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Date Published: March 18, 2004
4-years for USC Sumter
Legislature overturns governor’s veto by overwhelming margins
By BRADEN BUNCH
Item Staff Writer
bradenb@theitem.com
The University of South Carolina Sumter can become a four-year university.
The local campus gained permission to offer its own degrees after the state Legislature voted by an overwhelming margin in both chambers Wednesday afternoon to override Gov. Mark Sanford’s veto of the South Carolina Life Sciences Act.
State senators voted against the governor’s objection by a 39-4 margin, sending the issue to the state House of Representatives, which quickly voted by an 81-24 margin to overturn the veto as well, making the proposal law.
“It’s a great day for us and a great day for the state, because great things are going to happen,” said state Sen. Phil Leventis, D-Sumter, shortly after the House’s decision.
Leventis said supporters of the Life Sciences Act were delighted that they actually picked up a couple of senatorial supporters after the veto.
“There was a lot of posturing and a lot of big talk, but I think the sum and substance is we are part of this state and people acknowledge that,” Leventis said.
Rep. Murrell Smith, R-Sumter, said the vote, coming in the House without discussion, was “one of the crowning days of my legislative career so far.”
Smith, who has served in the House since the 2000 election, said, “It’s the first time since I’ve been in the Legislature that an economic development bill has had a provision that’s going to help Sumter County.
“It just reaffirms my belief that you can have legislative accomplishments through hard work,” Smith said.
“I am elated that we were able to hold the coalition together,” said Rep. David Weeks, D-Sumter, who said the approval will enhance overall Sumter County economic development, making it easier to attract industry and protect Shaw Air Force Base in the upcoming round of base closures.
“The bottom line is all about reaching the students and making it easier on them to get a four-year education,” Weeks said.
Rep. Marty Coates, R-Florence, said, “Simply put, it’s a great day for Sumter, and for USC Sumter to receive its due recognition.”
Both votes in the state Legislature came within an hour of one another, overturning Sanford’s veto less than 19 hours after the governor rejected the bill.
Sanford vetoed the Life Science Act around 10:25 p.m. Tuesday, just before a midnight deadline.
“I’ve rarely seen this quick an action on a veto override,” said Sumter Mayor Joe McElveen, who as a representative was part of a failed effort to make USC Sumter a four-year school more than 10 years ago and was in the process of writing an open letter to the Legislature to support the bill when the vote occurred.
“Having lost this fight before, I find it hard to explain how proud I am of everybody on our delegation,” McElveen said. “It’s bipartisan, it’s good for the community, it’s good for the state, and it’s good for many, many young people and older people who live in Sumter.”
In making his argument for the veto, Sanford said he supported many aspects of the proposal, including the life sciences and venture capital portions of the bill. But he said he could not accept many of the other projects added to the legislation, including the Sumter campus proposal.
In his five-page explanation to the state Senate, Sanford referenced seven different issues, including the General Assembly’s perceived circumvention of the Commission on Higher Education as his reasons for vetoing the bill.
Dr. Eric Reisenauer, assistant professor of history at USC Sumter, said, “Undeniably, this is a great step forward, not just for USC Sumter, but for the entire Sumter area,” adding that the school now will be able to provide educational opportunities that had been unavailable to students.
“The real winners here are the students,” he said.
Contact Staff Writer Braden Bunch at bradenb@theitem.com or 803-774-1222.
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April 14, 2004
