House subcommittee approves MLK bill

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The legislation, co-sponsored by state Reps. Karl Allen and Fletcher Smith, was introduced late last month in response to the controversy over Greenville County Council's opposition to creating a King holiday for county employees.

Only Rep. Mike Pitts, R-Laurens, spoke in opposition to requiring counties to observe the holiday during what is expected to be the only public hearing on the bill.

"I don't believe that the state should be sending mandates down hill, especially unfounded mandates," Pitts said in an interview after the subcommittee meeting.

Laurens County Council voted this week to observe the holiday on the third Monday in January, the day state and federal offices are closed.

Eight counties do not celebrate the holiday, according to the South Carolina Association of Counties. Those counties are Edgefield, Greenville, Lexington, Pickens, Saluda, Union, Williamsburg and York. York County officials have said they are considering the holiday.

The holiday bill must now be considered by the full House Judiciary Committee before being sent to the House floor and then to the Senate. Smith said Thursday the bill is on a fast track and that he did not expect there to be much opposition to it.