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Monday, Jun 2, 2003 |
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Posted on May 30, 2003 Legislative action for the week of May 26-30
By The Associated Press The 20th week of the legislative session: --- STATE BUDGET: The conference committee report on the $5.3 billion state budget was scuttled by Senate rules Thursday after receiving House approval. The sticking points in the Senate were items buried deep in the budget that were incorrectly written, according to precise rules. Senators sent the bill back to the conference committee, which will meet again Monday. The budget conference committee met throughout the night Wednesday in an attempt to get the budget to the governor and address potential vetoes before the General Assembly adjourns June 5. The discrepancies mean the General Assembly likely will be forced to hold a special session. --- SECURITIES FRAUD: Legislation created after the collapse of Carolina Investors Inc. is on its way to becoming law. On Wednesday, the House and Senate adopted a joint conference committee report and readied the bill for Gov. Mark Sanford's signature. The bill would expand the powers of the state grand jury to investigate cases of possible investment fraud. Sanford spokesman Will Folks said the governor "is generally supportive of the protections that this legislation affords to investors." Carolina Investors closed its doors in late March, telling customers it did not have the money to continue operations. --- DMV OVERHAUL: The House approved a final version of a bill to restructure the Division of Motor Vehicles. The bill was hammered out by House and Senate negotiators last week. If the Senate approves the report, the bill will be sent to the governor for his signature. The measure creates the Department of Motor Vehicles, making it a stand-alone agency directly accountable to the governor who would appoint the executive director. The bill would require the Legislative Audit Council to review the DMV every three years, require the agency to enter into contracts with public and private entities to administer driver's license examinations and change the renewal period for a driver's license change from five years to 10 years, except for those 65 years or older. --- GUIDE DOGS: A bill that would make it a crime to injure or kill a guide dog or other service animals is awaiting Gov. Mark Sanford's signature. The bill has a maximum punishment of three years in prison and a fine of $5,000 for anyone convicted of interfering with, maiming or killing service animals through carelessness or neglect. The proposal also forces anyone responsible for the death or injury of a service animal to pay for its medical care or a replacement. --- HOG FARMS: The Senate Judiciary Committee agreed to amend a House bill that would limit local government efforts to impose more restrictive regulation of hog farms. The amendment basically allows local governments to regulate hog farms after the House bill said county ordinances can't be more restrictive than state standards for livestock and poultry. The Senate Judiciary committee version drops poultry operations from the restrictions. It says livestock operations can't be subject to more restrictive operations, but that doesn't include hog farms, said the amendment's author, Sen. Robert Waldrep, R-Anderson. Supporters of the House bill said counties are imposing tougher regulations than the state. Opponents say prohibiting counties from making their own rules violates the state's home-rule law. --- REDISTRICTING: The House approved a redistricting plan this week. House members passed a Senate bill that makes changes in both House and Senate election lines. While the House's 124 members ran for election on a court-ordered plan in 2002, the state's 46 senators weren't up for re-election until 2004. Senators approved changes to those court-drawn lines last month, saying they eliminated split precincts. --- DUI STANDARDS: A House bill creating tougher standards for driving under the influence cleared the Senate Thursday. The bill would lower the legal blood-alcohol limit for drunken driving convictions to 0.08 percent from the current 0.10 percent. The Senate's amendments to the bill include language that would make it easier to throw out a DUI test if authorities failed to follow test procedures. Senators also agreed to increase the current $300 fine on DUIs by $100. Senate amendments mean the bill will have to be worked out in a conference committee next week. Sen. Larry Martin, R-Pickens, said the bill must clear the Legislature before adjournment or the state will lose federal highway funds. --- CHARLESTON BRIDGE: The most expensive bridge ever built in South Carolina is going up in Charleston and an Upstate lawmaker suggests it be named simply the Charleston Bridge. The $632 million cable-stayed span linking Charleston and Mount Pleasant has been named the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge. But Rep. Becky Martin, R-Anderson, introduced a resolution Thursday to change the name of the span across the Cooper River. Martin is mad at Ravenel, a Republican state senator from Mount Pleasant, because for three straight years he has blocked legislation requiring the state keep grass mowed and trees trimmed along South Carolina's interstates. Ravenel said he and other environmentalist lawmakers feel highways are more scenic when vegetation is allowed to grow naturally. He said any county delegation can introduce local legislation requiring trimming along the interstates in their counties. Rep. John Graham Altman, R-Charleston, objected to the resolution and it was sent back to committee. |
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All material ©2003 Spartanburg Herald-Journal | |
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