Clean Life Sciences Act might stall in Senate

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The Life Sciences Act, designed as backup insurance in the event Sanford sues lawmakers over the first bill, passed the House unanimously Thursday. Sanford, who vetoed the first bill, has said he would sign the "clean" version.

The bill was assigned Tuesday to the Senate Finance Committee, with some senators saying they planned to oppose it because they found it unnecessary.

"I'm probably going to oppose that because I support the bill we passed," said Sen. John Matthews, an Orangeburg County Democrat responsible for a part of the first bill that sets up a study of whether to establish a law school at S.C. State University.

Sen. Larry Martin, a Pickens Republican and chairman of the Senate Rules Committee, said while he supported the new bill, he did not see the same kind of support for the measure in the Senate that propelled it in the House.

"My thought is that it's going to be a lot harder to get it through the Senate clean than it was the House because obviously that's where we had the problem the last time," he said. "With the calendar we have now, I don't know that it would be possible to satisfy everybody that might object to it."

The bill that passed provides financial incentives for drug companies that invest in South Carolina and create a $50 million venture capital fund to help startup companies.

It also will provide hundreds of millions of dollars for "research infrastructure" needs in the state's colleges, primarily at the South Carolina's three research universities: Clemson, the University of South Carolina and the Medical University of South Carolina.

Sanford objected to several tacked-on measures, most of which originated in the Senate, that include making the University of South Carolina's branch campus in Sumter a four-year school, new criteria for LIFE scholarship recipients and the S.C. State law school study. Lawmakers also added a last-minute provision to pay $7 million toward a Myrtle Beach convention center.

The Legislature overrode the governor's veto two weeks ago, prompting Sanford to announce he was considering suing the General Assembly over the bill's constitutionality. Sanford argued that the bill's multiple subjects are prohibited by the state's constitution. Lawmakers disagreed and complained he was using the issue to gain political points with voters.

About 40 GOP House members met privately with Sanford last week to voice frustration at his lawsuit idea. The governor scrapped plans for a news conference the next day to announce his decision on a suit.

The stripped down version only deals with financial incentives for biotechnology firms. House Speaker David Wilkins said last week the bill was designed to help make the pharmaceutical prospect feel better about locating in the Upstate even with Sanford's talk of a lawsuit.

But some senators remained annoyed Tuesday at Sanford for bringing up the lawsuit idea and said they would oppose the new bill.

"This is strictly a show," said Sen. Phil Leventis, a Sumter Democrat who backed the USC-Sumter provision in the first bill.

"Everything in that bill is presently law. Why would we waste more time on this when we have a counter full of significant issues? I think it's gamesmanship on the part of the administration. I think he is completely consumed with symbolism instead of substance."

Sen. John Land, a Manning Democrat, also said he would oppose the new bill.

"I don't see any reason for a clean Life Sciences bill," he said. "I think it would be objected to if it came out so I don't think it would go anywhere."

State Commerce Secretary Bob Faith said last week he hoped the Senate would act quickly on the bill to help lure new jobs to the state.

"This is a vital piece of economic development legislation that we desperately need at Commerce to help bring jobs, higher income levels and a better quality of life to hundreds of South Carolinians," he said.

"I would encourage the Senate to move on this bill immediately so that the governor can sign it and we can do our job of bringing new jobs to South Carolina."