By Representative
Jackie E. “Coach” Hayes
The 121st session of the General Assembly officially convened on January 13, opening with an atmosphere of general optimism and enthusiasm.  Members have been talking about positive change, as we have a new House Speaker, Darlington Representative James H. rm, rather than one massive bill.  You can expect to see the legislature debate how to change the process for investigating ethics complaints against legislators and state officials, requiring members to disclose more sources of income, and clarifying what constitutes a campaign finance violation.
At the House organizational session last month, members approved changes to the rules that govern the operation of the House.   Some of the changes include new term limits for the House Speaker and Speaker Pro Tempore, a new requirement for the Speaker to consult with majority and minority political party leaders when making appointments to conference committees, a requirement that House committees and subcommittees take roll call votes (recorded votes) on legislation, and new procedures for hiring House staff to increase accountability.

Road Maintenance
The General Assembly will be considering long-term strategies for ensuring our bridges, highways and roads are repaired and maintained.  Some proposals include transferring responsibility of additional roads to counties, expanding the state’s infrastructure bank, increasing the state gas tax and diverting money from the sales tax on cars. The state highway system is the fourth largest in the nation. More than 47 percent of the roads are said to be in poor condition, and more than 1,600 bridges have been declared deficient.

Domestic Violence
Currently, the penalty for domestic violence is determined by the number of times a person has committed the crime. The state’s attorney general and the state law enforcement community are calling for a tiered system of penalties based on the severity of harm cause to a victim, as well as increased penalties for committing a crime in the presence of a minor or while a victim is knowingly pregnant.
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The Legislature meets in Columbia on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from January to mid-June.  If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact me at 803-734-3099, at 333C Blatt Building, P.O. Box 11867, Columbia, S.C. 29211 or call me at home at 843-774-6125, at 240 Bermuda Road, Dillon, S.C. 29536.  My email address is JackieHayes@ schouse.gov.