NEWS BRIEFS: A legislative report card; State of the State

Surprise: Most lawmakers get failing grades from conservative Club for Growth

The South Carolina Club for Growth this week gave good grades to seven state representatives and 11 state senators based on eight House votes and nine Senate votes from the 2015 legislative session. The conservative group flunked 119 legislators.

In the House, “pro-growth” positions by the club included “no” votes on gas tax increases and a “yes” vote on removing the Confederate flag. Just 12 lawmakers scored a C grade or better. No Democrats scored above an F, according to the group’s rating. Of the 60+ Republicans who scored a D or F were conservative House leaders such as Speaker Jay Lucas and Reps. Kenny Bingham, Greg Delleney and Brian White. Other Fs: Reps. Chris Corley and Mike Pitts, both of whom voted no on flag removal. See the House scores.

In the Senate, the Club endorsed “yes” votes on ethics reform and flag removal and “no” votes related to roads and cell phone tax increases. Fifteen state senators, all Republican, garnered grades of C or better. All Democrats and nine Republicans, including President Pro Tem Hugh Leatherman, scored Fs. See the Senate scores.

State of the State: “Bent” vs. “duped”

Gov. Nikki Haley this week outlined how South Carolina, touched by tragedy of shootings and flooding in 2015, is a different place — “bent, but not broken” — compared to a year ago.

In the annual State of the State address, Haley, at times emotional, pushed lawmakers to take advantage of unity to reform how the state deals with domestic violence, education and funding of roads.

“Disagreement does not have to mean division,” the governor said. “We are more than just members of warring political tribes, but brothers and sisters and fellow South Carolinians.” Haley’s full remarks.

Rep. Mandy Powers Norrell, the Lancaster Democrat who gave her party’s response, said the GOP needed to do a better job by stopping infighting.

She said the Republican Party had been in control of the state for 25 years and asked, “Are you proud of our public education system? Are you satisfied with the condition of our roads and bridges? Are you confident that if you got sick, you could afford the treatment? … During that time, Republicans have been in almost total control of state government. We’ve been duped.” Norrell’s full remarks.