 |
        |
|
 |
|
Grassroots Newsletter Legislative Report Week Ending May 9, 2008 *Introductions of Interest*
IN THE HOUSE The House spent Wednesday and Thursday debating and amending both the immigration reform and budget bills, before returning them back to the Senate.
As expected, the debate was heated and centered around what forms of verification would be accepted by the State of South Carolina. Rep. Harry Ott (D) Calhoun, took the podium early in the debate and made a motion to amend H.3032 back to the original House version of S.392 that passed with overwhelming support not two months ago; that version would deal only with public contracts awarded by the state of South Carolina. Following extended debate which fell along party lines, it became evident that the majority GOP party was not going to support the bill that they had previously passed and the amendment was tabled by a vote of 70-41. Unfortunately for the business and agricultural communities in South Carolina, the legislation only got worse from that point. Rep. Bobby Harrell (R) Charleston, Rep. Jim Harrison (R) Richland, Rep. Thad Viers (R) Horry, and Rep. Greg Dellaney (R) Chester, put up an amendment that would mandate that all private businesses use either the faulty E-Verify system or require a South Carolina driver's license from their prospective employees beginning on July 1, 2009. The amendment regrettably passed. The bill now heads back to the Senate where Senators can only agree or disagree with the latest amendments. If the Senate concurs, the bill will go to the Governor for his signature or veto. If the Senate non concurs, the bill will be sent to a conference committee where three members from each body will attempt to reach consensus. Special thanks should be given to Representatives Harry Ott, Todd Rutherford, Gilda Cobb-Hunter, and Ken Kennedy for fighting for the farmers of South Carolina. Copies of roll call votes can be provided to anyone that would like to see how their House member voted. The following bills were passed by the House this week:
The House concurred with Senate amendments to:
The House also amended:
The House recommitted the following bills:
The following bills are pending on the House calendar:
The House will convene at 12 noon on Tuesday, May 13th. *House Committee Action* House Wildlife Subcommittee Favorable report
Adjourned debate
Took No Action
House Environmental Affairs II Subcommittee
House W&M General Government, Personnel &
Benefits Subcommittee
House W&M Licenses, Fees, Insurance Tax & Other
Charges Subcommittee
IN THE SENATE H.3567 (Rice), increasing the tax on cigarettes, received second reading Wednesday afternoon and on Thursday received third reading and was sent to the House. As amended, the bill increases the tax by 50 cents per pack, generating approximately $159 million in new revenue. Funds will go to expanding components of the State's Medicaid program, health insurance assistance for low income residents, and to the Smoking Cessation and Prevention Trust Fund. Agriculture took a roller coaster ride on Wednesday during the debate. Sen. Yancey McGill (D) took the podium midway through the debate and introduced a Farm Bureau backed amendment that would allocate $1 million dollars of the revenue generated towards the Department of Agriculture's marketing and branding program. Sen. McGill did a wonderful job convincing his fellow Senators that this small portion of the revenue raised should go to offset the impact that a tax increase would have on tobacco farmers in South Carolina. Following McGill's statements, the Senate passed his amendment on a voice vote. Then came the nosedive as Sen. Jake Knotts (R) took the podium to berate the Senate on their vote for agriculture. Knotts argued that for him to allow the cigarette tax to proceed, all revenue raised must go towards health care and health care only. Because of the threat of a Knotts filibuster, following a brief recess, Sen. McGill reluctantly made a motion to reconsider the vote for the $1 million dollar allocation and it passed, ultimately reversing the benefit to agriculture. Nevertheless, SCFB will continue to demand that a portion of any increase of the cigarette tax be sent to the agricultural community. Thanks to Sen. McGill for his attempt to help agriculture this week. The following bills and resolutions passed the Senate this week:
The following bills received second reading:
Bills pending on the Calendar include:
The Senate will convene at 12 noon on Tuesday, May 13th. *Senate Committee Action* Senate Judiciary Committee Favorable with amendment
# # #
This page will be updated as progress is made
on Farm Bureau legislative priority issues. |
|
|
||||
 |
|||||||||
