NO. 55

Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

The Senate assembled at 11:00 A.M., the hour to which it stood adjourned, and was called to order by the ACTING PRESIDENT, Senator McELVEEN. (This is a Statewide Session day established under the provisions of Senate Rule 1B. Members not having scheduled committee or subcommittee meetings may be in their home districts without effect on their session attendance record.)

The following remarks by Senator SHEALY were ordered printed in the Journal of April 7, 2022:

I promise I really will be brief. This morning we had a very good subcommittee meeting with the Interim Director of the South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice. I think we have a very good candidate. Some of the things she mentioned that we have problems with are overcrowding, bad facilities and understaffing. Some of those things could have been solved by legislation we have on the Calendar, S. 22 and S. 53. S. 53 is a Bill we have worked on for a long time; it is not a Bill that has just come up this year or last year. It has been something Senator MALLOY has personally worked on for seven or eight years. I am a co-sponsor of that. S. 22 is a Bill that came out of the children's committee. Today was the last day we could have worked on those, but it is where it is.

So now, what we have to work on is electing good family court judges. I am going to suggest that all of you look at your family court judges when you elect them so we don't have so many status offenders locked behind bars at the Department of Juvenile Justice -- that's where a lot of our problems lie. I suggest we all work together to make DJJ a better place. There are a lot of problems there. It is our responsibility to make it better place. Senator MALLOY has put a lot of work into this legislation. If you have problems with it, work together to make it better. Don't just get into a big disagreement over what we've got there. So that is all I have to say. I am not going to take any questions or discuss it. You all know how I feel about it. My heart is with the children -- the children that are behind the fence, the children in foster care and group homes. The children of South Carolina are what I work for. I expect you all to do the same.

The following remarks by Senator MALLOY were ordered printed in the Journal of April 12, 2022:

Thank you Mr. PRESIDENT and members of the Senate. Being the great State that we are, we welcome people from all over the Nation and the world; we are very proud of our State. We are also the home of Coker University, many of you know it used be to called Coker College. Coker University has great students from all over, and I've had the chance to know many of them. Sadly, a little over two years ago, a family who entrusted their child to us here in South Carolina lost his life to gun violence. He was a really good lacrosse player, a happy kid, a friend to all. He loved sports, particularly lacrosse, and fishing and dirt bikes. He aspired to be a U.S. Marshall and was studying criminal justice. He always smiled with his face and hugged you with his heart. He was a peacemaker. He was a kid that you wanted to be around. He looked out for others, he was a protector, and he would've given you the shirt off his back. He was known for his smile and his demeanor and he never knew a stranger. He felt a responsibility to change his community and to be a part of that. He was a good-hearted kid, his dad's best friend and a great son to his mother. He is now enshrined as an honorary U.S. Marshall. Unfortunately, Garrett tragically, lost his life in Hartsville to gun violence -- a bystander -- a total bystander. I remember getting the call that night. This young man, Garrett Tazwell Bakhsh, is very deserving today in recognition, along with his parents. Brad and Natalie, please stand so you can be recognized. They have travelled here from the state of Maryland, they have a history of law enforcement in their background, and they entrusted their son to us here in South Carolina where he tragically, and through no fault of his own, lost his life. We're heartbroken. This is not who we are.

We are also joined today by Garrett's lacrosse team and the great folks visiting from Coker University in Hartsville. I ask that his coach please stand to be recognized. And now all of the young men on the men's lacrosse team from Coker University, in recognition of your fallen brother, would you please stand? I'd like to give these young men and their coach a round of applause for the work that they have done. You may be seated.

This family has handled this tragedy with dignity. They've handled this in the best way that is possible for a parent. It is a nightmare, and there are truly no words to describe what happened, and what should not have happened. So today I feel that it is altogether fitting and proper that the Senate have a Resolution to express our profound sorrow upon the passing Garrett Tazwell Bakhsh, and to express our deepest sympathy to his parents and all of those present.

The following was introduced:

S. 1259 (Word version) -- Senator Kimbrell: A BILL TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS ARTICLE 1, CHAPTER 47, TITLE 40 OF THE S.C. CODE, RELATING TO GENERAL PROVISIONS CONCERNING PHYSICIANS BY ADDING SECTION 40-47-205 SO AS TO PROHIBIT PHYSICIANS FROM PERFORMING GENDER REASSIGNMENT SURGERY ON MINORS, AND TO PROHIBIT PHYSICIANS FROM PRESCRIBING OR ADMINISTERING CERTAIN SUBSTANCES FOR THE PURPOSE OF ATTEMPTING TO ALTER THE APPEARANCE OF OR AFFIRM THE MINOR'S PERCEPTION OF HIS GENDER IF THAT APPEARANCE OR PERCEPTION IS INCONSISTENT WITH THE MINOR'S BIOLOGICAL SEX.
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Read the first time and referred to the Committee on Medical Affairs.

Senator PEELER from the Committee on Finance submitted a favorable with amendment report on:

H. 4408 (Word version) -- Rep. G.M. Smith: A JOINT RESOLUTION TO AUTHORIZE THE EXPENDITURE OF FEDERAL FUNDS DISBURSED TO THE STATE IN THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT OF 2021, AND TO SPECIFY THE MANNER IN WHICH THE FUNDS MAY BE EXPENDED.

Ordered for consideration tomorrow.

At 11:04 A.M., on motion of Senator SETZLER, the Senate adjourned to meet Monday, April 18, 2022, at 11:00 A.M. under the provisions of Rule 1 for the purpose of taking up local matters and uncontested matters which have previously received unanimous consent to be taken up.

This web page was last updated on Thursday, April 14, 2022 at 12:09 P.M.