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Legislative Update April 2018

Legislative Update April 2018

April 26, 2018 by drew1220 in

Actions in the House of Representatives

 

Bills Sent to the Governor

H.4729, LIQUOR SALES legislation which follows a South Carolina Supreme Court ruling that found limitations placed on the issuance of retail liquor licenses to be unconstitutional, and enrolled the bill for ratification.

H.3591, REAUTHORIZING SOUTH CAROLINA FIRST STEPS TO SCHOOL READINESS and making revisions and updates to this program for providing enhanced early childhood development, education, and family support services to enable children to reach school ready to achieve academic success. The legislation extends the program’s sunset date by providing that the First Steps to School Readiness Act is reauthorized until June 30, 2025.

H.4654, REVISING FINGERPRINTING REQUIREMENTS FOR INSURANCE PRODUCER LICENSURE including provisions that allow these criminal background screening requirements to be satisfied without submitting a new set of fingerprints when a set of fingerprints is already on file, such as when a license is being renewed.

S.1101, EXTENDS PROVISIONS DISALLOWING THE USE OF EMINENT DOMAIN POWERS BY PRIVATE, FOR‑PROFIT PIPELINE COMPANIES, including publicly traded for‑profit companies, that are not defined as a public utility so that these provisions are set to expire on November 30, 2020, rather than the original sunset date of June 30, 2019. The extension affords additional time for the temporary Petroleum Pipeline Study Committee to report its findings and recommendations to the General Assembly.

S.796, SOUTH CAROLINA AMERICAN REVOLUTION SESTERCENTENNIAL COMMISSION to plan and execute a proper observance of the upcoming 250th anniversary of the Revolutionary War and South Carolina’s role in attaining American independence.

Bills Sent to the Senate

H.4376, REFORM FOR SOUTH CAROLINA’S PUBLIC SERVICE AUTHORITY which governs the operations of the state-owned electric utility Santee Cooper. Terms of service are ended for the current PSA Board of Directors and a schedule is established for the appointment of their successors. All new board members must meet a set of qualifications to ensure that they possess certain levels of educational attainment and a background that affords expertise in: energy issues; water and wastewater issues; finance, economics, and statistics; accounting; engineering; or law.
H.4701, “B.P. ACT” which makes revisions relating to current bullying prohibition policies adopted by school districts, so as to provide procedures for responding to and remediating allegations of bullying, and to require an appeals procedure. The bill adds additional requirements for investigating, reporting, and remedying bullying.
H.4304, OFFSHORE WIND-RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES undertaken by an electrical utilities. The legislation authorizes the South Carolina Public Service Commission to adopt procedures that encourage electrical utilities, subject to the jurisdiction of the commission, to invest in offshore wind-resource development activities if the commission determines that adopting these procedures would be in the best interest of South Carolina ratepayers in terms of reduced electric rates, economic development benefits for state residents, and environmental impacts. Any wind-resource structure installed must not be visible by the human eye from land.
H.3775, AFFORDING THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN ADOPTED GREATER ACCESS TO MEDICAL INFORMATION AND OTHER RECORDS. The legislation establishes a protocol that allows a person twenty‑one years of age or older who was born in the state of South Carolina and who has had his original certificate of birth sealed due to an adoption to, upon written request to the state registrar, receive a copy of his original birth certificate and any evidence of the adoption held with the original record if the biological parent has completed a form consenting to the release of the original birth certificate.
H.4815, SPEECH‑LANGUAGE PATHOLOGISTS AND AUDIOLOGISTS to better facilitate that needs for these professional services are met.
H.3622, EXPANDING THE SCOPE OF PRACTICE OF PODIATRISTS that provides authorization for podiatrists to treat not only the foot but also the ankle. The practice of podiatry includes the administration of local anesthesia, defined as localized infiltration only, and in conjunction with the practice of podiatry.
H.4935, “SOUTH CAROLINA PALLIATIVE CARE AND QUALITY OF LIFE STUDY COMMITTEE” to consult with and advise the Division on Aging in an assessment of this state’s palliative care initiatives which involve improving the quality of life of patients and their families facing the issues associated with chronic life‑threatening illness, through the prevention and relief of suffering by means of early identification and assessment, reduced hospital readmissions and treatment of pain and other conditions associated with chronic illness, including physical, psychosocial, and spiritual. The legislation provides for the committee’s membership and requires a report of its findings and recommendations to be submitted to the General Assembly and the Governor by December 31, 2019.
Follow your General Assembly and the work that is discussed at WWW.SCSTATEHOUSE.GOV.

An Update on SC Department of Transportation

Secretary Hall’s presentation of the 2018 State of SCDOT can be found at this link: http://www.scdot-transfer.org/scdotphotos/2018StateOfDOT.pdf
President Greg Rutherford with York Technical College visited the State House in support of technical colleges and the important role they play in our State.

 

 

As always, thank you for the privilege of serving you in Columbia. If I can ever be of assistance to you, or if you have ideas on issues you want me to share with the rest of the General Assembly, please don’t hesitate to contact me at RayeFelder@SCHouse.gov.
Paid for by Campaign to Elect Raye

 

 

April Update: The 121st Session of the General Assembly

April Update: The 121st Session of the General Assembly

April 13, 2018 by drew1220 in
Serving, because I care

Actions in the House of Representatives

Bills Sent to the Governor

The House concurred in Senate amendments to H.3513 and enrolled the bill for ratification. The legislation creates a SOUTH CAROLINA RETIRED EDUCATOR CERTIFICATE that allows a retired South Carolina teacher to be eligible to maintain certification for the purpose of substituting. A retired educator certificate is valid for five years as is renewable.
The House concurred in Senate amendments to H.3701, legislation facilitating KINSHIP FOSTER PARENTS, and enrolled the bill for ratification. The legislation provides that before the South Carolina Department of Social Services places a child with a relative who is not licensed as a foster parent, the department is required to inform the relative of the procedures for licensure as a foster parent. Potential kinship foster parents would be required to undergo background checks that include checking the Central Registry of Child Abuse and Neglect. The legislation sets forth the responsibilities of kinship foster parents and makes provisions for kinship care to be monitored by SCDSS.
The House concurred in Senate amendments to H.3442, a bill AFFIRMING RIGHTS TO ADOPT CHILDREN IN THE TEMPORARY CUSTODY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES in response to recent South Carolina court opinions that the state’s laws do not accommodate such adoptions, and enrolled the bill for ratification.

Bills Sent to the Senate

H.3002, the “REGULATORY FREEDOM ACT” which establishes a five‑year duration for state agency regulations. The legislation revises the Administrative Procedures Act to provide that when a new regulation is promulgated or an existing regulation is amended, it expires five years from the date on which it becomes effective.
H.5038, a bill DISALLOWING PHARMACY BENEFIT INSURANCE ‘GAG CLAUSE’ ARRANGEMENTS that restrict pharmacists from offering the insured more affordable alternatives for a prescription drug that may be less than the insured’s copayment cost.   The legislation includes new prohibited acts for a pharmacy benefit manager to disallow arrangements that would prevent pharmacists from offering these lower-cost alternatives and arrangements that charge or penalize pharmacists for selling these alternatives to insureds.
H.4710, a bill making revisions relating to certain MILITARY SPECIAL LICENSE PLATES. The legislation exempts special motor vehicle license plates for Operation Desert Storm‑Desert Shield Veterans, Operation Enduring Freedom Veterans, and Operation Iraqi Freedom Veterans. The legislation authorizes the Department of Motor Vehicles to issue special motor vehicle license plates for those who have been awarded the Air Medal.
H.4875, the “SOUTH CAROLINA SOLAR HABITAT ACT”. The legislation establishes voluntary solar best‑management practices for commercial solar energy generation sites that provide native perennial vegetation and foraging habitats beneficial to gamebirds, songbirds, and pollinators and reduce storm water runoff and erosion at the solar generation site. The legislation provides that certificates of compliance may be issued to those that meet solar site guidelines.
H.4946, a bill that revises provisions governing the issuance of SHELLFISH IMPORTATION PERMITS by the SC Department of Natural Resources in order to eliminate references to genetically modified shellfish.
H.4877, a bill that revises the composition of the BOARD OF PYROTECHNIC SAFETY by designating one additional seat for a member who is a fireworks retailer and eliminating one seat designated for a member of the general public.
H.4962, a bill addressing TITLE INSURERS AND RETALIATORY TAXES BY OTHER STATES. The legislation revises provisions governing retaliatory taxes by other states against insurance companies chartered in this state, so as to provide title insurers only may include their portion of the premium in the retaliatory tax computations and are prohibited from including these amounts in the South Carolina column of retaliatory tax worksheets.
H.5042, a bill REVISING PROCEDURES IN THE STATEWIDE PROGRAM FOR ADDRESSING UNSOUND SCHOOL DISTRICT FINANCES which affords the State Department of Education authority that extends beyond academic matters to include fiscal affairs.
H.4487, a bill that implements recommendations arising from the House Legislative Oversight Committee’s study of the Department of Health and Environmental Control. The legislation makes technical adjustments and revisions relating to the SCHEDULING OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES. The legislation eliminates provisions authorizing the Department of Health and Environmental Control to use an expedited process to identify a substance as a controlled substance on an emergency basis when the General Assembly is not in session.
H.4485, a bill that implements recommendations arising from the House Legislative Oversight Committee’s study of the DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL. Revisions include the elimination of outdated references and clarification that appeals from administrative decisions can be provided electronically.
H.4410, a bill that implements recommendations relating to TATTOO FACILITIES arising from the House Legislative Oversight Committee’s study of the Department of Health and
Environmental Control.
H.4426, a bill that implements recommendations relating to BODY PIERCING FACILITIES arising from the House Legislative Oversight Committee’s study of the Department of Health and Environmental Control.
H.4438, a bill that implements recommendations relating to HEARING AID SPECIALISTS arising from the House Legislative Oversight Committee’s study of the Department of Health and Environmental Control.
H.4020, a bill REQUIRING A LANDOWNER TO BE PROVIDED NOTICE BEFORE A CONDEMNOR EXERCISES A RIGHT TO ENTER ON REAL PROPERTY SUBJECT TO CONDEMNATION. The legislation provides that the condemnor shall mail, by first class mail, notice of its application for an ex parte order to the landowner at least five days’ prior to the execution of the ex parte order.
H.5153, a bill making revisions to the VENUE FOR WORKERS’ COMPENSATION COMMISSION HEARINGS. The legislation provides that hearings must be held in the Workers’ Compensation Commission district, rather than the city or county, in which an injury has occurred, so long as the location is no greater than seventy‑five miles from the county seat of the county in which the injury occurred.
H.5064, a bill making updates and technical corrections arising from the House Legislative Oversight Committee’s study of the HUMAN AFFAIRS COMMISSION.
H.4628, a bill enacting the “SOUTH CAROLINA TELEPHONE PRIVACY PROTECTION ACT” to replace current provisions for regulating unsolicited consumer telephone calls with updated and enhanced consumer protection provisions relating to telemarketers.
H.4795, legislation establishing a MOTOR VEHICLE DEALER EXEMPTION that facilitates the annual Hilton Head Island Concours D’Elegance. The legislation provides an exemption from provisions governing motor vehicle dealers for persons conducting a limited number of charitable auctions each year of investment grade, collector, or other special interest motor vehicles.
H.3064, a bill AUTHORIZING A LICENSED PHYSICIAN TO PRESCRIBE CONTRACEPTIVE DRUGS THAT MAY BE DISPENSED OVER A PERIOD OF UP TO THREE YEARS AFTER THE ORDER IS ISSUED.
Follow your General Assembly and the work that is discussed at WWW.SCSTATEHOUSE.GOV.
An Update on SC Department of Transportation
Secretary Hall’s presentation of the 2018 State of SCDOT can be found at this link: http://www.scdot-transfer.org/scdotphotos/2018StateOfDOT.pdf
Mr, Seth Zamek visited the Statehouse advocating for our Senior Citizens and services that would save the State money and provide care for our Seniors.

 

 

 

As always, thank you for the privilege of serving you in Columbia. If I can ever be of assistance to you, or if you have ideas on issues you want me to share with the rest of the General Assembly, please don’t hesitate to contact me at RayeFelder@SCHouse.gov.
Paid for by Campaign to Elect Raye