Senator Larry Martin

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MEET LARRY MARTIN

State Senator (R) Pickens County
Chairman, Senate Rules Committee

State Senator Larry Martin, Republican of Pickens County, has served in the South Carolina Senate since his election in November of 1992. Prior to his election to the Senate, Martin served in the South Carolina House of Representatives from 1978 until 1992. He was the youngest member of the South Carolina House for six years and was seated on the House floor with Speaker Emeritus Solomon Blatt of Barnwell County until his death in 1986.

The Senator from Pickens County is a member of the following Senate Committees: Judiciary; Banking and Insurance; Fish, Game and Forestry; General; and the Rules Committee. Martin was named Chairman of the Senate Rules Committee in January of 2001. He was actively involved in the reorganization of the South Carolina Senate for the session that began in January 2001. Martin also served as one of the three senators on the House-Senate Conference Committee that crafted the final legislation to enact a state-run lottery. He has been a leader in the legislative efforts in recent years to produce private property rights legislation, pro-business legislation, private guardian ad litem reform, and tougher DUI laws. As chairman of the Senate Rules Committee, Martin was instrumental in the successful reform of the Senate Rules during the 2005 legislative session.

Senator Martin has received the following honors: Guardian of Small Business award in 2000 by the National Federation of Independent Businesses; the prestigious Public Servant of the Year award in 2002 from the S. C. Chamber of Commerce; Guardian of Home Rule award in 2003 from the S. C. Association of Counties; Patrick B. Harris Humanitarian Award for Public Service in 2003 from the Anderson-Oconee-Pickens Area Mental Health organization; 2004 Legislator of the Year award from the National Federation of the Blind of S. C.; 2005 Senator of the Year award by the S.C. Human Service Providers Association; 2005 Legislator of the Year award by the S. C. Career & Technology Administrators Association; Mental Illness Champion award in 2006 from the National Alliance on Mental Illness; Legislative Advocacy award from the Greenville Hospital System Children’s Hospital Development Council in 2006; 2006 Conservation Champion by the Conservation Voters of South Carolina; 2006 Legislator of the Year by the South Carolina Commission for the Blind; and Defender of Manufacturing award from the S. C. Manufacturers Alliance in 2007.

The son of Edgar and Lois Martin of Dacusville, the Senator married the former Susan Evatt of Pendleton, South Carolina on June 25, 1983. The Martins reside in Pickens. Susan is a fourth grade teacher at Ben Hagood Elementary School in Pickens. They have three children: Caroline is a senior at Clemson University, Anthony is a sophomore at Clemson, and Anna Leigh is in the ninth grade at Pickens Middle School.

Senator Martin and his family are active members of the First Baptist Church in Pickens where he serves as church moderator and teaches Sunday School. He has been associated with Alice Manufacturing Company, Inc., in Easley for twenty-six years as Director of Safety.

LARRY MARTIN FUN FACTS

Legislative Goals:

Serve the citizens of Pickens Co. and South Carolina in an effective and honorable manner. Promote strong economic, business, and educational opportunities for South Carolina.

Hobbies:

Woodworking, Golf, Reading

Community Involvement/Clubs:

First Baptist Church-Sunday School teacher and mediator; Pickens Rotary Club

Favorite Movies:

Independence Day; Tora, Tora, Tora

Favorite Books:

The Great Triumvirate, The Greatest Generation, Master of the Senate, Cold Mountain, Team of Rivals, Thirteen Moons.

Favorite Television Shows:

CSI, Law and Order, Hannity & Colmes

Favorite Quotes:

“Dum spiro spero-While we breath, we hope”-S.C. Motto

“He hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth Lord require of thee, but to do justly, love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God.”-Micah 6:8

Favorite music/artist:

Classic Contemporary-Christian, Neil Diamond, Michael W. Smith

Favorite Sport & Team:

Football-Clemson Tigers!

Other Fun Facts:

Love to cook Barbecue, spend time in my workshop, and read a good book.

CONTACT SENATOR MARTIN

In the district:
P.O. Box 247
Pickens, SC 29671
(864) 859-6323

At the Statehouse:
311 Gressette Bldg.
Columbia, SC 29202
(803) 212-6340

By email:
SRU@scsenate.org