Last week was the 4th week of the 2024 legislative session. There are 14 weeks remaining before the legislature adjourns on May 9, 2024.
Here are the highlights from last week’s Senate action:
“CONSTITUTIONAL CARRY” – The Senate passed H. 3594 2023-2024 Bill 3594: Constitutional Carry. The final, amended version does three main things: (1) strengthen criminal penalties on felons who possess weapons and those who repeatedly violate gun laws. Law enforcement across the state has been asking for these enhanced penalties for years. (2) law-abiding South Carolina citizens would be authorized to carry concealable weapons without a concealed weapons permit. There would be no mandate for the permit, training, or background checks to carry. This is what constitutional carry advocates have been asking for. (3) incentivize those who carry to get a CWP. The bill would make the CWP training class free and add criminal penalties for those who commit gun crimes but declined the opportunity to learn about gun laws through the training process. The bill does not mandate the CWP training class, but it does provide a strong incentive to get it. The Senate amended the bill, so it will now go back to the House of Representatives.
COMBATTING CHILD ABUSE – The Senate passed S. 708 2023-2024 Bill 708: SCCARMS Update, a bill that would strengthen South Carolina’s existing Child Abuse Medical Services program. The bill will now go to the House of
Representatives.
PROTECTING FARM LAND – The Senate passed H. 3951 2023-2024 Bill 3951: Working Agricultural Lands Preservation, a bill to create the Working Farmlands Protection Fund. The Conservation Bank could issue grants to purchase and retain farmland where a farmer gains more than 50% of his income from farming.
The bill will now go back to the House to consider Senate amendments.
SOCIAL WORKERS INTERSTATE COMPACT – The Senate passed S. 778 2023-2024 Bill 778: Social Work Licensure Compact Re-Draft, a bill that would create the Social Work Licensure Compact with other states. Once enacted, this would allow South Carolina social workers to work in other states and, maybe more importantly, allow licensed social workers in other states to fill needs for social workers here. The bill will now go to the House.
TAX CREDITS FOR DISABILITY VETERANS – The Senate passed H. 3116 2023-2024 Bill 3116: Disabled Veterans Property Tax , a bill that would allow permanently and totally disabled veterans to claim a property tax credit in the year in which the disability occurs. The bill will now return to the House to consider Senate amendments.
SC–IRELAND TRADE – The Senate passed S. 621 2023-2024 Bill 621: SC Ireland Trade Commission, a bill that would create the SC Ireland Trade Commission to advance trade and investment between South Carolina and Ireland. The bill will now go to the House.
LAST WEEK’S MEETINGS
On Monday, I attended Edgefield County’s annual Intergovernmental meeting. It was an opportunity to hear what is happening at the various levels of government and see many of the great things happening in Edgefield County.
On Tuesday, I attended a Saluda County Legislative Delegtion meeting. The meeting focused on local appointments the delegation is required to make.
On Wednesday, I attended the Lexington County Farm Bureau’s annual legislative meeting.
On Thursday, I attended Piedmont Technical College’s legislative breakfast. We talked about updates to new college buildings and opportunities in Edgefield and Saluda. The new Edgefield campus will offer many more career training opportunities for high school graduates and provide supplemental career training opportunities for high school students. The new Saluda campus will target students from Saluda High School, Batesburg-Leesville High School, and Ridge Spring Monetta High School. I am confident both of these projects will greatly enhance opportunities for people in Edgefield, Aiken, Lexington, and Saluda counties to receive the training, education, and skills they need to compete for the jobs that South Carolina has been
recruiting.