Grassroots Newsletter

Legislative Report Week Ending May 30, 2008

*In the House*

With just six days left in the legislative session, the House worked in the chamber to pass legislation, specifically on cigarette tax, immigration, and the budget.

CIGARETTE TAX 

On Tuesday, the House debated the Governor's veto to H.3567 (Rice), increasing the cigarette tax.  After attempts to adjourn debate and adjourn for the day, members debated for several hours before sustaining the veto by a vote of 57-54. The tone of the debate became very emotional as both advocates and opponents of the tax increase spoke passionately about how they perceived the impact of the proposed increase. As previously reported, agriculture would have received a $1 million annual allocation for marketing and promotion through the increase. Obviously, this allocation was lost when the veto was sustained. Furthermore, because budget writers removed previously allocated money for Ag promotion from the general fund budget, there will be no new money for marketing and branding this year.

IMMIGRATION

On Thursday the House concurred with Senate amendments to H.4400 (Harrell), illegal immigration reform. After two years of debate, grandstanding and political pandering, a bill will be sent to the Governor for his signature. As amended, the bill mandates employee verification through either E-verify, a SC driver’s license, or the eligibility to receive a SC driver’s license, and allows for penalties if the employer was proven to have knowingly and willfully hired workers that are not in the country legally.

Unfortunately, this bill will do nothing to stop the flow of illegal immigrants across our national borders as that can only be solved through congressional legislation. What this legislation has done, though, is show the need for a viable guest worker program that employers can use to satisfy needs that are not being currently filled. South Carolina Farm Bureau will continue to work with our congressional delegation to advocate for true reform from Washington.

A special thanks should be given to the many legislators that were true champions for South Carolina agriculture during this debate. These folks were able to see through the political haze and cast their votes as statesmen looking out for the best interest of South Carolina and not to appease a vocal minority looking to profit from sensationalism of the issue. These legislators will not be forgotten.

VETOES

H.4328, a pro-business bill that would allow an administrative law judge to waive the automatic stay provision on projects that that are under appeal was vetoed by the Governor late Wednesday. Unfortunately, the veto was upheld on Wednesday by the House of Representatives. However, a motion to reconsider was made and another attempt to override will be made on Tuesday of next week. Farm Bureau is asking that you contact your House member before Tuesday and urge them to vote to override the Governors veto of H.4328.

This will be the last request made for this legislative year.

The following bills were also passed by the House this week:

• H.3533 (Talley), establishing a wind energy production farms study committee
• H.5029 (Witherspoon), relating to the coastal zone management plan
• S.691 (Gregory), relating to the sale of wild rabbit carcasses
• S.873 (Knotts), relating to statewide hunting and fishing licenses
• S.955 (Hayes), relating to state boundaries
• S.1244 (Campsen), relating to the wildlife endowment fund

The House overrode the Governor's vetoes to:

• H.3649 (Witherspoon), relating to alternative fuel tax credits

The House concurred with Senate amendments to:

• H.4900 (Cato), enacting the Reduced Cigarette Ignition Propensity Standards and Firefighter Protection Act
• H.4921 (Moss), relating to animal cruelty provisions 
• H.3028 (Funderburk), relating to misrepresentation of a food product. After much hard work this bill will finally go to the Governor for his signature. If signed, it would be illegal to represent out of state grown commodities as South Carolina grown.
• H.4400 (Harrell), relating to illegal immigration reform

The House recommitted the following bills:

• S.833 (Knotts), tethering a dog provisions, to Agriculture

The following bills are pending on the calendar:
Uncontested:

• S.1158 (Hayes), relating to the Catawba River
• S.1210 (Leatherman), relating to the Lynches River
• S.1313 (Knotts), relating to a Four Percent real property assessment

The House will convene at 12 noon on Tuesday, June 3^rd.

*House Committee Action*

House Judiciary Committee
Canceled

• S.1125 (Hutto), Intentional Misrepresentation of Membership to an Organization
• S.1260 (Lourie), Animal Care Act of 2008 Provisions 

*In the Senate*

Senators were busy on the floor this week as they began to bring closure to the 2008 session.  One of the major issues that has faced the Senate this session is immigration and work on that legislation was completed this week when both the House and Senate signed off on amendments to H.4400 (see above).

The following bills passed the Senate and were either enrolled for ratification or sent to the House for consideration:

• H.3028 (Funderburk), relating to the misrepresentation of a food product
• H.4400 (Harrell), relating to illegal aliens and public employment
• H.4764 (Witherspoon), relating to DNR water resources and planning provisions
• H.4766 (Lowe), State Agency Energy Conservation Plan Provisions

Overrode the Governor’s veto on

• H.3649 (Witherspoon), enacting the Energy Freedom and Rural Development Act

Concurred with House amendments and enrolled for ratification:

• S.873 (Knotts), relating to hunting licenses for small game  Other bills pending on the Calendar include:
• H.3008 (Ballentine), relating to property tax exemptions
• H.3030 (JR Smith), authorizing a  rural community water district to provide sewer service to the area within its boundaries
• H.3202 (White), relating to hunting, trapping, and fishing
• H.3975 (Delleney), relating to property tax equalization and reassessment program
• H.4337 (R Brown), relating to stormwater runoff fees 
• H.4350 (Chalk), defining the term "landscape service" 
• H.4942 (Cotty), relating to unimproved real property tax assessment
• S.80 (Knotts), relating to real property and trespassing
• S.186 (Gregory), relating to supplying minors with tobacco
• S.428 (Hayes), enacting the SC Water Withdrawal and Permitting, Use and Reporting Act
• S.928 (Verdin), relating to an agritourism professional and liability
• S.967 (Gregory), providing that a raffle conducted by a charitable, religious, community-service, education-related, or fraternal organization exempt from federal income taxation is not a lottery prohibited by the Constitution of South Carolina
• S.1041 (Hawkins), increasing the penalties for cockfighting
• S.1061 (Williams), relating to release of pen raised mallards and turkeys
• S.1151 (Gregory), relating to raffles conducted by a federally tax exempt organization 

The Senate will convene at 12 noon on Tuesday, June 3^rd.

*Senate Committee Action*

Senate Education Committee
Favorable

•  H.4833 (Cooper), Enact the SC Farm to School Program Act

Senate Finance Committee
Favorable with amendment

• H.4499 (Kirsh), Agriculture Property Tax Appeals

Favorable

• H.3975 (Delleney), Property Tax Reassessment Program

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This page will be updated as progress is made on Farm Bureau legislative priority issues. 

Thank you for your support of the
South Carolina Farm Bureau Federation.
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