whether they were political or regional or personal. For too long we failed to understand that we are a team, and that the success or failure of our State is determined by our ability to work together. And work together we have.
Governor Campbell, whose portrait now hangs in the library at the residence, believed that if you give a person a job, you take care of a family. Three years ago, we had a lot of families to take care of. Team South Carolina was formed, and we have never looked back.
The changes in South Carolina over the last few years are not the result of one person, or one city, or one region. We have realized that what is good for Charleston is good for Greenville, what is good for Orangeburg is good for Aiken, even what is good for Clemson is good for South Carolina.
We have realized that if we are going to truly lift up South Carolina, we have to lift up all of South Carolina. And what a difference it has made.
We have announced over 43,000 new jobs, in 45 out of 46 counties. We have seen almost $10 billion invested in South Carolina. We have seen 186 expansions of existing companies, the ultimate compliment a business can give a state.
We have seen the revival of our manufacturing industry, with the announcement of more than 26,000 new manufacturing jobs. We've seen the unemployment rate of our National Guardsmen drop twelve full percentage points, from sixteen down to four.
We have seen companies from twenty-five foreign countries decide that they want to do business on American soil, right here in South Carolina.
We have seen the time it takes for an unemployed South Carolinian to find a job decrease by a full month. We have seen the lowest unemployment rate in five years -- and seen our rate fall 2/3 faster than the national rate.
We are being referred to, which I love, as the "Beast of the Southeast." We now have the fastest growing economy on the east coast. And 70,000 more South Carolinians are working today than were just three years ago.
That is progress. That is real. That is the state I am so proud of, each and every day. And that is proof that when we come together there is nothing we can't accomplish.
I have invited here tonight some special guests, new friends and old, who have this year invested their capital and their future in South Carolina and her people. Please join me in giving them a warm welcome.
Please stand when I call your name.
Representing 200 jobs in Aiken County, from Recleim, Pete Davis
Representing 200 jobs in Dillon County, from Harbor Freight Tools USA, Inc., Greg Elmore
Representing 145 jobs in Horry County, from PTR Industries, Josh Fiorini
Representing 500 jobs in Fairfield County, from Element Electronics, Mike O'Shaughnessy
Representing 318 jobs in Chester County, from JN Fibers, Inc., Mark Bachner
Representing 134 jobs in Richland County, from Dayton Rogers Manufacturing Co., Ron Lowry
Representing 149 jobs in Greenville County, from Kimura, Inc., Shoji Kimura
Representing 1200 jobs in Berkeley County, from Benefitfocus, Shawn Jenkins
Representing 501 jobs in Lancaster County, from Keer America Corporation, Wally Wang
Thank you for making our home, your home.
Today, the entire country is looking at South Carolina and all she has to offer. But we can't take our success for granted. As President Kennedy said, "Time and the world do not stand still. Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future."
Our future is bright, but we have to stay one step ahead in order to compete. And competing globally means always strengthening our business climate, continuing to prepare our workforce, and fighting back the federal government when they push to treat every state the same.
Every year, standing here, I have asked you to join me in decreasing the tax burden we place on the families and the businesses of South Carolina. This budget year is the third year in a row that we've cut taxes for our small businesses. That's a huge thing -- and sends a message to companies both within and outside of our borders that we value them, their contributions to our State, and that in South Carolina they will always be taken care of. But we have to do so much more. Just look around us. Last year North Carolina passed one of the largest income tax cuts in its state's history. Tennessee, our constant competitor for new companies, investments, and jobs, has no income tax. Likewise Florida and Texas.
Our tax code needs to be simpler, flatter, and fairer. And a year should not pass where we fail to move further down that road. In this years' budget, I have renewed my call for the citizens of our State to receive a tax cut of their own, this time eliminating the six percent individual income tax bracket.
This simple change will put money back into the pockets of South Carolina's working families -- and I ask that you join me in giving our taxpayers some additional relief. Infrastructure must also remain a priority. We are blessed to have, in the Port of Charleston, an asset that is the envy of our friends and competitors in states across the nation. Year after year we are breaking export record after export record. But our port is only as good as our manufacturers' ability to get their product to it -- quickly, safely, and cheaply.
Last year, using revenue we already had, we were able to pass into law the largest investment in South Carolina's roads and bridges in more than two decades. A billion dollars. And we did it without raising taxes. South Carolinians are about to see orange cones popping up all across our State. It's a beautiful thing.
And I want to thank Chairman Brian White and Senator Harvey Peeler for helping make that happen. But we know there's more work to be done. You might ask the question, "How do we pay for it?"
And my answer will be, "Not by hiking taxes." We proved last year that we can invest in our roads and bridges with the dollars we already have. Raising the gas tax -- forcing our people and our businesses to pay more for the simple act of getting around -- is not an option for me.
I will veto any bill that reaches my desk that raises taxes on gasoline. Unlike during the recession, this is a good budget year, with enough revenue coming into Columbia that will allow us to make smart new investments in education, roads, and public safety. That didn't just happen by magic. And it didn't happen because we raised taxes or put more burdens on businesses and families.
We have a steady and strong flow of revenue into Columbia because we have the fastest growing economy on the east coast and unemployment is down to its lowest level in five years. If we start raising taxes, rolling over for federal mandates, and crippling our businesses, we will damage our growing economy, and we will bring in less revenue, not more. Most importantly, we will stop the amazing progress we're making in putting our people back to work.
So instead, this year, as last, our budget writers should take the additional revenue that inevitably appears after our budget is balanced -- what I call "the money tree," -- and invest it in our infrastructure.
Since 2005, the "money tree" that falls every year has averaged more than 106 million dollars. According to the Department of Transportation, those dollars, invested the right way, will be worth more than 1.3 billion in additional road and bridge improvements. That is prioritizing. That is our job.
It will come as no surprise to anyone who has heard me speak or has watched this Administration, that it is my firm belief that the federal government causes far more harm to South Carolina than good. Those running the federal government make our job more difficult, day in and day out. Unfortunately, that is simply the reality we are faced with. What is not a reality in South Carolina, however, is the idea that we simply have to take every problem the feds send our way. We don't, and we haven't.
Those of us who fought the President's disastrous healthcare plan have watched as predictions of lost coverage, rising costs, and unprecedented dysfunction have come true. Obamacare is damaging to the country, and it is damaging to South Carolina. Premiums will skyrocket. All our citizens who like their plans will not in fact be able to keep them. Quality of care will suffer, and so too, will patients.
But as a state, and as an elected government, we will not be victims in this process. We rejected the federal government's less than generous offer to run a state exchange, an offer that would have Washington bureaucrats dictating the exchange and South Carolinians paying for it. And, with your help, we emphatically said no to the central component of Obamacare, the expansion of a broken Medicaid program that is already cannibalizing our budget, and would completely destroy it in the years to come.
These were not decisions made lightly, without thought or analysis. But I am fully convinced that South Carolina will be better for them, and I pledge to you this: we will continue to fight Obamacare every step of the way. While we oppose Obamacare, we have an obligation when the federal government stands in our way to get creative and figure out how to better serve our citizens.
We've certainly done that in healthcare, working within the system to increase transparency and drive costs out of Medicaid. And this year, we are proposing a new way to cut the waiting lists for the neediest among us, providing 1,400 disabled South Carolinians with the care they've been deprived of far too long.
But there is no greater example of South Carolina getting resourceful and innovative with a federal program than the way we have tackled welfare. One of my focuses since the day I took the oath of office has been to change the perception of South Carolina. We have so much to be thankful for, so much to be proud of -- I want every citizen, in and out of our State, to feel the same way about South Carolina that I do.
Travelling the state, I often heard the complaint that there were too many dependent on government assistance. There was a belief that some of our fellow South Carolinians were choosing to remain on welfare rather than get a job. I don't believe that.
We are a proud, resilient people, South Carolinians. Given the opportunity, we want to make a better life for ourselves and our families. But with the old welfare system, that opportunity didn't always exist.
Under the leadership of Lillian Koller, a dedicated and innovative public servant who was once named the nation's Public Official of the Year, we've changed that. Previously, with Washington having its way, we would handle welfare recipients by asking a few simple questions, effectively checking a box, and handing over a check.
Easy in, easy out. But no one improves their lot in life that way. Now we do things differently. Instead of just asking routine questions designed to do little more than meet numbers and process people, we dig deeper. We ask them about their skills, what they are good at. We ask them what they like, what they want to do. And then, together with our ever-willing business community, we find them a job.
Yes, it seems like a simple concept, but here's the deal: it works. Since starting this program in 2011, we have moved more than 20,000 South Carolinians from welfare-to-work. We should all be proud of this program. But more than that, we should be proud of those workers, those South Carolinians who traded the false stability of a welfare check for the true dignity of a well-earned paycheck.
We should all remember what this success story proves -- that those out there struggling day-to-day, they don't want to spend their lives on the couch. They want a chance for more, to make their children proud. It is our responsibility to give them that chance, and I couldn't be more proud of the fact that, here and now, it's a responsibility we continue to fulfill.
There is more to changing the perception of South Carolina than putting people back to work. Much more. And it starts with all of us in the Chamber here tonight. The 20th Century Supreme Court Justice, Louis Brandeis, once remarked "The most important political office is that of the private citizen." I believe that, with everything I have. But sometimes, those of us in public office forget those words.
When that happens the consequences -- for us, for our shared constituents, for our system of representative democracy -- are devastating. When we lose the public trust, when we lose their confidence, we lose the ability to govern. Last year in this very speech I took great pains to outline why, sadly, we are dangerously close to losing the trust of the South Carolina public.
I listed the shameful way the ethics laws and standards for South Carolina elected officials were ranked by independent watchdogs. I thought about doing so again tonight. But then I realized there was no need. There was no need because we all already know. We know that the ethics laws we have are not good enough. We know that the public deserves better than the government we are giving them.
We know that South Carolina needs stronger and clearer ethics laws, and we know we need it this year. We know that we are one of just four states that don't require income disclosures, and we know we can't wait until we are the very last to fix the problem.
We know that South Carolinians want an investigative process they can believe in, and we know that means a truly independent process. No more House members investigating House members. No more Senators investigating Senators. Most of all, we know we have to do better. Public officials should not fear more transparency. We should not fear fair and independent investigations. We should embrace them -- because we should have nothing to hide from the people we serve. The good news is that in one year we have made real progress.
The House has passed the strongest ethics reform bill in a generation. The Senate, in large part, thanks to the perseverance of Chairman Larry Martin, moved that bill quickly through the committee process.
I would be remiss if I didn't again thank Attorneys General Henry McMaster and Travis Medlock for the remarkable reform package they put together, and if I did not give special recognition to Senator Chip Campsen, Senator Wes Hayes, and Representative Rick Quinn for their leadership in helping to push this legislation forward. But we're not done yet.
As the Senate is poised this month for debate, I ask you not to water down this historic reform. I ask that you not make excuses. And I ask each and every one of you -- Republican and Democrat, Senator and House Member -- to send me a strong ethics reform bill this year and show the people of this State that we, as their elected representatives, deserve their trust.
Just two days ago our Nation celebrated the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. It goes without saying that he wrote and said much of great consequence in a life cut altogether too short, but one particular sentiment struck me: Dr. King said, "There comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular, but he must take it because conscience tells him it is right." That call to conscience could apply to the ethics laws I just spoke about, and the need to restore the public's faith in our government. But to me it had a different meaning, it struck a different cord. What weighs on me is the education of South Carolina's children. The time has come for us to do what is right.
Many of you may know by now the story of my educational experience -- it's something I've been talking about for years -- but I think it bears repeating here. I was born and raised in Bamberg and went to school in a brick box. We didn't know what we didn't have, but we always took care of each other. Now my daughter Rena attends the brand new River Bluff High School in Lexington, where every classroom has a 72-inch television and every child has an iPad.
I wish I could say that was generational progress. But the thing is, it is progress based on geography, not on generational advancement. Because when I went back to Bamberg to give an anti-bullying speech, the school didn't even have the equipment to show a video.
That's wrong. It's immoral. And it has to change. I still remember what it was like as a young girl in Bamberg. I remember the feeling of seeing other schools that were bigger and nicer than ours and wondering what that must be like. Our kids should never feel that they are more or less worthy based on where they live. Our children should all feel like they have every opportunity to be as successful as they dream to be. And South Carolina can no longer accept that the quality of our children's education will be determined by where they are born and raised. In truth, I came to you last year knowing much of this -- my childhood experiences certainly haven't changed in the last twelve months, and Rena was getting a wonderful education long before she moved to River Bluff.
What I didn't know was exactly how to change it. So I asked for help -- and as I have found to be the case time and again, the people of South Carolina delivered just what was needed. The education conversation we started one year ago was one of the most interesting and enlightening experiences I've had as governor.
I want to acknowledge the legislators who participated in this process with me -- Senator John Courson, Senator Wes Hayes, Senator John Matthews, Senator Nikki Setzler, Representative Kenny Bingham,
Representative Jackie Hayes, and Representative Phil Owens. You came into this with an open mind and a willingness to work, and to listen, and for that I thank you.
We met with teachers. We met with parents. We met with former state Superintendents, Republican and Democrat. We met with administrators and principals, business leaders and deans. We learned a lot, and we formed a plan. A plan centered on the idea that in South Carolina, we need to take targeted approaches to education in a way that that drives results for our kids.
We looked at the way we fund education at the state level. We found our formula to be outdated and misguided, and that as a result we are not doing the best job of directing dollars to the areas that need them most. Today, our primary funding formula doesn't account for children who are gifted or those who require individual instruction. We don't account for children who have difficulty speaking English. We don't account for those adult students, ages 17-21, who are still pursuing a diploma or a GED. But the most glaring failure on our part has been the failure to acknowledge that it simply costs more to educate a child in poverty. Research shows that the cost of teaching low-income students with proven methods is roughly $1,200 more per child.
As a state, we can't afford to ignore that any longer. Under our proposed changes, school districts will receive 20 percent more in state dollars for each child that falls into the poverty index. In real terms, this simple change means that next year almost $100 million more will flow to South Carolina's neediest children. We cannot spend an unlimited amount on our schools. And money, for sure, is far from the only answer to our problems in education. What we can do is be smarter about how we spend and what we spend. We can make sure it is going where it is most needed, where it will make the most difference. That starts this year.
We have fallen into the bad habit in South Carolina of promoting students through grade levels before they are ready. Teachers don't want to do this. They feel pressure, from administrators and districts and school boards, to keep children moving and to keep numbers up. And they feel pressure, from everywhere, not to damage a child socially by keeping them back. To that I would simply say that a child who cannot read at the level of his or her peers is already damaged socially. Because a child who cannot read is a child who cannot learn. Studies show that children who cannot read proficiently by the end of the third grade are four times more likely to not graduate high school on time.
And South Carolina ranks 42nd in the country when it comes to our fourth graders' ability to read at a basic level. Those two statistics together paint a dangerous picture for South Carolina's future. But we can turn the tide. With Governor Jeb Bush, Florida undertook one of the most meaningful transformations in education this country has ever seen. And when I asked Jeb, he told me the most important thing they did was teach those kids to read. We're going to follow that model. Every elementary school in South Carolina will be offered a reading coach to make sure that no child leaves the third grade unable to read.
And we are going to increase our investment in summer reading camps to make sure that students don't regress from year-to-year, and that in places like Allendale or Dillon that may have fewer opportunities outside the school year, our kids have a safe and productive way to spend their summers. It has been said, "To learn to read is to light a fire ..."
We can light that fire in the mind of every child in South Carolina, change the fortunes of generations of children yet to come, and forever alter the direction of our State. Earlier I spoke briefly about my trip to Bamberg, and the gap that exists in technology between our schools that have and those that have-not.
Technology is the future -- not just in education, but in all aspects of our lives. We cannot pretend that we are preparing South Carolina's children for the world that awaits if some of them remain unaware of what that world looks like. Especially when that lack of awareness is not their choice but is imposed upon them by circumstance, or worse, by our indifference.
South Carolina is going to invest in education technology in a way we never have before. We are going to make sure that the Internet gets to our schools. We are going to make sure those schools are wired to receive it. We are going to provide the tools -- computers, tablets, and instructional materials -- so that our teachers can get the most out of our investment and out of our students. And South Carolina's schools are going to be equipped to compete with any school, in any state.
The most impactful meeting I had over the last year was with a group of about fifty teachers from across this State. They were in a difficult place. They know the problems with our schools. They see them firsthand every single day. What they so desperately want is for us to help them help our kids. In many ways, past debates over education had damaged their confidence. When we are not careful about how we talk about our very real educational needs, we can beat down the very teachers who are the special link between a child and his or her education.
That has to stop. We have to support our teachers with the right training and with the right attitude about what our schools are achieving, and what they can achieve in the future. These are big changes we're calling for, I know. I also know that big changes are not always easy. But the size of these changes pales when compared to the size of their importance. We can make them. We can transform education in South Carolina, and we can do it without raising a single tax and without taking a single existing dollar away from a single district.
When those changes seem too big, or too hard, remember at the core there is just a simple question. Are we willing to stand two children side by side, and tell one, that through no fault of his own, he is going to attend a school with less, while at the same time telling the other she will have every ounce of support she needs to thrive?
I can tell you I am not. And I hope you'll join me. I started tonight proclaiming the state of our State to be strong. I believe the path I've outlined here tonight will make South Carolina even stronger. It's a path that creates jobs at a much faster rate than the rest of the country. A path that moves more people from welfare-to-work. A path that cleans up our ethics laws. And a path that gives every child -- no matter the circumstances of their birth -- a chance at success.
Last year, the world lost an iconic woman, and I, a personal hero. Margaret Thatcher was a towering figure of history, a force for what was right and what was good. She will be missed. But her words will remain with us. "Look at a day when you are supremely satisfied at the end. It's not a day when you lounge around doing nothing; it's when you've had everything to do, and you've done it." South Carolina is in a far better place than just a few short years ago.
But we still, in Lady Thatcher's words, "have everything to do." We can keep South Carolina surging forward. We can create new opportunities and tackle our challenges. We can continue to make South Carolina the best place in America to live, work, and raise a family. But I can't do it alone. I ask each one of you in this Chamber to lend your support and your energies to securing the future of the state we all love so dearly.
It's a future that is just so bright. Thank you, God bless you, and may He continue to bless the great State of South Carolina.
The purposes of the Joint Assembly having been accomplished, the PRESIDENT announced that under the terms of the Concurrent Resolution the Joint Assembly would recede from business.
The Senate accordingly retired to its Chamber.
At 7:44 p.m. the House resumed, the SPEAKER in the Chair.
Rep. COBB-HUNTER moved that the House do now adjourn, which was agreed to.
At 7:46 p.m. the House, in accordance with the motion of Rep. RIDGEWAY, adjourned in memory of William "Gregg" Gregory IV, of Manning, to meet at 10:00 a.m. tomorrow.
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