Week 7 Update
Sunday, February 26, 2023
Overview of the Week:
The Second Amendment, ratified on December 15th, 1791, remains one of the most fundamental safeguards to our liberty and freedom. On Wednesday, I joined all of my fellow Republicans along with several Democrat colleagues in a bi-partisan vote to strengthen those inalienable constitutional rights by removing the need for a government permission slip to exercise them. The landslide 90-30 vote brings us one step closer to joining 25 other states with some form of "Constitutional Carry" laws. This bill also strengthens law enforcements' ability to keep guns out of the hands of criminals. We also voted to support our Veterans with two legislative improvements to current policy. In a joint session of the K-12 and Public Safety Subcommittees of the Education and Public Works Committee, we voted in favor of three measures that will protect our children and enhance safety of both transportation to and from school and in the classroom.
Strengthening our Second Amendment Rights:
As a strong supporter of the Constitution, I voted to restore a constitutional freedom that will provide more options for individuals and families to protect themselves in SC. H.3594, the Second Amendment Preservation Act, ensures that South Carolinians who can lawfully own a firearm have the right to carry it openly or concealed, except with limited restrictions. This bill does not change the age requirements, nor where lawful citizens can carry a firearm. Our bill was developed with the help of SC's top law enforcement officials to make it tougher on felons who carry guns. For any felon charged with unlawfully carrying a firearm, first-time violators could face up to 5 years in jail, second-time offenders would face 5 to 20 years, and third-time or more violators would face 10 to 30 years in prison. The bill now heads to the Senate, where it has died every legislative session. Having spoken to several members of the Senate, I am cautiously optimistic that the ‘tough-on-crime element’ favored by law enforcement could be the differentiator in getting this passed in the Senate and on to the Governor for his signature.
Protecting our Children:
In a joint session of the K-12 and Public Safety Subcommittees of Education and Public Works, we heard testimony regarding three important initiatives. The first, H. 3308 would allow certification of school psychologists, social workers, and guidance counselors moving to SC from another state on a temporary basis as long as their credentials are equivalent to what would be required here. Our schools are understaffed across the state in many areas, and providing this support for the benefit of our children for new residents who are qualified would be a welcome relief. Next, we considered H. 3360, which would establish a training center for "The Center for School Safety and Targeted Violence" and will be run by the State Law Enforcement Division (S.L.E.D.). Finally we discussed H. 3067, which would require an adult attendant to accompany one or more certain handicapped persons riding a bus to school. H. 3360 and H. 3308 passed favorably and will be considered in the full committee this coming Tuesday. H. 3067 is a critical matter, but requires more information to determine how it could be implemented.
Supporting Our Veterans and Active Military Families:
I proudly voted to support our veterans this week by helping to unanimously pass two important bills that will streamline and improve efficiency within some of our veterans services. H.3802
will restructure the Veterans’ Trust Fund board and H.3797
makes it easier for military parents to enroll their children in SC schools while on active duty or pending transfer.
At the Military Caucus (of which I am a member) meeting this week, our current (and inaugural) Director of Veterans Affairs, Maj. General Will Grimsley, U.S.A. (Ret.) shared a presentation of all that has been accomplished to increase and strengthen support for veterans in South Carolina. He spoke about the continued challenges including the transition from active duty to civilian life and what is being done to support this. Programs such as "SC Troops to Teachers" and numerous volunteer and workforce mentoring opportunities are helping veterans continue to have a meaningful purpose post-military life and also greatly enhance our labor force. General Grimsley introduced Maj. General Todd McCaffrey, U.S.A. (Ret.), with whom he served in active duty in Iraq. General McCaffrey is currently awaiting SC Senate confirmation following his nomination by the Governor to serve as the new Director of Veterans Affairs when General Grimsley retires soon.
Preparing South Carolina’s Workforce:
Because a vibrant workforce is critical to sustaining and growing our State economy, I supported H.3726, the Statewide Education and Workforce Development Act. This bill establishes a state workforce readiness goal of at least 60% of all working age South Carolinians having a postsecondary degree or recognized industry credential by 2030. To reach this goal, strengthen workforce development, and break down barriers for South Carolinians who desire greater access to improving their skills and education, we are taking three strong and innovative measures. The bill requires the State Dept of Education to ensure that all public high school students are prepared for college-level math and reading, requires state colleges and universities to develop articulation agreements for uniformity in recognition of earned college credits, and requires a report to the General Assembly on the best way to utilize the state’s technical colleges for those seeking new opportunities through workforce training and post-secondary credentials. I expect this bill to move through committee and be taken up on the house floor in the coming weeks.
SC Cannot Tolerate Hate Crimes:
H.3014, the Clementa C. Pinckney Hate Crimes Act, creates an opportunity for courts to impose additional penalties on criminals convicted of a felony who target their victims based on their race, or other listed factors. On Thursday this bill passed the Constitutional Laws Subcommittee and will head to the full Judiciary Committee next week. As one of only two states that hasn’t addressed this issue it is imperative we get this to the House floor 2023 session.
Improving Health Care Costs and Options in SC:
On Tuesday the House Medical, Military, Public and Municipal Affairs Committee heard public testimony on S.164, a bill to promote cost containment, prevent unnecessary duplication of health care facilities and services, guide the establishment of health facilities and services which will best serve public need, and ensure high quality services are provided in health facilities in this State. The bill should make its way through committee and on to the House floor in the coming weeks.
County Day at the SC State House:
On Wednesday, County Councils and other elected officials and staff from across the state came to Columbia for a conference and workshops. Our Charleston delegation welcomed Charleston County officials in the House Chambers and thanked them for their service. It was great to see our Chairman Herb Sass, Vice Chair Jenny Honeycutt, Coroner Bobbi Jo O'Neal, and Deputy Coroner Brittney Martin.