Last Week's Legislative Update

While the Legislature is in session, the Greenville Chamber sends out a Legislative Update each week to those members interested. Not receiving the updates, but interested? Contact Sunnie Harmon or John DeWorken at 864-242-1050 or by e-mail (sharmon@greenvillechamber.org or jdeworken@greenvillechamber.org).

Below is last week's update from Columbia:

House Finishes Budget
In the old days, that usually means before Operation Lost Trust and before cameras were placed in the chambers of the Senate and House, the budget debates ran into the late hours of the night, accompanied by brown bagged bottles being shared throughout the chambers. What was in those brown bags usually spiced up members’ Coca-Colas. Though those days are over, the House did run extraordinarily late Wednesday. At 3:00 a.m. Wednesday morning, the House finished this year’s budget. In a sign of the times, it is a significantly scaled down version of last year’s budget. It will now go into the hands of the Senate for its consideration.

Tort Reform Possibly to be Considered in Summer
With only ten weeks in the legislative session, Senate leadership is considering to debate the merits of tort reform into the summer and fall months, instead of trying to pass a bill this year that would be significantly watered down. In consideration is placing reasonable caps on non-economic damages and punitive damages. Four years ago, the first part of the tort reform package was passed, which included provisions to deal with venue, joint and severability, and medical malpractice caps.

Senate Subcommittee to Take Up EFCA
A Senate Labor Commerce and Industry Subcommittee will consider a bill to call on the US Congress to kill the Employee Free Choice Act, which is a bill that was introduced this week in the US House and US Senate that will eliminate secret ballot voting when workers vote whether to unionize and would provide mandatory arbitration measures when workers unionize.

Local Option Tourism Development Fee Act Passes Subcommittee
A bill that would allow a county to increase its sales tax by a penny passed a Senate Finance subcommittee this week, chaired by Senator Billy O’Dell (R-Greenwood). The bill provides that any county that collects at least $14 million in accommodations tax for the preceding year, would be able to increase its sales tax by a penny, which could be used for tourism-related initiatives and advertising. Horry County is the only county that qualifies for this bill.

Senate Budget Subcommittee Hearings Begin
The Senate Finance Committee was in full force this week, conducting hearings from constituents and agencies. The Senate Finance Committee will receive the budget from the House this week, which passed it Wednesday.

House, Senate to Furlough Next Week
After working long hours on the budget, the House will take next week off, leaving only the Senate to fill the State House, which it will only on Tuesday for a full day session. Other than that, the Senate Finance Committee will be conducting hearings Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.