South Carolina Senate Republican Caucus

COLUMBIA — The Senate gave second reading Wednesday to a bill to toughen penalties for repeat drunken drivers.

Senators are expected to give third reading to the bill Thursday and send it to the House, which has already passed a different version of the bill.

House leaders wasted no time in criticizing what the Senate did to the legislation, accusing senators of “weakening” the bill. They said they believe the House version is what is needed to attack drunken driving in the state. They also pointed to the state’s ranking for years near the top of the nation in DUI-related deaths.

“This is an unacceptable statistic, and it’s amazing to me that the special interests weakening this legislation might think they are helping South Carolina,” House Majority Leader Jim Merrill of Charleston said in a statement Wednesday.
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The Senate version includes enhanced penalties for drunk drivers with children in their cars, those who have a blood alcohol reading of .16 or more and repeat offenders.

Senators removed a clause objected to by Gov. Mark Sanford and others that would have required police to issue a roadside warning before giving a field sobriety test. They replaced it with a clause that says refusing the test doesn’t constitute disobeying a lawful police order.

Sanford said a statement released late Wednesday, “While I would thank many in the Senate for getting rid of one roadblock for law enforcement in terms of the roadside warnings, we’re disappointed that they did not go as far as the House in terms of toughening penalties for first offenders and for refusal to take breath tests.”

Sen. Brad Hutto, chairman of a Senate subcommittee that worked on the bill, told the Senate that the House likely wouldn’t go along with the Senate version and the legislation would wind up in a negotiating committee.

He praised the bill.

“We’ve worked hard to produce a bill that’s tough, fair and will serve the people of South Carolina,” he said.

The bill offers a tiered penalty system that increases with higher blood alcohol readings. The House version applied the tiered system to all of those charged with DUI. The Senate version applies it to repeat offenders and those on first offense who register at least a .16 in a blood-alcohol test.

Several amendments were offered on the Senate floor but the one which consumed most of the debate Wednesday was a move by Sen. Larry Martin of Pickens to remove the roadside warning. He said the warning was unnecessary since police already are required by state law to give two Miranda warnings, once before someone is arrested and a second time before a blood-alcohol test.

Some senators worried that small-town police would charge motorists who refuse field sobriety tests with disobeying a lawful order.

“Some of them see too many ‘Starsky and Hutch’ reruns,” Senate President Pro Tempore Glenn McConnell said.

Martin then introduced a new amendment that states motorists aren’t violating the law by refusing a field sobriety test.

He said he feared that adding a roadside warning would invite drivers to refuse the test. Other senators worried that such a warning, if not given, could result in the exclusion of the field tests in court.

Greenville News
Tim Smith
2/21/08

Columbia, SC - A constitutional amendment (S.1070) requiring all future candidates for any elected office in South Carolina to pass a drug test began making its way through the legislative process today, by gaining approval from a Senate Judiciary Subcommittee.  The subcommittee chaired by Senator Jim Ritchie (R-13), Majority Whip, gave the bill a favorable report as amended.
 
The subcommittee amendment added judges to the list of officials that would be required to submit the results of a recently completed drug test along with candidate filing papers.
 
“Candidates, and ultimately elected officials, are asking for the public trust when they run for office, I think this is a common sense measure,” says Senate Majority Leader and sponsor of the bill, Senator Harvey Peeler (R-Cherokee). “If you can’t pass a drug test, you should not be in public office.” 
 
The bill will now go before the full Senate Judiciary Committee, which is expected to meet again on Tuesday, February 26,2008.
 
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State and Local Government Expenditures to be Posted Online
 
 
Columbia, SC - Under the “Truth in Spending Act” (S.1144) introduced today, taxpayers will no longer need to wonder where their tax dollars are being spent, they will be able to go online and see for themselves. The bill requires all state and local government entities, including school districts, to post monthly expenditures over $100 on their website. 
 
State agencies that are part of the Governor’s Cabinet already report their expenditures online; this bill will expand that requirement and include local governments.
 
“The Truth in Spending Act will shine a light on wasteful government spending at all levels — state, county, municipal, even school districts will disclose spending,” says Senator Larry Grooms (R- Berkeley), the primary sponsor of the bill. “Government in South Carolina will be held accountable for spending, because government spending will be available for viewing 24 hours a day, seven days a week.”
 
“It’s all about accountability,” says Senator Kevin Bryant (R- Anderson), a sponsor of the bill and vocal advocate of financial disclosure. “We want the citizens of this state to know how their money is being spent. The more access taxpayers have to information the more likely they are to hold government accountable for the spending of those dollars.”
 
Under the provisions of the bill online listings of expenditures must be updated monthly and must include: the transaction amount, name of payee, and purpose of expenditure. In addition to cash expenditures, monthly credit card statements must also be posted online. The bill does make some exception for law enforcement expenditures that could jeopardize the operations a department.
 
“This bill has been a long time in coming,” says Senator Glenn McConnell (R-Charleston), one of the key sponsors of the bill. “This ray of sunshine will reach into the darkest corners of government spending by requiring all expenditures over $100 to be posted online as well as credit card statements for cards issued for official business.”
 
State or local governments that do not maintain a website will be required to send information to the State Budget and Control Board, who will post the information on designated section of the Board’s website.
 
 
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Points to Recent Health Problems as Reason for Decision
 
Columbia, SC - After 18 years of service in the General Assembly, Senator Lewis Vaughn (R-Greenville) has decided not to seek re-election in November. “In September I had the best physical of my life, but since then a series of health related issues have arisen, and I don’t think it is fair to my family, my constituents or my colleagues to seek re-election in the fall,” says Senator Vaughn.

“The people of District 5 need and deserve active representation, and that is part of what brings me to this decision,” explains Vaughn.

“I have thoroughly enjoyed serving the people of the Greer and Greenville community, and although I will not be seeking re-election, it is my intent to stay engaged in the issues facing the upstate.”

Senator Vaughn was elected to the Senate in a 2006 special election to fill the seat left vacant by the retirement of J. Verne Smith. He serves as a member of the Correction & Penology Committee, Fish, Game, and Forestry Committee, General Committee, Judiciary Committee, and the Rules Committee.

Prior to being elected to the Senate, Vaughn served for 16 years (1989-2006) in the South Carolina House of Representatives. His tenure in

the House included 12 years on both the Operations and Management Committee and the Ways and Means Committee. Senator Vaughn also served as the Chairman of the Greenville Delegation.

Vaughn’s service in the General Assembly is best described as that of a “strong conservative,” who acted as a watchdog for the taxpayer.

Among his legislative accomplishments Senator Vaughn cites his work to secure funding for the rebuilding of railroad bridges throughout the state and his efforts to stem local governments ability to incur debt with the eight percent debt limit. Senator Vaughn is looking forward to completing this legislative term and working with his colleagues to maintain a conservative agenda in the Senate.

“I learned of Lewis’ decision to retire with sadness,” says long time friend and fellow Senate member Mike Fair (R-Greenville). “Our delegation and the Senate will be losing a conservative stalwart. Senator Vaughn’s success with the Greenville Hospital System Board legislation is just the latest example of his legislative effectiveness.”

“Senator Vaughn remains a vital part of the Senate Republican Caucus and we look forward to working with him throughout the remainder of the session,” says Senate Majority Leader Harvey Peeler (R-Cherokee).

Senator Vaughn, with the announcement of his retirement, joins Senators Hawkins, Gregory, Drummond, Short and Patterson, as those not seeking re-election in November.

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