The S.C. House on Tuesday passed what’s being called a “watered down” version of domestic violence reform — a move that may set up a confrontation with the state Senate.
As highlighted in this story, the S.C. House had two basic options in moving forward with toughening the state’s domestic violence laws — approve its own version or use a Senate-approved bill as a means to push through the House plan. In the latter strategy, the House could have stripped the Senate bill of language that would take guns away from domestic violence offenders and replace it with language that reformers say weakens the Senate measure.
But the House pushed ahead it its own bill, which means the Senate will have to send it through its committee process before it can reach the floor. By insisting on its own version, the possibility for final passage of a measure to pass domestic violence legislation in a state that has the second highest number of women in the country killed by men has more hurdles.
Nevertheless, House Speaker Jay Lucas said in a statement Tuesday: “Domestic violence reform is a priority for the House this year. The ideas we have put forth deserve considerable discussion and I am committed to working with Senate leadership and the Attorney General to ensure Governor [Nikki] Haley receives a bill on her desk for signature sooner rather than later.”
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