About half of the 124 bills introduced over the last week were by Rep. Alan Clemmons, R-Horry, to recognize boys for becoming Eagle scouts. Key measures introduced included various plans to fund roads and restructure the state Department of Transportation; revisions for homestead exemptions; tax credits and more. Senators introduced only 23 bills.
IN THE SENATE
Budget board. S. 435 (Sheheen) calls for changes to state law to abolish the state Budget and Control Board and devolve it into state agencies.
Civics education. S. 437 (Campsen) is a Senate version of a bill seeking to require more civics education and a civics test for high schoolers. See Andy Brack’s commentary to learn more.
IN THE HOUSE
Financial literacy. H. 3542 (King) seeks to expand the scope of financial literacy education in several ways in high school and college.
Homestead exemption. H. 3551 (Hayes) seeks to increase the homestead exemption by $2,500. H. 3655 (Williams) is related.
Value guides. H. 3561 (McKnight) would require the state Department of Revenue to post vehicle value guides and manuals online.
School tax credit. H. 3562 (Herbkersman) calls for a local option school operating property tax credit to allow a credit against property tax levied in a county for school operations, with various provisions.
Surface water. H. 3564 (J.E. Smith) would require permitting for new withdrawals of surface water from rivers and lakes, with several provisions.
Transportation. H. 3566 (Atwater) would restructure the state Department of Transportation as a cabinet agency with many provisions. H. 3579 (Simrill) is an alternate plan that would continue the DOT as a state commission with board members, with several provisions. H. 3580 (Stringer) is similar to Atwater’s bill but adds provisions for an increased gas tax. H. 3661 (Pitts) is another roads and restructuring plan.
Golf carts. H. 3645 (Norman) would allow local governments to determine whether golf carts could operated on roads at night.
Child abuse. H. 3648 (Weeks) calls for the ability of mandated reporters of child abuse to be able to take photos or X-rays without parental consent, with many provisions.
Gas tax. H. 3650 (Chumley) calls for a gas tax increase to 21 cents per gallon, with other provisions, including an income tax exemption.
S.C. State. H. 3663 (Bingham) would devolve S.C. State University’s board and remove the current president, replacing him with an interim CEO that served the state Budget and Control Board, with other provisions.
We Can Do Better, South Carolina!