Sen. McConnell explains warrantless search bill

March 2, 2009 by senatormcconnell

Senate President Pro Tem Glenn McConnell, R-Charleston, released a Web video to explain a bill the chamber passed this week that would give law enforcement agencies the ability to search people on probation and parole without a warrant.

The bill is one of several that senators are considering in response to the study of tools the law enforcement community says it needs to better fight crime in the state.

The proposal has many opponents who fear that giving law enforcement this authority stomps on the rights of people on probation and parole.

The bill now goes to the House. To read it, click here: http://www.scstatehouse.gov/cgi-bin/query.exe?first=DOC&querytext=s%20191&category=Legislation&session=118&conid=4476313&result_pos=0&keyval=1180191

To watch the video, click here: http://scsenategop.com/senator-glenn-mcconnell-on-warrantless-searches.htm

Also this week, the House passed a bill that would require voters to show a picture ID as proof of identity. This is a very controversial issue because critics believe it will disenfranchise groups of voters, such as minorities and elderly.

Here’s information from a press released issued Thursday by House Speaker Bobby Harrell’s office.

The South Carolina House of Representatives passed a bill that will help prevent fraud and secure our state’s election process by incorporating the use of picture identification in voting. Modeled after a Voter ID bill passed by the Indiana Legislature, this bill (H. 3418) is a key element of the SC Secure Election Act, a major agenda item for the House Republican Caucus.

House Speaker Bobby Harrell, lead sponsor of the legislation, said, “The heart of democracy is the right to vote. If we do not protect that voting right from fraud and abuse, we are not protecting the ideals of democracy.”

Other states have also instituted Voter ID provisions. In Indiana, the requirement to show a picture ID when voting was challenged and the case went all the way to our nation’s highest court. Last year, the United States Supreme Court ruled that Indiana’s law was Constitutional and did not place an undue burden on the voter.

“To say that requiring a picture ID to vote creates an undue burden is absurd,” said Speaker Harrell. “A picture ID is required to do just about anything in our society, except to vote.”

Yvonne Wegner
Charleston.net

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