The South Carolina State Senate today passed the Department of Administration bill on third reading. Senate Republican Majority Whip Shane Massey, who led GOP efforts on the Senate version of the bill, urged the House to take it up and pass it as soon as possible.

The bill will move administrative functions of government to a newly created Department of Administration that reports directly to the Governor. The Department will include human resources, general services, and an executive budget and strategic planning office along with other administrative functions of government.
The bill will also create a State Fiscal Accountability Authority made up of the Governor, Comptroller General, Treasurer, Ways and Means Chairman, and Senate Finance Chairman.

In addition, Deficit Recognition will now be handled by the General Assembly, when in session. A new Legislative Services Agency will now be responsible for all fiscal and revenue impact statements.

Finally, the bill will create a Rural Infrastructure Authority, which will assist rural counties and local governments to improve their infrastructure to help attract economic development.

“The Budget and Control Board proved time and time again the old adage that when everyone is in charge, no one is in charge,” Sen. Shane Massey said. “This bill is critical to making sure government functions in a transparent and accountable manner. We urge the House to take this bill up as quickly as possible, because it’s what the people of South Carolina deserve.”

Here are the highlights from the week 5 in the Senate –

ETHICS REFORM – Ethics reform has received a good bit of attention over the past several months.  Governor Haley appointed a committee to review South Carolina’s ethics laws, and that committee recently made several recommendations.  Following up on those recommendations, three significant ethics reform bills were filed in the Senate last week.  The bills would close campaign finance loopholes and require elected officials and candidates for office to disclose all sources of income.  The legislation would also require the State Ethics Commission to oversee ethics complaints made against members of the Senate and House of Representatives, as opposed to the legislative bodies judging their own members.

I have been appointed to serve on the subcommittee that will consider these bills.  A meeting has not yet been set, but I expect that will happen very soon.  You can read the bills here:

• S.338
• S.346
• S.347

DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE IDENTITY THEFT – Shortly after the debacle at the Department of Revenue last year that led to nearly everyone’s personal information being stolen, the Senate appointed an oversight subcommittee to investigate the attack and propose ways to protect South Carolinians going forward.  Last week, S.334 was filed.  The bill would allow taxpayers to claim a tax credit (capped at $200 for individuals and $300 for joint returns) for credit monitoring services for 5 years (1 year has already been provided for free) and establish a statewide cyber security program.

Also, a report came out today that the Department of Revenue is implementing more security for this year’s tax filing season.  You can read an article on the new security here.

EARLY VOTING – Last week the Senate Judiciary Committee approved a bill that would allow citizens to vote up to 10 days before an election without an excuse.  The bill would require voting centers to open two Saturdays prior to the election and the entire week preceding the election.  For local races, the county registration and election office would determine whether to allow Saturday voting.  The full Senate should take up the bill this week.  You can read the billhere.

DEPARTMENT OF EMPLOYMENT & WORKFORCE OFFICES – The Department of Employment and Workforce (DEW) announced last week that it will reduce staff in 17 rural offices beginning February 19.  The offices will not close, but there will be fewer staff members available to provide 1-on-1 assistance in submitting unemployment claims.  SC’s unemployment rate has fallen, resulting in fewer claims; therefore, DEW needs less staff to handle the workload.  Three counties in our district – Edgefield, McCormick, and Saluda – are affected by the decision.

As I told DEW representatives during a hearing last week, I support the general idea.  However, they have to make it work while still providing the services people need.  You can read an article on the change here. I expect we’ll review the situation in a few months.
Last Week’s Meetings

On Monday night, the Aiken County Legislative Delegation met.  We heard from John Magill, director of the state Department of Mental Health, and discussed a review of the 2012 elections conducted by the Aiken County Registration and Elections Commission.

On Wednesday, the State House grounds were covered in garnet and black as hundreds of USC students and alumni visited legislators.  I enjoyed meeting with USC students from our area.

On Wednesday night, I attended a reception at the Governor’s Mansion.

On Thursday night, I attended the Edgefield County Chamber of Commerce’s annual banquet.

On Friday morning, I participated in Edgefield County’s 8th grade career fair.  Students from J.E.T. Middle School and Merriwether Middle School were able to hear about a large number of potential career choices.  I was glad to see so many business professionals sharing time with our students.
Constituent Interests

LEXINGTON HIGH SCHOOL – It’s been a good couple of weeks for Lexington High School’s sports programs.  Last week I mentioned that the school’s baseball team has been ranked #5 in the nation by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper’s pre-season poll.   This past weekend, Lexington’s wrestling team won the state 4A championship! You can see the baseball poll here, and you can read The State’s article on the wrestling state championship here.  Nice job, Wildcats!

AIKEN RECOGNIZED IN NATIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MAGAZINE– Business Facilities, a national economic development trade publication, selected South Carolina as a runner-up in its 2012 State of the Year category for economic development.   Even more local, Aiken County received an Honorable Mention designation in the 2012 “Deal of the Year” category for the new Bridgestone Off Road Radial Facility being constructed in Sage Mill Industrial Park.  Bridgestone is set to begin production in the 1 million square foot facility in early 2014.  You can read the write-up here.

OUR SENATE DISTRICT – Senate district 25 consists of all of Edgefield County and parts of Aiken, Lexington, McCormick, and Saluda Counties.  If you’d like to see the district map, go here.

VOTING RECORD – If you’d like to see how I voted last week, go here.  You can always check to see how I vote by going to my website,www.senatormassey.com, and clicking on the “Voting Record” tab.

SPEAKING WITH GROUPS – Several groups, clubs, and classes around our Senate district have invited me to attend their meetings and provide legislative updates.  If you would like for me to come speak with your group, please let me know.

EMAIL UPDATES – If you know of people in or around District 25 who do not receive my updates but would like to get them, please email their names and email addresses to me.  You can also forward this email to them and encourage them to sign up for the updates at www.senatormassey.com.

The 4th week of the 2013 session was pretty slow, but there was some excitement.  Here are the highlights –

GOVERNMENT RESTRUCTURING – I’ve given updates the past couple weeks about our push to restructure government by abolishing the Budget & Control Board, creating a new, cabinet-level Department of Administration, prohibiting agencies from running deficits without General Assembly approval, and, probably most importantly, requiring the legislature to conduct oversight of executive agencies.

Last week I told you about opposition from legislators who have become pretty powerful under the existing, inefficient system of government.  One of the creative ways to derail the bill this year was a ploy to refer the legislation to the Senate Finance Committee for “study,” i.e. to kill the bill.  Fortunately, I was able to work out an agreement to allow the Finance Committee to look at the bill for 3 weeks with the understanding that the full Senate will debate the bill beginning on February 20 and that the bill will be in the status of interrupted debate.  In the Senate, one of the biggest procedural hurdles can be getting controversial legislation up for debate.  Interrupted debate is the highest priority for debate.  By getting an agreement that restructuring would be placed in interrupted debate, we assured that the Senate will debate the bill on February 20.  That is a significant win, and I’m hopeful it will allow us to pass the bill by the end of February.  Stay tuned.

DEER BAITING – Last week I told you the Senate passed S.91, a bill that would allow hunters to bait for deer (typically with corn) statewide.  Since then I have had many emails and phone calls from folks voicing opposition and/or support of that bill.  The bill is now in the House Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Environmental Affairs Committee.  A subcommittee approved the bill last week.  If you’re interested in the bill, you can track its progress here. You can also see when the House committee will meet by checking the House Meeting Schedule on the right side of the statehouse website.

SHAKING THINGS UP – I’ve had several comments over the past week about an article from The State detailing some of the roadblocks I’ve encountered as a result of speaking my mind.  Despite opposition from some powerful folks inside the statehouse, I’ll continue to speak out against the entrenched, status quo that holds us back. Thanks for letting me know how you feel.  I appreciate all the kind words and support.

JUDICIAL ELECTIONS – On Wednesday, 1/30/13, the House and Senate met in Joint Assembly to elect a slate of new judges for Circuit Court and Family Court.  A couple of the Family Court races turned out to be pretty exciting.  One race resulted in a tie vote after the first ballot, and a one-vote difference on a second ballot.  Another race also was decided by one vote.  You can see a list of the newly elected judges here.

Constituent InterestsGOVERNOR HALEY TO VISIT MCCORMICK – Governor Nikki Haley will hold constituent meetings on Wednesday, February 6, at 12:00 PM at McCormick Town Hall (117 West Augusta Street, McCormick, S.C.). Anyone wishing to schedule an appointment with Gov. Haley should call (803) 734-1999.

AIKEN RECOGNIZED IN NATIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MAGAZINE – Business Facilities, a national economic development trade publication, selected South Carolina as a runner-up in its 2012 State of the Year category for economic development.   Even more local, Aiken County received an Honorable Mention designation in the 2012 “Deal of the Year” category for the new Bridgestone Off Road Radial Facility being constructed in Sage Mill Industrial Park.  Bridgestone is set to begin production in the 1 million square foot facility in early 2014.  You can read the write-up here.

LEXINGTON HIGH SCHOOL – Lexington High School’s baseball team has been ranked #5 in the nation by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper’s pre-season poll. Nice job, Wildcats!

TOWN HALL MEETINGS – I have held over 60 town hall meetings throughout our district over the past 4 years, and I really appreciate the hundreds of folks who have participated.  These town hall meetings give me a chance to keep you updated about what’s going on in Columbia and, more importantly, allow me to hear what’s on your mind.  I’m already working on the next round of meetings, which I hope to schedule for late February and early March.  I’ll get the schedule out soon.

OUR SENATE DISTRICT – Senate district 25 consists of all of Edgefield County and parts of Aiken, Lexington, McCormick, and Saluda Counties.  If you’d like to see the district map, go here.

VOTING RECORD – If you’d like to see how I voted last week, go here. You can always check to see how I vote by going to my website, www.senatormassey.com, and clicking on the “Voting Record” tab.

SPEAKING WITH GROUPS – Several groups, clubs, and classes around our Senate district have invited me to attend their meetings and provide legislative updates.  If you would like for me to come speak with your group, please let me know.

EMAIL UPDATES – If you know of people in or around District 25 who do not receive my updates but would like to get them, please email their names and email addresses to me.  You can also forward this email to them and encourage them to sign up for the updates at www.senatormassey.com.

Here are the highlights from 3rd week of the 2013 session in the Senate –

ELECTION LAW REFORM – The Senate gave final approval to S.2, a bill designed to correct the mistake that led to more than 200 candidates being prevented from running for offices statewide last year.  The bill would
– require both incumbents and challengers to file a Statement of Economic Interests (SEI) on-line by March 30 each year;
– provide that the failure to file a SEI by March 30 results in a fine rather than preventing the candidate from appearing on the ballot; however, if the candidate has not filed a SEI by the date of the election, the candidate would not be able to take office.  The idea here is to avoid the “death penalty” for those candidates who inadvertently fail to file the SEI.
– ensure that local and General Assembly candidates submit their Statement of Intention of Candidacy forms at the appropriate county election commission instead of having to make arrangements with local political party leadership

You can read the bill here. The bill has now gone to the House of Representatives for consideration.

DEER BAITING – Last week I told you about S.91, a bill that would allow baiting for deer statewide.  The problem here is that state law allows much of the Low Country to use corn to bait deer while prohibiting that practice for most of the Upstate.  In our district, hunters in Aiken and Lexington Counties can bait; hunters in Edgefield, McCormick, and Saluda cannot.

Last year, the Attorney General issued an opinion that the law actually does not prohibit hunting for deer over bait in the Upstate.  That set off a good bit of debate among hunters and the Department of Natural Resources, and it has led to attempts to clarify the law.

On Thursday, the Senate passed S.91. It now goes to the House for consideration.

GOVERNMENT RESTRUCTURING – My updates last year focused a good bit on legislation that would restructure South Carolina’s government.  The idea is to abolish the Budget & Control Board, a 5-member board that runs much of state government, and shift those duties to a new, cabinet-level Department of Administration.  It would prohibit agencies from deficits without General Assembly approval (yeah, that actually happens), and it would require the legislature to conduct oversight of executive agencies.

I have been a frequent critic of the Budget & Control Board over the past several years.  In my view, the Budget & Control Board acts as a shadow government, allowing state agencies to run deficits, making executive decisions that should be left to the Governor, and usurping essential legislative functions.

I chaired a subcommittee that considered S. 22, the South Carolina Restructuring Act of 2013.  Last week the Senate Judiciary Committee approved the bill and sent it to the full Senate for consideration.

As you might expect, there’s a good bit of opposition to this bill.  Many people have become extremely powerful under the existing, inefficient system of government, and they’re not willing to give up that power without a fight.  That fight is coming, and it is a fight worth having.  For a brief overview of the bill, why we need it, and the opposition’s tactics, take a look at this editorial from The State.

SHAKING THINGS UP – When I ran for the Senate in 2007 and 2008, I said I intended to work hard to shake up Columbia.  What did I mean by that?  Well, the Budget & Control Board is a big part of the status quo that has been holding South Carolina back for decades.  Lots of entrenched politicians have become powerful – and comfortable – in the way we’ve always done things.  I’ve been fighting those interests since I arrived in Columbia, and those fights tend to have consequences.  Here is a good article from The State that talks about my fight to prevent deficit spending and to abolish the Budget & Control Board . . . and a couple of the repercussions.

But don’t worry, folks:  I’m not about to be quiet.  I may sit in the back row, but I refuse to hold my tongue.  I’ll keep fussing about inefficient, wasteful, and irresponsible government, and I’ll keep offering ways to make South Carolina better.

CONSTITUENT INTERESTS

TOWN HALL MEETINGS – I have held over 60 town hall meetings throughout our district over the past 4 years, and I really appreciate the hundreds of folks who have participated.  These town hall meetings give me a chance to keep you updated about what’s going on in Columbia and, more importantly, allow me to hear what’s on your mind.  I’m already working on the next round of meetings, which I hope to schedule for late February and early March.  I’ll get the schedule out soon.

OUR SENATE DISTRICT – Senate district 25 consists of all of Edgefield County and parts of Aiken, Lexington, McCormick, and Saluda Counties.  If you’d like to see the district map, go here.

VOTING RECORD – If you’d like to see how I voted last week, go here.  You can always check to see how I vote by going to my website, www.senatormassey.com, and clicking on the “Voting Record” tab.

SPEAKING WITH GROUPS – Several groups, clubs, and classes around our Senate district have invited me to attend their meetings and provide legislative updates.  If you would like for me to come speak with your group, please let me know.

EMAIL UPDATES – If you know of people in or around District 25 who do not receive my updates but would like to get them, please email their names and email addresses to me.  You can also forward this email to them and encourage them to sign up for the updates at www.senatormassey.com.

The General Assembly has finished the first two weeks of the 2013 session. Typically, the first few weeks of a new session are used by committees and subcommittees to study and work on legislation filed just before session begins. The Senate has tackled a few major issues right off the bat. Here are the highlights –

Election Law Reform – South Carolina law requires political candidates to file a Statement of Economic Interests when they sign up to run for office. Last year a previously overlooked portion of that law resulted in more than 200 candidates being prevented from running for offices statewide. The first order of business for the Senate this year is to fix that quirk.

On Thursday the Senate gave 2nd reading (each bill receives 3 readings/votes) to S.2, a bill that would ensure that incumbents and challengers play by the same rules while giving all candidates an opportunity to correct filing mistakes without being kicked off the ballot. You can read the bill here.

The Senate should give final passage to S.2 on Tuesday.

Sweepstakes machines – I’ve received several phone calls and emails from folks concerned about a possible resurgence of video poker in South Carolina. People purchase internet and phone credits in exchange for playing these “sweepstakes” machines that allegedly have a predetermined prize. If the prize is predetermined, it’s not gambling. In reality, the prizes aren’t nearly as predetermined as advertised. Local law enforcement and SLED have seized over 1,000 machines across the state, claiming they are illegal video poker machines.

In most cases, courts have ruled in favor of law enforcement. However, a couple magistrates across the state have concluded these sweepstakes games are lawful. The result has been a resurgence of these video poker type machines in convenience stores and bars across the South Carolina.

SLED, the Attorney General, and many sheriffs have requested legislative action to clarify that these machines are unlawful. Last week, the Senate passed S.3, a bill that would make a slight, but significant, change in law to close the perceived loophole. You can read S.3 here.

State of the State Address – Governor Nikki Haley delivered her third State of the State Address last Wednesday night. If you missed the speech, you can watch it here or read the full speech here.

Deer Baiting – I’ve heard from many of you over the past couple years about South Carolina’s deer baiting laws. The problem is that state law allows much of the Low Country to use corn to bait deer while prohibiting that practice for most of the Upstate. In our district, hunters in Aiken and Lexington Counties can bait; hunters in Edgefield, McCormick, and Saluda cannot. Since we see the differences in law first had, I’ve heard from both sides.

Last year, the Attorney General issued an opinion that the law actually does not prohibit hunting for deer over bait in the Upstate. That set off a good bit of debate among hunters and the Department of Natural Resources, and it has led to attempts to clarify the law.

Last week, the Senate Fish, Game & Forestry Committee passed S. 91, which would allow baiting for deer statewide. The full Senate should take up the bill this week, and I expect a spirited debate.

Do you have an opinion on this issue? If so, please let me know. I’d love to have your input.

Committee Assignments – Here are my committee assignments for this session –

• Judiciary
• Rules
• Agriculture and Natural Resources
• Corrections and Penology
• Labor, Commerce & Industry

More responsibilities this year – It looks like I’m going to have a lot more work this year. Here’s why –

• I was selected as one of 2 Whips for Senate Republicans.
• Senator Danny Verdin, Chairman of the Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee, asked me to chair a subcommittee focused on regulations
• Senator Thomas Alexander, Chairman of the Senate Labor, Commerce & Industry Committee, asked me to chair one of the committee’s 2 subcommittees
• Senator Larry Martin, Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, appointed me as chairman of one of the committee’s subcommittees
• Senator Martin created a new subcommittee devoted to legislative oversight of executive agencies and asked me to chair that subcommittee
• Senator Martin also asked me to be the Judiciary Committee’s spokesman on the Senate floor. When the committee passes a bill I will be tasked with explaining the bill to the full Senate and leading the debate. Since nearly one-half of all bills go through Judiciary, this is a pretty big responsibility.

As I told the Senate President Pro Tempore on my first day, I have a very comfortable couch at home. I ran for the Senate because I wanted to work hard and make a difference; I didn’t go to Columbia to sit around. I’m looking forward to the new responsibilities.

Constituent Interests

Town Hall Meetings – I have held over 60 town hall meetings throughout our district over the past 4 years, and I really appreciate the hundreds of folks who have participated. These town hall meetings give me a chance to keep you updated about what’s going on in Columbia and, more importantly, allow me to hear what’s on your mind. I’m already working on the next round of meetings, which I hope to schedule for late February and early March. I’ll get the schedule out soon.

Our Senate District – Senate district 25 consists of all of Edgefield County and parts of Aiken, Lexington, McCormick, and Saluda Counties. If you’d like to see the district map, go here.

Voting Record – If you’d like to see how I voted last week, go here. You can always check to see how I vote by going to my website, www.senatormassey.com, and clicking on the “Voting Record” tab.

Speaking with Groups – Several groups, clubs, and classes around our Senate district have invited me to attend their meetings and provide legislative updates. If you would like for me to come speak with your group, please let me know.

Email updates – If you know of people in or around District 25 who do not receive my updates but would like to get them, please email their names and email addresses to me. You can also forward this email to them and encourage them to sign up for the updates at www.senatormassey.com.