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Legislative eNews-MAY 11, 2007

LOCAL

Remember to vote this Tuesday, May 15 in the Republican Run-Off election for the open Senate District 46 seat. The candidates in the run-off are Weston Newton, current Chair of the Beaufort Council and Catherine Ceips, current state representative from Beaufort.

Voters in District 10 (Sun City and Okatie) will also be voting for a replacement on the Beaufort County Board of Education.

Several adjustments have been made to polling places and times given the McTeer Bridge situation. Below is guidance on the polling adjustments.

To assist voters, who may NOT be able to return to their designated precincts for the Special Republican Senatorial District 46 Run-Off to be conducted on Tuesday, May 15, 2007, effective Monday, May 7th thru Monday May 14th voting hours will be extended daily (Monday thru Friday) UNTIL 6 PM, at the Beaufort and Hilton Head Island Absentee Precincts. Additionally the Absentee Precincts will be open on SATURDAY, MAY 12TH FROM 10 AM to 2 PM.

On the election day, Tuesday, May 15th all precincts will open during the regular hours of 7AM to 7PM.

Persons desiring to vote in the Special Republican Senate District 46 Run-off to be conducted on Tuesday, May 15th who feel that they may NOT be able to get to their designated precinct within the regular hours, are encouraged to vote absentee during these extended hours.

Lady’s Island and St. Helena Island voters ONLY who work in Beaufort, Bluffton, and/or Hilton Head who may not be able get back on to their designated precinct on the Island by 7PM on election day, Tuesday, May 15th will be allowed to vote at either the Beaufort Office or the Hilton Head Office until the normal poll closing time of 7PM.

Also, some regular polling places for May 15 have changed for the special election, so go to www.bcgov.net to confirm your polling place.

Aviation Advisory Board
The county's Aviation Advisory Board unanimously approved a resolution Thursday recommending the county ask the Town of Hilton Head to delay efforts to pass a LMO change that would lock the runway in at its current length and limit hangar construction. The advisory board resolution states that the town should wait six months so the board, town and county officials can discuss options.

 

STATE

Legislature Passes Deadline to New Legislation
While it is a parliamentary hurdle, rules in the SC legislature dictate that after May 1, any new legislation introduced or brought before the House or Senate requires a two-thirds majority vote to introduce the bill if a member objects. This combined with less that 20 days of legislative action before the scheduled end of the legislature narrow the issues that will likely be considered this year in Columbia.

Any bill not approved by the end of session will be carried over to next year, the second year of the two-year session. Bills remaining at the end of next year’s session are wiped out and must be reintroduced.

What is still likely to be considered:
· Workers’ compensation – This week the House Labor, Commerce and Industry Committee on Tuesday passed a workers' compensation reform bill that contains additions to the Senate-passed legislation and now heads to the House floor. The committee kept most of the Senate's language but added much on its own. Those differences include the definitions of repetitive trauma; what constitutes an independent trucker and whether to eliminate the presumption that a 50-percent back injury constitutes total disability.

· Coastal insurance access - The Senate has approved a plan (S.499). The House is also working on legislation. Also, this week State Insurance Director Scott Richardson announced that several new market participants in the state will offer more competition, greater consumer choice, and lower prices.

· Transportation Department legislation - House and Senate have approved very different plans (H. 3575, S.355) to restructure the department. House leaders may hold out for their version.

· Smoking bans - Both houses are working on bills (S.186) to allow local governments to outlaw smoking in restaurants or public places.

· State Budget - This week the Board of Economic Advisors added over $1 billion to the budget currently under consideration in the legislature. This will intensify differences between approaches to tax and spending in the very different House and Senate budget bills.

· Immigration: Different bills have been moving through both bodies.

Likely not to be considered will be bills to open the Barnwell lower-level nuclear waste further, to expand small business insurance accounts, or to open SC Coast to offshore drilling (though it is likely the legislature will appoint a study committee to review the issue).

 

FEDERAL

Immigration Impasse
Key senators continue to meet to try to reach a compromise on a comprehensive immigration-reform bill, some hurdles remain. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has scheduled time to debate a bill the last two weeks of May. At this point, there appear to be three options: Senators could agree on a new bipartisan proposal; a measure similar to last year's Senate-passed S. 2611 could be introduced; or Senators Ted Kennedy (D-Mass) and Reid could introduce a new bill on their own.

 

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