Similarly, we passed the Child Online Safety Act (H.3424). This legislation will protect our children from inappropriate online content, particularly pornographic material. I am proud to have voted for a law that places a crucial responsibility on commercial entities to implement robust age verification methods, ensuring a safer online environment for our young ones.

On Tuesday, we passed H.4825, focusing on combating the act of luring, with particular attention to the protection of minors from kidnapping. This legislation, which I strongly supported, bolsters our legal framework to protect our citizens, especially the young and vulnerable, from such heinous crimes.

Another significant achievement came with the concurrence of the Senate amendment on H.4159, the "South Carolina Telehealth and Telemedicine Modernization Act," on Wednesday. I strongly supported this legislation, marking a significant advancement in ensuring telehealth services are provided within the same rigorous standards as in-person care. It's now heading to the Governor for his signature.

Last week I let you know that I had submitted this bill to the House and it was referred to the Labor, Commerce and Industry Committee. After meeting with several of the top experts on this subject in our state that Friday afternoon via conference call, I was invited to attend a meeting in Washington, D.C. this past Thursday to hear some of the foremost experts in the nation at a Congressional Conference. The meeting was excellent, but very sobering, and was highlighted by comments from 4 Star General Wesley Clark, U.S. Army, (Ret.), who served as the Supreme Allied Commander Europe, among many other posts. Gen. Clark had a sudden family illness, but his remarks were read by Lt. Col. Tommy Waller, U.S. Marines (Ret.), President and CEO of the Center for Security Policy. To say that they were shocking and fairly dire is probably an understatement. We heard from several top engineers who have actual hardware solutions to harden our critical infrastructure or are experts in the field. There were hundreds of people present, including Congressional staffers, as well as a few members of Congress, and industry-related individuals. I was surprised to be highlighted and publicly thanked by Lt. Col. Waller for having brought the first piece of legislation in the current timeframe. It was explained to all of us that a Texas General Assembly Senator had tried three different times to do this several years ago, but each time it was never implemented. The sticking point seemed to be primarily the electric utility companies pushing back, which ultimately makes very little sense. I have already reached out to both Duke Energy as well as the SC Electric Cooperative Association and will be in touch with Dominion Energy this week. The other disturbing information was that President Trump not only signed an Executive Order in 2019 to make EMP Protection for our country a priority but it was signed into law in 2020. Unfortunately, the Biden Administration stopped the efforts that were already underway. The highlight of the conference was an abbreviated version of the documentary I mentioned in a previous newsletter, "Grid Down, Power Up." The producer, David Tice, and the narrator, Dennis Quaid both attended the conference and shared urgent remarks about the necessity of finally getting this done. Mr. Quaid used an analogy that I had been telling people the last several weeks. "It's like 9/11, where officials knew there were serious risks, but no one was communicating with each other to prevent disaster." We can't let that happen in South Carolina. 

Everyone should know and understand this clear and present danger, and I urge you to email your state legislator to support H.4954.

Reps. Tom Hartnett, Jr., Joe Bustos, Mark Smith, Doug Gilliam, and Bill Hager, all members of the Military Caucus are already co-sponsoring the bill, and I will be working hard this week to gain many more co-sponsors. It will help tremendously if others have heard from their constituents. The award-winning documentary is very well produced, and I urge you to take less than an hour of your time this week to watch it if possible. Here is the link: Grid Down, Power Up. Upon returning from the conference, I sent a follow-up email to Chairman Bill Sandifer of Labor, Commerce & Industry and Chairman Bruce Bannister of Ways & Means, both of whom I had met with in the past two weeks about this subject. Speaker Murrell Smith, Speaker Pro-Tempore Tommy Pope, Majority Leader Davey Hiott, and two liaisons for the Governor's Office were copied on these emails. It is very difficult to get any legislation taken up, much less something submitted by a "Freshman," but this matter is not about me. It is a matter of national security, and if the Biden Administration has chosen to ignore the work done by the Trump Administration to protect our citizens, it is up to those of us in the South Carolina government to get it done for our state.

I'm closely watching the bill that deals with the maximum potential unemployment benefits (H.4710), which has made significant headway. After being favorably passed through the Ways and Means Committee with an amendment, this bill, which I support, is set for a debate on the floor next week. It aims to index our state’s unemployment benefits, promising to benefit our workforce, businesses, and economy. Essentially, the number of weeks of unemployment benefits that a claimant may receive will be tied to economic conditions, so when jobs are available and the economy is strong, benefits are limited to encourage re-employment and workforce participation.

Speaker Murrell Smith and Attorney General Alan Wilson have unveiled the Statewide Violent Crimes Case Reduction Unit. This crucial initiative is designed to address the backlog of violent crime cases, ensuring swift justice for victims and their families. For more information, check out this article with commentary from the House Speaker and SC Attorney General. 

In enhancing our commitment to the Second Amendment, last year, House Republicans passed H.3594, the Second Amendment Preservation Act. This act was designed to uphold the constitutional right for law-abiding citizens to carry firearms with minimal restrictions, while also enhancing penalties for felons unlawfully possessing firearms. On Thursday, the Senate amended our bill and will send it back to the House for consideration. I have received numerous emails about some of the amendments, especially #36, and have been carefully reviewing these. My concern with Amendment 36 is that it sounds like it is clarifying steps to take if a person wants to obtain a Concealed Weapons Permit, which is confusing the issue of being able to carry without a CWP. If you click on the link to read the Amendment, you will need to scroll way down the pages of the Senate Journal for January 31st. As I explained clearly when letting you know that we passed H.3594 early last year, the Second Amendment is the only permission law-abiding citizens should need to protect themselves. If the House rejects some of these amendments, the bill goes to a conference committee to come to an agreement on the final version.

Thank you for your continued trust and support. Together, we’re making South Carolina a safer, stronger, and more prosperous place for all.

Warmest Regards,

Kathy

Representative Kathy Landing

South Carolina State House District 80