Published Tuesday, April 15, 2008 8:28 AM
Updated Tuesday, April 15, 2008 8:29 AM

 

The State Capitol Report

This week the House of Representatives sent many bills to the Senate for ratification. Legislation introduced covered a wide gamut of topics including animal cruelty, elections, the shortage of nurses, and moving tax money around … again!  

This government is your government, and I am honored to be your spokesperson in the House of Representatives.  Review the pending legislation and let me know what you think.  Together, it is our responsibility to correct the mistakes of the past, to reshape the state of the present, and to architect the plan for our future.

The House approved and sent to the Senate or enrolled for ratification the following bills of interest:

The House of Representatives approved and sent to the Senate H.4550, a bill providing for an income tax rate reduction for married taxpayers. This bill establishes a schedule for state income tax rate reductions for married taxpayers who file joint tax returns by annually reducing the current three percent income tax rate over the course of three years so as to ultimately set the rate at two percent.

The House amended, approved, and sent to the Senate H.4243, a bill providing that, notwithstanding another provision of law, a person who possesses a concealed weapons permit may possess a firearm in a vehicle on the capital grounds.

The House amended, approved, and sent to the Senate H.3058, a bill that provides that certain criminal domestic violence convictions in other states are to be considered when determining a previous conviction for purposes of enhancing the penalty.

The House approved S.1033, and enrolled the bill for ratification.  This bill designates indigo blue as the official color of the state of South Carolina.

The House amended, approved, and sent to the Senate H.4743, a bill relating to affordable housing projects under municipal and county tax increment financing provisions.  The legislation revises provisions of the Tax Increment Financing Acts for municipalities and counties, so as to provide that redevelopment projects also include affordable housing projects where all or a part of new property tax revenues generated in the tax increment financing district are used to provide or support publicly owned affordable housing in the district or is used to provide infrastructure projects to support such in the district.

The House amended, approved, and sent to the Senate H.4320, a bill pertaining to qualifications for attendance at public schools.  This bill provides that a child may attend the public schools of a school district free of charge if the child resides with an adult resident of that district as a result of the child’s parent(s) or legal guardian’s military deployment or call to active duty more than 70 miles from their residence for a period greater than sixty days.  

If you have a comment or opinion concerning the matters discussed in this report, or if I may be of assistance to you at any time, please feel free to call your legislative office in Columbia (734 2936); or my office in Pineville (843-567-4386).  Thank you for the opportunity to serve you in the House of Representatives.