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Article published Dec 9, 2004
Busy
session likely
ROBERT W. DALTON
Staff
Writer
State Rep. Ted Pitts of Lexington wants schools that
receive an absolute rating of below average or unsatisfactory on their report
cards for two straight years to require students to wear uniforms.Rep. Joe Brown
of Columbia wants buildings constructed by the state or occupied by a state
agency after June 30, 2005, to have twice as many toilets for women as for
men.The two legislators made their intentions known on Wednesday, the first day
they could prefile bills for the upcoming session.Lawmakers will have plenty to
talk about when they hit Columbia on Jan. 11. House members prefiled 144 bills,
while senators prefiled 79 more.Many deal with job creation and tax reductions
-- reflecting the priorities laid out by Gov. Mark Sanford in his "Contract for
Change" and House Republicans in their "Palmetto Pledge."Some bills were back
for a second time around. House Speaker Pro Tem Doug Smith prefiled several
pieces of legislation that didn't make it into law last session -- including
Gov. Sanford's "Put Parents in Charge" school choice plan, a charter schools
proposal, and a medical malpractice reform bill."There are plenty of logistical
reasons to prefile a bill, and there are just as many reasons not to prefile,"
Smith said. "The element of surprise is good some times."These bills have
already been highly studied. What this does is set the tone of things to
come."Sen. John Hawkins, R-Spartanburg, was one of several legislatorsto file
legislation strengthening the state's ban on same-sex marriages.Under Hawkins'
proposal, a same-sex marriage entered into in another state would be void in
South Carolina, and the benefits that apply to traditional marriages would not
extend to same-sex marriages."I think that the overwhelming majority of South
Carolinians want this," Hawkins said. "It's unfortunate that the world we live
in today makes a bill like this necessary because of the possibility of some
activist group coming in and trying to change our law by using the judicial
system."Sen. Jim Ritchie, R-Spartanburg, reintroduced his bill tying school
performance to driving privileges. The bill sailed through the Senate last
session but got bogged down in the House.The bill would suspend the license of
anyone under 17 who compiled more than 15 unexcused absences or failed to make
adequate progress toward graduation."This bill enjoyed broad bi-partisan support
last year and I wanted to go ahead and get it moving early," Ritchie said.Rep.
Herb Kirsh, D-Clover, introduced a bill that will likely be a popular one with
many citizens. His proposal would bar government officers and employees from
allowing phone calls to go into voice mail if they are at their desk unless the
system allows the caller to reach "a nonelectronic attendant."Rep. Brown, a
Columbia Democrat, also prefiled bills requiring school buses purchased after
next July 1 to be equipped with seat belts or shoulder harness safety belts and
requiring gun retailers to perform a ballistics test on any firearm sold.Sen.
Scott Richardson, R-Hilton Head, prefiled a bill that would prevent any senator
who practices law in magistrate court from participating in the election of
magistrates. He also joined Sen. Luke Rankin, R-Conway, in sponsoring a bill
that would set the school start date at no earlier than Aug. 25.A bill filed by
Republican Reps. Jeff Duncan of Clinton and Mike Pitts of Laurens would stiffen
criminal penalties for anyone who attacks a coach or sports official.First and
second offenses would be treated as misdemeanors punishable by up to five years
in prison and a fine of up to $7,500. Using a weapon would result in a felony
charge punishable by up to 15 years in jail and up to $10,000 in fines."I've
coached for 25 years and have been around youth sports most of my life," Pitts
said. "I've seen parents harassing coaches and officials, and the incidents have
escalated all across the nation."Robert W. Dalton can be reached at 562-7274 or
bob.dalton@shj.com.