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Health group honors Hutto as legislator of the year

The S.C. Public Health Association presented Sen. Brad Hutto with the Douglas E. Bryant Legislator of the Year Award during a ceremony Tuesday at The Regional Medical Center of Orangeburg and Calhoun counties.

The Legislator of the Year Award is presented annually by the association's legislative committee in honor of an elected state or federal public servant who has demonstrated significant commitment to the public health of South Carolina through proven records of sponsorship and support of beneficial health policies, regulations, legislation and or statutes.

As the recipient of the 2004 award, Hutto was honored for his primary sponsorship of legislation requiring all food and beverages on public school grounds comply with dietary limitation requirements. He co-sponsored a bill that would establish physical education curriculum standards for public school students in grades K-8 and require a minimum of 150 minutes of physical education during the school year.

Additionally, Hutto was the primary sponsor of legislation to strengthen the prosecution of child abuse cases, provide sales tax exemption for certain medications and stiffen DUI penalties. He co-sponsored legislation to increase the cigarette tax. He also co-sponsored a Senate Resolution establishing Stroke Awareness Month. He supported passage of a primary seatbelt law in South Carolina.

The association is a statewide organization for public health professionals and other individuals concerned with improving the health of South Carolinians. The organization's annual meeting is the largest annual statewide meeting devoted to the discussion of public health issues.