Posted on Thu, Apr. 06, 2006

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Bill to ease poultry farm controls stalls

“The chair cannot give advisory opinions on the pros and cons of the bill.”

-- Senate President Pro Tem Glenn McConnell, R-Charleston, responding to a question by Sen. Robert Ford, D-Charleston, on whether a measure limiting county control of poultry farms would overturn home rule.

TODAY AT THE STATE HOUSE

For a complete list of legislative meetings, go to http://www.scstatehouse.net/ and click on the “Meetings” link.

IN THE HOUSE: Convenes at 10 a.m. At 9 a.m., 511 Blatt Building, a Judiciary subcommittee discusses identity theft.

IN THE SENATE: Convenes at 11 a.m. At 9 a.m., 406 Gressette Building, a Judiciary subcommittee considers public education funding requirements.

THE DAILY BUZZ

THE FAN CLUB

Call it Black Wednesday.

Senate Finance Committee Chairman Hugh Leatherman, R-Florence, and Gov. Mark Sanford have found common ground over repayment of state trust funds.

Leatherman and Sanford have been at odds since, well, pretty much since a week after Sanford got the “Gov.” before his name.

So to hear Leatherman agreeing with Sanford was, to say the least, remarkable.

“This is an enormous step forward for fiscal responsibility if the Senate does indeed carry this out,” Sanford spokesman Joel Sawyer said.

Either that, or a sign of the apocalypse.

SCHMOOZING

Where and from whom state lawmakers will be able to get free food and drinks

• Breakfast: 8 a.m., 221 Blatt Building, hosted by the South Carolina Tobacco Collaborative.

MORE ON THE WEB

What you can find online at thestate.com

• Our inside look at the 2006 General Assembly. Online items include how to track bills, a list of important dates, story lines to watch and profiles of key lawmakers.

• YGA Today, midday news from inside the State House, is updated several times each legislative day.

• Our searchable list of state employee salaries for workers earning more than $50,000 a year.

A QUICK SPIN AROUND THE STATE HOUSE

A plan to loosen restrictions on mega-poultry farms bogged down Wednesday in the Senate after more than three hours of debate.

Democratic Sens. Phil Leventis of Sumter and John Matthews of Orangeburg offered a flurry of amendments that put off a vote on the bill. The Senate will resume debate today.

The bill, backed by Sen. Larry Grooms, R-Berkeley, would strip counties of their ability to control large poultry farms, which often clash with neighbors over foul odors and water pollution concerns.

Grooms said farmers need a break from undue regulation, but Leventis said counties should have the right to protect neighborhoods.

STATE TRUST FUNDS

The Senate will put $174 million in its budget to repay state trust funds borrowed from during previous years, Senate Finance Chairman Hugh Leatherman, R-Florence, said.

That nearly doubles the amount included in the House budget and continues debate among the House, Senate and Gov. Mark Sanford over which reserve accounts are necessary. Sanford advocated repaying $173 million in his budget.

Finance will begin debating the budget next week. Leatherman said repaying the funds would improve the state’s financial situation.

“This is doing what I believe needs to be done,” he said. “I believe it will be looked upon very favorably by the bond rating agencies in New York.”

MEDICATION SALES

A House-passed bill requiring that medications that can be used to make methamphetamines be sold from behind pharmacy counters gained key Senate approval.

The measure requires any product whose sole active ingredient is ephedrine or pseudoephedrine be sold only from areas in a store that would require employee assistance.

Pseudoephedrine is the main ingredient in many sinus and allergy medications, such as Sudafed and Claritin. Ephedrine is found in many popular weight loss products.

The House adopted the bill, which is being considered across the country, in January.

The Senate amended the bill, but its primary sponsor in the House, Rep. Joan Brady, R-Richland, said she will not object to the changes. That means the bill should reach Gov. Mark Sanford’s desk next week.

BIG BOX CREDITS

The House signed off on legislation giving tax credits to property owners who redevelop or replace so called “big box” stores.

The bill, sponsored by Rep. Scott Talley, R-Spartanburg, would give property or income tax credits for renovations of buildings with at least 40,000 square feet. County governments would have the option of lowering that threshold to 25,000 feet.

The bill is likely headed to a conference committee. The Senate version would not offer the credits to wholesalers, only to retail businesses.