SCAPA Legislative Update - December 2022
Print this Article | Send to Colleague
SCAPA Legislative Update - December 2022
Submitted by Sunnie Harmon and John DeWorken, LobbySC
House of Representatives Sees Changes
The House convened this week for its organizational session, swearing in 27 new members, which is the largest Freshman class since the late 1990s. Along with the many new faces in the House, each Committee will see new members, as well.
Ways & Means, Judiciary, Medical, Military, Public and Municipal Affairs (3M), Agriculture, Natural Resources & Environmental Affairs, and the Education & Public Works Committees all have a new Chairman this year. They are as follows:
- Bruce Bannister (R-Greenville), Ways & Means
- Weston Newton (R-Beaufort), Judiciary
- Sylleste Davis (R-Charleston), 3M
- Bill Hixon (R-Aiken), Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Environmental Affairs
- Shannon Erickson (R-Beaufort), Education & Public Works
Other changes include the makeup of the 3M Committee, which will now be led by a Republican. Moreover, the House passed a new rule that will provide the Speaker of the House 24 hours of consideration before referring a bill to committee if he chooses to do so.
Prefiled Bills Being Monitored
H. 3364 -- Rep. Rutherford: A BILL TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 56-5-1560, RELATING TO THE ESTABLISHMENT OF MINIMUM SPEED LIMITS ALONG THE STATE'S HIGHWAYS, SO AS TO PROVIDE THE MINIMUM SPEED LIMITS ALONG HIGHWAYS WITH MAXIMUM POSTED SPEED LIMITS OF SEVENTY MILES AN HOUR IS FIFTY MILES AN HOUR.
H. 3379 -- Rep. Rutherford: A BILL TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 56-5-3890, RELATING TO THE UNLAWFUL USE OF WIRELESS ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION DEVICES WHILE OPERATING MOTOR VEHICLES, SO AS TO DEFINE THE TERM "GREAT BODILY INJURY", AND REVISE THE PENALTIES FOR VIOLATIONS.
H. 3394 -- Rep. Taylor: A BILL TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ENACTING THE "SOUTH CAROLINA HANDS-FREE AND DISTRACTED DRIVING ACT"; BY ADDING SECTION 56-5-3995 SO AS TO PROVIDE THE CIRCUMSTANCES UPON WHICH IT IS UNLAWFUL TO USE WIRELESS TELECOMMUNICATIONS DEVICES, TO CREATE THE OFFENSE OF DISTRACTED DRIVING, AND TO PROVIDE PENALTIES; BY AMENDING SECTION 56-1-720, RELATING TO THE POINT SYSTEM ESTABLISHED AND THE SCHEDULE OF POINTS FOR VIOLATIONS, SO AS TO PROVIDE A SECOND OR SUBSEQUENT OFFENSE OF DISTRACTED DRIVING IS A TWO-POINT VIOLATION; TO PROVIDE THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION SHALL ERECT SIGNS ADVISING MOTORISTS OF THE PROVISIONS OF THIS ACT; BY REPEALING SECTION 56-5-3890 RELATING TO OPERATING A MOTOR VEHICLE WHILE USING AN ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS DEVICE; TO PROVIDE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS SHALL ISSUE WARNINGS FOR CERTAIN VIOLATIONS OF THIS ACT DURING THE NINETY-DAY PERIOD FOLLOWING ITS EFFECTIVE DATE; AND TO PROVIDE AT THE END OF EACH FISCAL YEAR, THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY SHALL ISSUE A REPORT CONTAINING THE AGE, GENDER, AND RACE OF EVERY DRIVER ISSUED A CITATION.
___________________________________________________________________________________
Sunnie Harmon & John DeWorken
LobbySC
Sunnie Harmon
Sunnie@LobbySC.com
John DeWorken
John@LobbySC.com
