State lawmakers offered few new bill– just 43 — over the last week, a dearth of proposed legislation compared to more than 100 offered just about every week so far. The likely reason: Lots of committee meetings that kept senators and House members busy. Among key bills introduced:
IN THE SENATE
Car seats. S. 464 (Hutto) would require that the age for which children must sit in a “child passenger restraint” be increased from 5 to 7 years of age; and to prohibit kids from sitting in the front seat until age 13, with other provisions.
Parental rights. S. 468 (Bryant) calls for termination of parental rights for a biological parent if a child results from criminal sexual conduct by that parent, with other provisions.
IN THE HOUSE
Sales tax exemptions. H. 3671 (Horne) calls for removal of some sales tax exemptions with the resulting revenue going to public education and roads.
School funding. H. 3672 (Horne) calls for revising the complicated Education Finance Act school funding formula, with many provisions, including removing some sales tax exemptions. (50 page bill is rewrite of title 56; and deals with exemptions0
Disabled students. H. 3686 (Atwater) seeks to give parents the ability to enroll a disabled child in any school, including a private school, and for state funding to follow the child, with many provisions.
We Can Do Better, South Carolina!