For the second time this session, the State Senate has passed monumental legislation cracking down on crime in South Carolina. On the heels of passing the Teacher Protection Act of 2009, Senate President Pro Tempore Glenn McConnell has pushed S.191, Warrantless Searches of Parolees and Probationers, through the State Senate. The bill passed the Senate on second reading Tuesday on a unanimous roll call vote of 31-0. It passed the Senate today on third reading and now heads to the State House of … [Read more...]

A bill allowing searches without warrants for juveniles and adults on probation or parole gained approval Tuesday with an unanimous vote. The Senate voted 31-0 to give a second reading to a bill that lets police and probation officers bypass going to a judge for a search warrant. It needs a third Senate reading before heading to the House. “That’s one of the things that our crime victims groups have been behind, so I’m very pleased,” said Laura Hudson, executive director of the S.C. … [Read more...]

A South Carolina bill taking away the governor's power to fire members of the State Ports Authority board without cause has cleared a legislative hurdle. The Senate approved the measure Wednesday and sent it to the House. The bill requires the ports board to have backgrounds in business, port operations or the law. Governors can continue to appoint board members, but they can no longer remove them at will. Firings must be based on negligence or the failure of board members to do their duty. … [Read more...]

A bill that would restructure the State Ports Authority, adding tighter requirements for its board and more transparency about its finances, passed a Senate vote Wednesday in Columbia and now heads to the House. Among its provisions, the bill would require board members have at least five years of experience in relevant fields, such as maritime shipping, law or finance, economics and statistics. It also would eliminate the governor's power to remove board members at will. … [Read more...]

Senators Grooms and Verdin join Senator McConnell to discuss restructuring of the State Ports Authority on ETV's "This Week in the Senate." … [Read more...]

A South Carolina proposal aimed at protecting teachers and other school employees from student attacks has advanced. Students who seriously injure a teacher on school grounds or at a school-sponsored event would be guilty of a felony. A conviction of assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature could bring up to 10 years in prison or a fine of up to $5,000. The Senate unanimously approved the measure 40-0 Tuesday and sent it to the House. The bill also allows assaulted teachers to sue … [Read more...]

Special screening hearing for circuit judge to be held Circuit Judge Kenneth Goode still has his job today, though he faces an uncertain future. The longtime Winnsboro jurist withdrew from the election Wednesday in the General Assembly, asking that his re-election be delayed until spring. The Legislature, which met in a joint session to consider Goode’s election and 19 other judicial seats, approved a motion by Sen. Mike Fair, R-Greenville, supporting Goode’s request. Quantcast Fair and … [Read more...]