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reprint or license thisThree area lawmakers gain power
Howard, Bingham and Neal given plum House committee assignments
By JOHN O’CONNOR
johnoconnor@thestate.com
Three Midlands lawmakers are gaining power in the state House.
Richland County Rep. Leon Howard will be the only Democrat and only black lawmaker to lead a House committee, overseeing medical, veterans and local government legislation.
Meanwhile, Reps. Kenny Bingham, R-Lexington, and Joe Neal, D-Richland, are joining the Ways and Means Committee. That panel is the starting point for the $6.6 billion state budget.
The appointments were made on the final day of the House’s two-day organizational meeting. On Tuesday, members chose new seats and re-elected Bobby Harrell as speaker of the House; on Wednesday, members learned on which committees they would serve and chose chairmen.
Bingham is entering his fourth term in the House. The past two years he has been an advocate for property tax reform, including helping draft the local option sales tax approved in 2004 to help fund Lexington County schools.
With most budget and tax choices made at the committee level, Bingham said, it will be easier for him to influence the process than during floor debate.
“It’s always important to be at the table when decisions are made,” he said. “It’s important for a county of our size.”
Lexington County’s 10-member delegation lobbied hard for a spot on the committee, and Harrell said the decision was between Bingham and Rep. Chip Huggins, R-Lexington.
Neal replaces outgoing DeWitt McCraw, D-Cherokee. Harrell said there was pressure to add another Republican to the committee instead.
Neal, who has represented Lower Richland and Sumter counties since 1993, said he was thankful for the chance and ready to learn.
“I was optimistic (about the election), and I’m grateful the committee made that choice,” Howard said. “I’ve served on the committee for 12 years, and I’ve served in every capacity on the committee.”
Howard, who chairs the Legislative Black Caucus, said he became keenly interested in health issues after his mother died suddenly in 1994, one day before he took office in the House.
He said he’s also interested in municipal issues, including examining whether Columbia and Richland County should consider merging their law enforcement agencies.
Reach O’Connor at (803) 771-8358.
WHY IT MATTERS
The House Ways and Means Committee is one of the most influential in the General Assembly. Here’s why:
By state law, every year the state budget must begin in the Ways and Means Committee. That means committee members get the first crack at allocating more than $6.6 billion in state money.
With the power to appropriate also comes the ability to cut deals. Ways and Means members can exert influence on legislation outside their committee with a well-placed promise.
In addition, the committee is the first stop for any bill that would raise state taxes. Property, cigarette, gas, income or any other levy would first have to be approved by the committee.
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