Senate GOP Pushes For Candidate Drug Testing
Filed Under Caucus, Top News, Ritchie, Peeler
Democrats Seek to Stall the Bill with Filibuster
Columbia, SC - The Senate Republican Caucus began debate today on a Constitutional Amendment (S.1070) that would require all candidates filing for elected office to submit a recently completed drug test along with their candidate filing papers. Senator Jim Ritchie, (R-Spartanburg) Majority Whip, lead the Republican Caucus efforts on the Senate floor urging members to pass the measure, while Senator Brad Hutto (D-Orangeburg) engaged the Senate in a filibuster.
“I just think that the citizens of this state should be able to decide whether or not they want candidates for public office to be drug-free,” says chief sponsor of the bill and Senate Majority Leader Harvey Peeler (R-Cherokee). The Constitutional Amendment coincides with a statutory requirement Senator Peeler introduced after former state treasurer Thomas Ravenel was indicted on drug charges.
The Senate Republican Caucus is working to advance the candidate drug testing effort to bring more accountability to government officials. The bill must receive two-thirds approval from both the Senate and the House before it can be placed on the ballot in November for consideration by the voters.
“It is important for the people of South Carolina to have confidence in the people that they elect and serve as their judges,” says Senator Ritchie. “They trust us to make important decisions about their future. We should be willing to entrust them to decide whether or not our constitution should require us to be drug free.”
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