Anti-crime bills head to Senate floor
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COLUMBIA — The state Legislature got one step closer to putting in place a crime-fighting package local police believe will make communities safer.
Bills to allow authorities to search offenders on probation or parole without a warrant and one that would allow judges to deny bail to repeat offenders were sent to the Senate floor Tuesday.
“I think we posted some big wins today,” Senate President Pro Tem Glenn McConnell, R-Charleston, said after the Senate Judiciary Committee meeting.
“I see us, as of now, having moved forward on almost every front that we could. After talking to the police chiefs, most of their agenda is now moving in the Legislature.”
North Charleston Police Chief Jon Zumalt and Charleston Police Chief Greg Mullen, along with other top Charleston County police officials, have sought the Legislature’s help in fighting violent crime and keeping dangerous criminals off the streets and outlined a five-point plan for doing so.
As part of the effort to address what they see as shortcomings in the criminal justice system, the police officials also want the Legislature to hire more judges and abolish parole for violent offenders and require that they serve at least 85 percent of their sentence before becoming eligible for release.
Another element would allow authorities to collect DNA samples at the time of arrest for certain crimes. That bill passed the Senate in January and is awaiting consideration in the House.
Zumalt said the bills passed by the Senate committee Tuesday would go a long way to help police and state probation agents control problem criminals.
“I’m just thrilled by this,” Zumalt said. “I’m very proud of Senators McConnell and Ford for sponsoring this, and very thankful it was approved by the committee.”
Sen. Robert Ford, D-Charleston, has been an advocate of strengthening the criminal justice system. On Tuesday, he implored his colleagues on the Judiciary
Committee to support the legislation involving bail for repeat offenders, calling it a “key element” in the crime-fighting package. The committee voted 21-0 on that bill.
On the bill regarding warrantless searches, the committee voted 21-1 to send it to the Senate floor for consideration. Sen. Shane Massey, R-Edgefield, voted in opposition.
Like Zumalt, Mullen and Charleston Mayor Joe Riley commended the Senate for its support and echoed a belief that it could make the community safer.
House Speaker Bobby Harrell, R-Charleston, said he is inclined to support the legislation. House Majority Leader Jim Merrill of Daniel Island said the same, although he is not sure the answer to violent crime can be found in the Statehouse.
“A lot of it is societal changes that I am not sure any law is going to necessarily affect,” Merrill said. “Many of the norms and standards that used to exist are now just kind of wiped away. Common decency and expectations aren’t there anymore. I just don’t know if laws can change that.”
Charleston Post & Courier
By Glenn Smith & Yvonne Wenger
2/27/07
Senator Massey’s Neighborhood Chats
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Senator Shane Massey is holding neighborhood chats across his district to find out what’s on his constituents’ minds. In his newest video, Senator Massey talks about these chats. Read more
Edgefielddaily.com: Sen. Massey connects with citizens at town hall meeting
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State Senator Shane Massey held one of his Town Hall meetings Monday night at the Merriwether Middle School. The meeting is one of over eighteen he has planned across the 25th Senate District through the end of March. Sen. Massey said the purpose to the meetings is to explain what is currently going on in the state legislature and to get feedback from citizens. “One of the things that’s most important to me is being assessable,” Sen. Massey said adding that he cannot properly represent constituents if he is not communicating with them. Read more
Aiken Standard: Massey discusses sex offenders, illegals
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Sex offenders who do not prey on children should not be lumped together with those who do, people at a town hall-style meeting told Sen. Shane Massey. He agreed.
People argued that there is a big difference between a sexual predator and a person who is convicted for urinating in public. Currently, the law does not allow for those differences. In both instances, the person is added to the sex offender registry and will remain there forever. Massey said that does not sit right with him.
