EXCLUSIVE - ONLY ON ABC NEWS 4 Back To Business: 2007 General Assembly Tuesday January 09, 2007 5:47pm   Reporter: Kelsey Starks   Posted By: Brian Heins ___  ABC News 4 Interact  ___    • Signup for eNews Alerts    • Whats Your Opinion?    • Printable Version    • E-Mail This Story » Watch the eVideo Columbia, SC - Its back to business in Columbia Tuesday.  New lawmakers take the reins and new bills are in the starting gate. "This year, I see a bunch of large issues coming straight at us from the opening gate," says Sen. Glenn McConnell (R-Charleston). Charleston Senator Glenn McConnell was sworn is as the senate's President Pro-Tem for another term.  He says after last year's session, which was dominated by property-tax talk,  this session faces many more, smaller-scale, issues. "School equity funding, reform of the DOT, maintaining roads and bridges across South Carolina, all of that will be considered by the General Assembly," says Sen. McConnell. And it doesn't end there.  Their agenda includes tackling skyrocketing homeowner's insurance for homes on the coast; Criminal Justice Reform - a proposal for a DNA bank to track criminals; and the Minimum Wage debate; plus, how much you're taxed. Lawmakers will also be considering Governor Mark Sanford (website - news) 's proposed budget, which calls for an income tax cut, fueled by an increase on the cigarette tax. Today's business in the House and Senate was mostly procedural or ceremonial.  Another ceremony is coming up Wednesday - Governor Sanford will be sworn in at the Statehouse Wednesday at 11am. » Find More Articles Related To This One Copyright 2007 WCIV, LLC.

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