House Week in Review

As the session moves along, there are more bills coming to the floor for debate. This week there were several bills up for debate.

S. 62 Education Scholarship Trust Fund.

This bill got most of the attention. The bill deals with the Education Scholarship Trust Fund. There was a bill signed into law last session that was found to be problematic by the State Supreme Court. The court ruled that the bill uses public money thus it cannot go directly to fund private schools. S. 62 is a new bill that some feel complies with the ruling. The Senate version directs Education Lottery Funds to the Education Trust Fund. The Education Trust Fund is designed to provide scholarships to students to attend any schools that can best suit the student’s needs.  

The bill was taken up by the House and it was amended several times. One of the amendments extends this program to all students. Another amendment changes the funding mechanism from the lottery funds to the state general funds. This, ultimately, was a deal-breaker for me. I voted against the bill. It passed anyway 79-38.

 

The following bills I voted for:

H. 3523 Organized Retail Crime and Aggravated Retail Crime

The House concurred in a Senate amendment to H. 3523, an effort to stem the rising number of ‘smash and grab’ incidents of retail thefts that are occurring, by creating the offenses of organized retail crime and aggravated retail crime. It has been enrolled for ratification and will head to the Governor for his signature once it has been ratified.

H. 3571 Underground Facility Damage Prevention Act

The House amended, approved, and sent the Senate H. 3571, a bill providing enhancements for the “Underground Facility Damage Prevention Act” with its requirements for providing notice to South Carolina’s 811 call center before engaging in excavation, tunneling, drilling, or other activities that might damage buried power lines, fiber optic cables, pipes, or other underground facilities. 

H. 3654 Child Welfare Records Access and Department of Children’s Advocacy Procedures and Responsibilities

The House has passed, and sent to the Senate, H. 3654 Child Welfare Records Access and Department of Children’s Advocacy Procedures and Responsibilities. Among other things, this bill would allow the Department of Children’s Advocacy, including guardians ad litem, and employees of its division of guardians ad litem, to provide child welfare reports to county guardian ad litem program staff, the guardian ad litem division, and the state’s child advocate. It also seeks to clarify that the Department of Children’s Advocacy could employ a Continuum of Care director, will hire a division director and staff, as well as continue to provide annual reports as it has been doing all along.

H. 3259 Personal Automobile Insurance Policies of First Responders

The House amended, approved, and sent the Senate. This bill addresses personal automobile insurance policies of first responders.  This legislation provides that, in determining the premium rates for a personal automobile insurance policy of a law enforcement officer, firefighter, paramedic, or emergency medical technician, it is unlawful to consider the work‑related driving records of the first responders if they are found to be noncontributing on a collision report or are involved in a collision when responding to an emergency call.  The provision applies to volunteer first responders and first responders employed by local, state, or federal governments.

H. 3048 Coroner Candidate Additional Qualifications

The House passed and sent this bill to the Senate. This bill would revise additional eligible qualifications, so that in order to be a viable candidate, the completion of a forensic science degree or certification program would count. Mere enrollment in either educational pursuit would no longer be considered an additional qualification should this bill be enacted.

H. 3629 Timberland

In an effort to help the declining timber industry, the House approved the committee’s amendment and gave second reading, with unanimous consent for third reading on next legislative day to H. 3629. The bill allows the Forestry Commission to acquire timberland (in addition to what is currently acquired) submarginal agricultural lands.  The legislation also cleans up and clarifies language as a result of the House Legislative Oversight Committee report on the State Forestry Commission.

H. 3447 HOA Forecloses on Property

The House amended, approved, and sent the Senate H. 3447, a bill requiring homeowners associations to provide homeowners with additional notice before a HOA forecloses on property.  The legislation provides that any homeowners association with the authority to foreclose on the property of a homeowners association member must in the case of a default by a defendant property owner make application for a rule to show cause to be issued to the defendant property owner.  No foreclosure sale may be noticed prior to the issuance of the rule to show cause.

H. 3947 Continuing Education Requirements for Real Estate Professionals

The House approved and sent the Senate H. 3947, a bill restoring reciprocity in continuing education requirements for real estate professionals between South Carolina and other states.  The legislation revises continuing education requirements for licensure renewal by South Carolina’s Real Estate Commission to provide that nonresident brokers and nonresident associates who successfully satisfy continuing education requirements of their jurisdiction of residence may be exempt from the continuing education requirements of this state with approval of the commission.

H. 3872  Managed Lands Owned by the Department of Natural Resources

The House approved the committee’s amendment and gave second, with unanimous consent for third reading on next legislative day to H. 3872, a bill dealing with managed lands owned by the Department of Natural Resources, under the Hunting Heritage Protection Act.  The Department of Natural Resources can only manage land that is owned.  As a result, the legislation deletes the reference “lease” land to ensure that there is no net loss of the department’s managed land for hunting and fishing.

S. 271  Timely Election of Public Service Commissioners

The House amended and returned S. 271 to the Senate. This joint resolution suspends for Calendar Year 2025 a provision prohibiting the General Assembly from holding an election for Public Service Commissioners until a final determination is made by the courts regarding its review of congressional districts’ compliance with statutory or constitutional requirements.