Representative Harvin reports on this week’s Statehouse activity
After a two-week furlough, the House of Representatives resumed their deliberations on Tuesday, April 13.
In our absence the Senate began their work on the budget and have yet to finalize their work at this point.
This week we were visited by county treasurers, auditors and tax assessors and I was pleased to be able to recognize Clarendon County Treasurer Matt Evans for all his hard work.
The Town of Turbeville is to be commended on the outstanding success of The Puddin Swamp Festival. Each activity was well attended and many helping organizations in the county benefited from the generosity of the Clarendon County community.
The Striped Bass Festival is underway and we are heading toward the super weekend. This is a perfect opportunity to continue the fun and fellowship begun at The Puddin Swamp Festival. Whether you enjoy fabulous food, dancing under the stars, the art show, the boat show, the fishing tournament, the amusement rides or the parade, please come out to share in all that makes Clarendon County the perfect place to call home. I hope to see you there.
The House adopted the conference committee report on H.3395, a bill relating to Reserve Fund Enhancement and Procedures for Addressing Revenue Shortfalls.
The Senate subsequently adopted the conference committee report and enrolled the legislation for ratification. The bill revises statutory provisions governing the use of the General Reserve Fund and the Capital Reserve Fund to conform them to any amendments to the South Carolina Constitution that change the amount required to be held in the General Reserve Fund and the replenishment of that amount.
The House amended, approved, and sent to the Senate H.4446, regarding statewide Mass Immunization Projects for which the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control is responsible. The bill expands the immunity provision to cover all licensed nurses who participate in a mass immunization project. The bill also requires DHEC to establish a statewide immunization registry. The information will be covered by HIPPA and state health care privacy laws.
The House amended, approved, and sent to the Senate H.4205. This bill provides exceptions to the requirement for destruction of criminal records when a charge is dismissed or the person is found innocent. Under this bill, these provisions do not apply to a person who is charged with a violation of Title 50, Title 56, an enactment pursuant to the authority of counties and municipalities provided in Titles 4 and 5, or any other state criminal offense if the person is not fingerprinted for the violation. The bill also authorizes the State Law Enforcement Division to promulgate regulations that allow for the electronic transmission of information.
The House amended, approved, and sent to the Senate H.3059, which makes amendments to election laws. As defined by South Carolina election law, the term “club district” means the territory of the general election voting place or precinct in which the political party club is formed, whether a ward or township or a subdivision. This legislation deletes the definition of the term “club district” as well as deletes references to this term from the election laws. The term used instead of club district is precinct.
