South Carolina senators fought sleep and argued over fees in a rare all-night session as they wrapped up work on a $5 billion state spending plan early this morning. Even after using nearly $1 billion in federal bailout cash, legislators resorted to fee increases to cover critical services like putting Highway Patrol troopers on the road and heading off layoffs in the state's court system. … [Read more...]

Some of South Carolina’s gambling laws just don’t make sense. The Legislature should do its part over the next few weeks to make sure the laws are changed for the better. In one case, a law written more than two centuries ago prevents friends from legally holding a Friday night poker game at someone’s house. It doesn’t matter that the stakes are so low that they wouldn’t cover the snacks. In fact, taken quite literally, the law bans any game with cards or dice, meaning lots of … [Read more...]

People who bet on kitchen table poker will have to hope that police will look the other way, unless lawmakers decide to clarify what types of games constitute illegal gambling in South Carolina. The issue of selective enforcement under the centuries-old gambling ban has been up for debate since a raid on a Texas Hold 'em game at a Mount Pleasant home in 2006. The same law bans charity raffles. Senate President Pro Tem Glenn McConnell and Rep. Jim Merrill will push legislation on the law … [Read more...]

South Carolina lawmakers moved closer Thursday to overriding Gov. Mark Sanford's veto of a bill allowing officers to search people on probation or parole without a warrant, and that's a positive step. Sanford's veto should be overturned because his position makes little sense. The measure lets officers skip going to a judge to get a warrant before searching probationers or parolees on the street. Their vehicles and any possessions could also be searched. At first glance, that sounds like a … [Read more...]

South Carolina legislators moved closer to overriding the governor's veto of a bill allowing officers to search people on probation or parole without a warrant. The Senate on Wednesday voted 36-7 to override Gov. Mark Sanford's veto. It now goes to the House. The measure allows officers to bypass going to a judge for a warrant before searching a probationer or parolee on the street. Their vehicles and any possession could also be searched. Inmates would have to sign off on the searches before … [Read more...]

Among the governor’s vetoes which state lawmakers have to consider is the warrantless searches bill. It would allow searches of parolees and those on probation by law enforcement without the need of a warrant. The measure is supported by law enforcement but opposed by the ACLU as well as Governor Sanford. House Speaker Bobby Harrell has supported the bill that would allow the searches. The bill originated in the Senate so that chamber will have the opportunity to respond to the veto first, … [Read more...]

The Senate tonight stripped down a bill to increase the cigarette tax and earmarked almost all of the money it would raise toward future health care costs as a way to prepare for an expected veto from Gov. Mark Sanford. The bill would raise the tax by 50 cents to 57 cents a pack and is expected to generate $136.1 million to be used to plug expected shortfalls next year in the state budget. The bill now returns to the House, which passed it last year. Most of the money would go toward Medicaid … [Read more...]

A Senate version of a cigarette tax increase takes the states cigarette tax from 7 cents to 57 cents. Senate President Pro Tem Glenn McConnell says what the public doesn’t know is what is happening with their money. “And that is the money got high-jacked right off the top, including $2.75 million a year will be appropriated and go directly to the I-95 corridor for infrastructure. Never have to go to the General Assembly,” says McConnell. What does the I-95 corridor have to do with … [Read more...]

You no longer have to be 21 years old to get a tattoo without parental consent in South Carolina. Gov. Mark Sanford recently approved a bill that lowered the legal age of consent for a tattoo to 18. South Carolina had been the only state in the country that required a person to be 21 to get a tattoo. Under the previous law, people between the ages of 18 and 20 had to have the written consent of a parent to get a tattoo. Even military personnel under 21 had to have parental consent, which was … [Read more...]

This past year we enacted legislation that reformed the State Ports Authority (SPA). The purpose of that legislation was to make the SPA run more like a business that makes sound, long-term decisions that are not subject to the whims of a new Governor every 4 years. I had heard concerns from several companies about our port’s management and the constantly shifting political direction of its board. Those concerns were particularly important because of the pending enlargement of the Panama … [Read more...]