LEGISLATIVE REPORT | JULY 2, 2007
Filed Under Martin
Happy 4th of July! I’m excited that Easley and Pickens are hosting Fourth of July Celebrations, and I trust that everyone will have a happy and safe holiday.
The General Assembly returned to Columbia last Thursday and Friday to take up the Governor’s 234 vetoes on the budget and other bills that were on his desk. Since the budget originated in the House of Representatives, the budget vetoes had to first be considered by the House. Vetoes that were sustained in the House never reached the Senate since both houses must override the items vetoed by the Governor in order for them to become law. However, the Senate voted to override all of the vetoes that were sent over from the House.
The Legislature overrode the vetoes on $950,000 that was designated for improvements to US 123 and Prince Perry Road Bridge at the Saco Lowell project in Easley and $200,000 for Liberty to provide fire protection to the county’s Industrial Park. These items were funded in the supplemental appropriations or surplus funds.
Much has been made in the media about the Governor’s vetoes and the amount of spending in this year’s budget. However, all of the reserve funds have been completely restored and the budget returned over $221 million dollars in tax reductions with the complete elimination of the state sales tax on food this fall and with an adjustment to the lowest state income tax bracket. That tax reduction accounts for roughly 25% of the annual increase in projected revenue of over $700 million dollars. Additional funds were appropriated by the Legislature from surplus for various economic development projects and one time appropriations. The largest expenditure was approximately $175 million dollars for the construction of a new road for the Port of Charleston. This project is immensely important to the economic health of the entire state, particularly the Upstate which accounts for most of the port’s instate business.
K-12 public education, higher education, health care for poor families, and economic development initiatives were the main beneficiaries in this year’s budget. Over $300 million dollars of additional state funds were allocated to the K-12 education spending. Key items were the full funding for the base student cost, funding a school bus replacement cycle, and funding for 4-K child development education. $21 million dollars were appropriated for children’s health care in raising the family income limits for eligibility.
A three percent cost of living raise was granted for all state employees in the budget bill. The employee health insurance program was funded and employees’ health insurance premiums were unchanged. Also, nearly $50 million was appropriate to fund future liabilities associated with health insurance trust fund for retirees. $20 million was earmarked for the Tuition Prepayment Program in order to fund expected future liabilities.
The Legislature also overrode the Governor’s veto on HB 3749. The bill provided a variety of economic development tax incentives. One provision that I successfully sponsored when the bill was debated in the Senate enhanced the Jobs Tax Credits available businesses that locate in Pickens County. The provision is tied to the fact that the county does not have an interstate highway running through it.
The Governor signed into law Senate Bill 332 that I sponsored regarding Workers Compensation Reform. The legislation began with public hearings and numerous Judiciary subcommittee meetings in the winter. Key elements of the bill were the phase out of the 2nd Injury Fund, enhanced fraud provisions, and policy changes related to Supreme Court decisions in the area of repetitive trauma claims, expert medical evidence in complex medical cases, and communication with medical providers.
SB 449 that rejects the federal government’s Real ID program for drivers’ licenses was signed by the Governor. The Governor was apparently scheduled to be in Greenville, and his office set up the bill signing in the Saluda Dam Road DMV office.
Finally, SB 65 regarding access to cemeteries was signed into law last week. The bill provides family members of persons buried in cemeteries and genealogical researchers with a procedure to notify property owners that border landlocked cemeteries of their desire to visit or maintain gravesites. If there is a dispute about access, an individual can seek to resolve the dispute in the local magistrate’s court.
Please do not hesitate to contact me if I can be of service in any way.
Home office: 306-2126;
Home phone: 878-6105;
Delegation Phone: 850-7070;
Home Address: P.O. Box 247, Pickens, SC 29671;
Columbia Office: 803-212-6340;
Columbia address: P.O. Box 142, Columbia, SC 29202.
Local Email: lmartin@carol.net ;
Columbia email: lam@scsenate.org.
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