What’s going on around the State House:

LEXINGTON TAX VOTE GOES TO SANFORD

Legislation that would put a sales-tax increase question on the Lexington County ballot Nov. 2 awaits Gov. Mark Sanford’s signature. The House gave final approval Thursday to a bill that calls for putting the tax question up for a public-endorsement vote across Lexington County.

Lexington legislators pushed the bill through both chambers over the past two weeks to head off a $118-million bond referendum the Lexington 1 school system planned for May 11. Lexington 1 trustees were prepared to ask constituents for permission to borrow that money for building five schools and repairing existing structures. The loan would be repaid with revenue from higher property taxes.

The local legislation gives voters an opportunity to decide whether money collected from an extra penny added to the five-cent sales tax should be used instead to pay for school construction in all five Lexington school systems.

Sanford hasn’t decided whether he’ll sign the bill. “We’re taking a look at it,” spokesman Will Folks said.

JUDICIAL SELECTION BILL MOVES TO SENATE

The House gave final approval Thursday to a bill aimed at increasing the number of black judges. It would remove a cap on the number of judicial candidates a state screening committee nominates to the General Assembly for election.

Under current law, the 10-member committee, made up mostly of lawmakers, can nominate up to three candidates for each seat. Black leaders say the cap discourages qualified black lawyers from running and has prevented others from being nominated by the committee.

COMMISSION READY TO BUY VOTING SYSTEM

The state Election Commission plans to award a $32 million contract to a Nebraska firm to install a high-tech, statewide electronic voting system.

The agency picked Election Systems and Software of Omaha, Neb., from among six vendors that submitted bids. Three were invited to demonstrate their systems to the committee.

The new voting system will replace punch cards and other aging voting systems used in South Carolina. ES&S was formed in 1969. It has provided elections equipment and services in more than 1,700 jurisdictions.

HOUSE OKS BOOSTING GRAND JURY POWER

A bill that Attorney General Henry McMaster says would help investigations of environmental crimes in South Carolina has been approved by the House. The proposal, passed Thursday on second reading, would expand the state grand jury’s powers to include the investigation of environmental crimes.

The state Department of Health and Environmental Control currently investigates environmental crimes, which are then prosecuted by either federal or local prosecutors. DHEC is limited to using police procedures such as eyewitness testimony, while grand juries can order testimony and subpoena documents, records and evidence.

After a routine third reading next week, the bill will move on to the Senate.

TAX CREDITS WOULD GO TO OLD MILLS

Developers would get tax credits for renovating old textile mills under a bill that has cleared a House subcommittee. It would give a 25 percent tax credit for people who revitalize one of 65 abandoned textile mills around the state, once the work has been completed.

The mills must have been closed for a year or more. The bill now heads to the full House Ways and Means Committee.

FELONS’ DNA WOULD GO INTO DATABASE

A bill that would expand the state’s DNA database to include anyone convicted of a felony has gained final approval in the House. South Carolina currently requires all those convicted of violent crimes and sex-related crimes to submit DNA for storage at the State Law Enforcement Division lab.

The bill needs to be ratified in the Senate before it heads to Gov. Mark Sanford’s desk.

BRAIN INJURY FUND WINS HOUSE APPROVAL

The House has approved a bill that would create the South Carolina Traumatic Brain Injury Trust Fund. Money for the fund would come out of the state budget beginning July 2005.

Originally the House bill assessed an extra $10 surcharge on aggressive-driving traffic tickets. It now moves to the Senate.

From Staff and Wire Reports