SEAT BELT BILL HEADS TO SENATE FLOOR

A bill giving police authority to pull over adult drivers who aren’t wearing seat belts is headed to the Senate floor as early as next week. The Senate Transportation Committee approved the primary enforcement bill with a 14-3 vote Wednesday.

The bill would allow police to stop adult drivers for not wearing seat belts. Under current law, adult drivers not wearing seat belts can be cited only if they are stopped for another offense or if children in the car are not properly restrained. Convictions would cost drivers $25, but wouldn’t be put on a driver’s record.

CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS

A bill that would eliminate elections for the education superintendent and agriculture commissioner is headed for the House floor after the House Judiciary Committee approved the legislation that would allow the governor to appoint his own person to those positions.

DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATION

The House Ways and Means Committee approved a bill Wednesday that would create a Department of Administration accountable to the governor. The new department would be made up of existing divisions and offices of the state Budget and Control Board and the governor’s office.

FLEXIBLE SPENDING FOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS

A bill that would give school districts more control over how they spend state dollars passed the House Ways and Means Committee on Wednesday and heads to the House for debate.

It would consolidate dozens of spending sources into six categories. Districts could shift money between categories, rather than having the state dictate how much is spent on each program.

TAGS WOULD BENEFIT CONFEDERATE GROUP

A Senate committee has passed a bill that would allow the Sons of Confederate Veterans to get back some of the money made through selling its special license plates. While the SCV license tags have been on the road for years, profits from them now go into the state’s budget.

Other groups with special tags, like colleges and Rotarians, get to keep money from their plates. The tags cost $30 more than regular license plates. After covering administrative and production expenses, the remaining money would go to the SCV.

All groups that receive tag money should have to file reports on how the cash is used, said Sen. Robert Ford, D-Charleston. “The state’s got to make sure the money is used for something that would not embarrass the state.”

TEN COMMANDMENTS BILL PASSES

A bill allowing the Ten Commandments to be displayed at the State House has passed a Senate Finance subcommittee. Public money can’t be used to pay for the display.

The Associated Press