Last week was the 11 th week of the 2023 legislative session. There are 7 legislative weeks remaining before the General Assembly is scheduled to adjourn on May 11, 2023. Here are the highlights from last week’ Senate action:
ANPAC IN MCCORMICK – I mentioned in last week’s update that I introduced S. 576 2023-2024 Bill 576: Alien Ownership of Real Property, a bill that would restrict companies or citizens from foreign adversaries (China, Russia, Iran, Cuba, and North Korea) from acquiring real property. I offered that bill after learning that AnPac, a Chinese Bio-Medical Company, announced that it had agreed to pay $28 million for 500 acres in McCormick County. Last week, the Senate debated and passed the bill. The final version would prohibit a company or citizen from a foreign adversary from acquiring property except that (1) companies already operating in SC as of December 31, 2022, could expand if the expansion is approved by the Secretary of Commerce and the Governor or (2) citizens of foreign adversaries who have attained Lawful Permanent Resident status in the United States could purchase up to 5 acres for residential use. Otherwise, companies and citizens of foreign adversaries could not purchase real property. The bill will now go to the House of Representatives.
EXPUNGEMENT FOR BAD CHECKS – The Senate passed S. 112 2023-2024 Bill 112: Fraudulent Check Expungement , a bill that would allow those with misdemeanor bad check convictions to have those convictions expunged 10 years or more after the last conviction. The bill will now go to the House.
DIRECTOR OF DEPARTMENT OF EMPLOYMENT AND WORKFORCE – The Senate passed S. 546 2023- 2024 Bill 546: DEW Restructuring, a bill that would allow the Governor to nominated the Director of the Department of Employment and Workforce with advice and consent of the Senate. Currently, the Governor nominates the director from a group of up to 3 screened candidates. However, the last two times there has been a vacancy at the Department, the screening committee has not had 3 candidates. This bill would treat DEW like other cabinet agencies. The House will now consider the bill.
GENETIC COUNSELORS – The Senate passed S. 241 2023-2024 Bill 241: Genetic Counselors, a bill that would regulate genetic counseling and require genetic counselors to be licensed by the state. I voted “no.” I think the state regulates too many professions as it is. The bill will now go to the House.
COMPTROLLER GENERAL – In last week’s update, I mentioned that several senators had introduced a resolution to remove the Comptroller General from office, pursuant to Article XV, Section 3, of the South Carolina Constitution for “willful neglect of duty” following recent revelations of a $4 billion accounting error. On Thursday of last week, Comptroller General Richard Eckstrom announced his resignation, effective April 30. Since there is now a vacancy in that office, the General Assembly will meet in joint assembly, sometime in April, to elect someone to fill the remainder of the Comptroller’s term, which ends in 2026. I will keep you updated.
Sincerely,
Shane Massey
P.O. Box 551
Edgefield, SC 29824
Email – shanemassey@scsenate.gov
Cell Phone – (803) 480-0419
Office Phone – (803) 212-6330