press release Archives - SC Senate Republican Caucus

BREAKING: South Carolina Supreme Court Upholds Heartbeat Bill

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 23, 2023

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Today, the South Carolina Supreme Court determined Act 70 of 2023, the Heartbeat bill, to be constitutional. The Court vacated the preliminary injunction and upheld the act with a decisive majority of justices.

South Carolina Supreme Court Upholds Heartbeat Bill

Fifty years of patience and devotion from the pro-life movement culminated in the fall of Roe last summer. The Dobbs decision meant relief for many across the nation and a renewed vigor to take up the fight for life at the state level.

South Carolina’s Dobbs moment is upon us now.

Today, the State Supreme Court made clear that South Carolina may enact a law to protect unborn children from abortion once a heartbeat is detectable.

The steadfast work of Senate Republicans on behalf of the most vulnerable has resulted in the birth of a new South Carolina; one that is no longer an abortion destination but a refuge for the unborn.

Our fight is not over. Today, we celebrate, and tomorrow, we continue striving to make South Carolina a free, safe, and beautiful home for all her citizens.

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Happy Independence Day!

Nearly two and a half centuries ago, the American experiment began. The revolutionary ideas of democracy and individual rights birthed an exceptional nation, one that endures today as the most free and prosperous nation in the history of the world.

Happy Independence Day!

BREAKING: SCOTUS Strikes Down Student Debt Scheme

BREAKING: SCOTUS Strikes Down Race-Based College Admissions

PRESS RELEASE: South Carolina Senate Republicans Stand Up for Life

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 23, 2023

SOUTH CAROLINA SENATE REPUBLICANS STAND UP FOR LIFE

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Today, the Senate voted to concur in House amendments to S. 474, a bill to prohibit the performance of abortions once the heartbeat of an unborn child is detectable, approximately six weeks into a pregnancy. This life-saving legislation includes exceptions in cases of rape, incest, medical emergency, or fatal fetal anomaly.

Senate Majority Leader Shane Massey issued the following statement:

“A heartbeat clearly indicates life. Today, Senate Republicans kept their promises and stood up for life in South Carolina. All children with a beating heart will soon be protected in this State. South Carolina will not be the abortion capital of the Southeast.”

Senator Larry Grooms, who authored the bill, added:

“There is no greater right than the right to life. Government’s primary purpose is to protect life. Every abortion takes a life. I am delighted that South Carolina will now join fourteen other states in protecting life once a heartbeat is detected.”

This bill is headed to the Governor for his signature.

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PRESS RELEASE: Senate Republicans Keep Political Activism Out of the Classroom

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 10, 2023

SENATE REPUBLICANS KEEP POLITICAL ACTIVISM OUT OF THE CLASSROOM

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Today, Senate Republicans passed H. 3728, the Transparency and Integrity in Education Act. The bill protects students from political indoctrination by identifying certain concepts which must not be included in classroom instruction. According to the bill, no student may be taught that one race is inherently superior to another race or that members of one race bear responsibility for the actions committed in the past by members of the same race.

Senate Majority Leader Shane Massey celebrated the bill’s passage: “The citizens of South Carolina do not want political activism in the classroom. H. 3728 keeps the subjective opinions of those who want to rewrite American History from creeping into South Carolina’s schools.”

The bill encourages fact-based discussions of history. “I want students to learn about Jim Crow,” Senator Massey added. “I want them to learn about slavery. I want them to learn about the holocaust. I don’t want them to be blamed for those things.”

Republicans are committed to fighting for truth and transparency in education. This legislation requires that all instructional materials be made known to parents and available for review. “This is the year of parental rights, and today the Senate took a giant step toward eliminating classroom secrecy,” said Senator Larry Grooms, a member of the Senate Education Committee. “Parents have a right to know what is being taught in their child’s classroom, and today Republicans enshrined that right into law.”

H. 3728 returns to the House for concurrence and then to the Governor’s desk.

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PRESS RELEASE: SC Senate Votes to End Catch and Release of Violent Criminals

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 12, 2023

SC SENATE VOTES TO END CATCH AND RELEASE OF VIOLENT CRIMINALS

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Today, the South Carolina Senate unanimously adopted H. 3532, a bill to reform the State’s broken bond system and keep dangerous criminals behind bars.

South Carolina Senate Majority Leader Shane Massey said bond reform is a top priority for Senate Republicans this legislative session. “We heard from our constituents, and they’re fed up with the revolving door of our justice system. We intend to close that door,” Leader Massey said.

The bill cracks down on criminal defendants who commit violent crimes while on bond by revoking the initial bond and requiring judges to consider the prior charges and bond status of the defendant in future hearings.

Senator Greg Hembree, former 15^th Circuit Solicitor, added: “Today the Senate built upon the great work of the Speaker of the House and his colleagues by passing H. 3532. This bond reform bill addresses the dangerous catch and release of violent criminals through higher bonds and revocation of bond. This bill will make South Carolina safer.”

Too often, dangerous criminals are arrested, booked, and released on bond, only to be stopped again for committing another violent crime.

No more.

Senate Republicans are committed to keeping South Carolina safe. Safe communities enable citizens to work and thrive. Safe beaches allow families to rest and relax.

The bill returns to the House for approval, then to the Governor’s desk for his signature.

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PRESS RELEASE: South Carolina Senate GOP Stands Up to China

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 24, 2023

SOUTH CAROLINA SENATE GOP STANDS UP TO CHINA

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Yesterday, the South Carolina Senate overwhelmingly passed S. 576, a bill by Senate Majority Leader Shane Massey to prohibit foreign adversaries, including China, Russia, North Korea, Cuba, and Iran, from purchasing land in the Palmetto State.

Majority Leader Massey issued the following statement:

“In recent weeks, citizens in McCormick County have made known to me their discomfort over the pending acquisition of hundreds of acres of residential and undeveloped property by a Chinese bio-medical company, only miles from the Savannah River Site. I share the concerns of my constituents in McCormick. Just weeks ago, the State and the Nation watched while a Chinese spy balloon, undeterred, was flown over the entire country, spying over highly sensitive military bases. It’s clear: Communist China and other hostile nations must not be permitted to move in next door.

That’s why I introduced Senate Bill 576, which prohibits foreign adversaries and corporations controlled by foreign adversaries from purchasing land here in South Carolina. Yesterday, Senate Republicans joined me to pass this bill and send it to the House for quick consideration.

All senators swear an oath to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of this State. The Senate upheld that promise today.”

Senator Billy Garrett, who resides in McCormick, added:

“I am very encouraged by the willingness of the State Senate to protect the sovereignty of South Carolina and especially Senate District Ten from Communist China and other hostile nations. I ask my friends in the House to take up S. 576 quickly and send it to the Governor for his approval.”

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PRESS RELEASE: South Carolina Senate Doubles Down on Education

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 16, 2023

SOUTH CAROLINA SENATE SENATE DOUBLES DOWN ON EDUCATION

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Today, Senate Republicans passed S. 285, the Academic Choice in Education (ACE) act. The bill permits nonprofit scholarship funding organizations to issue scholarships for qualifying students to cover the educational expenses associated with attending a private school or home school program. Taxpayers may claim contributions to funding organizations against their tax liability.

Senate Republicans today kept their promises to students and taxpayers by passing another major school-choice initiative. The Academic Choice in Education act will fund school choice for thousands of South Carolina students at no cost to the State while reducing burdens on taxpayers.

Senator Tom Davis, who authored the bill stated: “When providers have to compete and consumers are given a choice, the result is a better service at a lower cost. The State’s education system lacks the benefit of this market principle, and today the Senate fixed that.”

Students in public schools, including disadvantaged and exceptional needs children, as well as children in home school programs, are eligible to receive scholarship funding. “South Carolina’s children deserve a robust educational system with options: public, private, parochial, and home schools,” said Senator Sean Bennett, chairman of the subcommittee who heard public testimony on the bill. “Today, the Senate added to State’s toolbox another choice for students and families.”

Majority Leader Shane Massey made clear at the start of the legislative session that education reform is the number one priority for the Senate Republican Caucus. The passage of the ACE act comes on the heels of S. 39, adopted in February, which creates trust funds for low-income families to cover costs associated with sending students to the school of their choice.

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SENATE FINANCE SUBCOMMITTEE CONCLUDES INVESTIGATION OF THE COMPTROLLER GENERAL

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 15, 2023

SENATE FINANCE SUBCOMMITTEE CONCLUDES INVESTIGATION OF THE COMPTROLLER GENERAL

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Today, the South Carolina Senate Finance Constitutional Subcommittee investigating the Comptroller General, Richard Eckstrom, issued a final report on the findings of the investigation. The Subcommittee, consisting of Senators Grooms (Ch.), McElveen, Fanning, Goldfinch, and Young, unanimously adopted the report on Tuesday.

The report details the extensive investigation and concludes:

It is the collective opinion of the Subcommittee that:

Comptroller General Richard Eckstrom has repeatedly demonstrated his inability to perform statutory duties of the office to which he was elected;
Comptroller General Richard Eckstrom should be relieved of his duties to his office;
The General Assembly begin proceedings to remove Comptroller General Richard Eckstrom from office “for willful neglect of duty or other reasonable cause, which shall not be sufficient ground of impeachment” pursuant to Title XV Section 3 of the Constitution of the State of South Carolina;
The responsibilities of the Office of the Comptroller General be transferred to other appropriate offices of the State;
The Senate Finance Committee recommend which offices of the State receive those responsibilities;
The General Assembly advance an amendment to the Constitution of the State of South Carolina, to remove the Comptroller General as an elected office.*

Subcommittee Chairman Larry Grooms added, “When it comes to reporting the State’s finances, the buck stops with the Comptroller General. Today, this investigative subcommittee delivered the accountability that the people of South Carolina deserve. I ask the Comptroller General to resign.”

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