A lot of gun rights talk last week at the Statehouse.
A South Carolina Senate Committee approved a bill Wednesday (5/11) called “The Second Amendment Preservation Act.”
The bill says the state would not enforce any federal law, or presidential order, that would limit the right to own a gun, ammunition and/or accessories.
Supporters say the bill is needed to protect your second amendment rights.
Critics say there is no federal attempt to take away guns or limit the second amendment.
The bill now goes to the full Senate.
It’s a House bill and it’s already passed there.
Among the sponsors are Representatives Kevin Hardee (R-Loris), Greg Duckworth (R-North Myrtle Beach), Russell Fry (R-Surfside Beach), Richie Yow (R-Chesterfield), Jeff Johnson (R-Conway), Alan Clemmons (R-Myrtle Beach) and Jay Jordan and Phil Lowe, who are both republicans from Florence.
To read the bill, click here.
The bill has strong opposition from Sen. Marlon Kimpson (D-Charleston).
He says he will successfully hold up this bill, as well as another other “gun bills,” unless he gets a hearing on a bill to close the loophole that allowed accused Charleston church Dylann Roof to buy a gun.
However, one of those “gun bills” was made a “special order,” so it will be put ahead of some other bills in the pecking order.
That bill that would allow concealed weapons permits issued in Georgia to be honored in South Carolina.
Among the sponsors of the bill are Representatives Richie Yow (R-Chesterfield), Alan Clemmons (R-Myrtle Beach), Greg Duckworth (R-North Myrtle Beach), Kevin Hardee (R-Loris), Jeff Johnson (R-Conway), Terry Alexander (D-Florence), Phil Lowe (R-Florence), Robert Ridgeway (D-Manning) and Mike Ryhal (R-Carolina Forest).
Getting back to Sen. Kimpson’s “background check bill,” Sen. Larry Martin (R-Pickens) says he will grant it a hearing this summer.
Currently, if it takes more than three days to get a background check on a gun buyer, the gun dealer can go ahead and sell the gun.
That’s how Roof got his gun. The background check eventually showed he was ineligible.
Click here to see Sen. Kimpson’s bill.
A bill that would make a health care provider who provides free health care services immune from liability is close to becoming law in South Carolina.
The Senate gave the bill key approval on Thursday (5/12).
After an obligatory third reading, the bill goes to Governor Haley.
Among the sponsors are are Representatives Richie Yow (R-Chesterfield), Robert Ridgeway (D-Manning), Murrell Smith (R-Sumter), Stephen Goldfinch (R-Murrells Inlet) and Alan Clemmons (R-Myrtle Beach).
The South Carolina Judiciary Committee on Wednesday (5/11) amended and then approved a bill that would slightly change “Daniel’s Law.”
That law currently allows an adult, with some exceptions, to leave an unharmed infant at an open “safe haven” with no questions asked and no risk of a criminal penalty.
Those “safe havens” includes a health care facility, law enforcement center, fire house or a place of worship.
The committee changed the age of an infant in this case from 30 to 60 days old.
The bill also requires “safe havens” to post a notice prepared by the Department of Social Services on its premises that is prominently displayed for view by the public, stating that the facility, agency, or other location is a safe haven at which a person may leave an infant.
It’s late in the session but the full Senate will now debate the bill, which has already passed in the House.
Among the sponsors are representatives Heather Ammons Crawford (R-Socastee) and Pat Henegan (D-Bennettsville).
The Senate passed a bill that may change how animals are euthanized at some shelters in the state.
The bill would prohibit the use of barbituric acid derivatives and/or carbon monoxide gas (as well as carbon dioxide gas, or other non-anesthetic inhalants) to “put down” the animals and allow the use of “sodium pentobarbital and other substances or procedures” that are considered “more humane.”
Since the bill already passed in the House and the Senate didn’t amend it, it will now go to the Governor Haley.
One of the sponsors is Rep. Richie Yow (R-Chesterfield).
To read the bill, click here.
The Senate killed a bill last week that would have added two new family court judges in the state, elected at-large without regard to their county or circuit of residence.
The state already has six such judges.
This bill would have raised that number to eight.
Even though it passed unanimously in the House (113-0), it got shot down in the Senate by a vote of 35-6.
The only local senators to vote “yes” were Ronnie Sabb (D-Greeleyville) and Greg Hembree (R-North Myrtle Beach).
The Senate adopted a House resolution that will change the name of North 9th Avenue in the City of Dillon to Robert McRae Memorial Avenue.
McRae was born and raised in Dillon County and was a longtime member of McCoy Chapel United Methodist Church.
He died last year at the age of 89.
The resolution, authored by Rep. Jackie Hayes (D-Dillon), has now passed both chambers and goes to Gov. Haley.
And another resolution also goes to the Governor.
That after the Senate approved the plan to name the portion of Alligator Road in Florence County from its intersection with Savannah Grove Road to its intersection with Whipporwill Road “Dr. Ralph W. Canty, Sr. Highway.”
Dr. Canty is now 70 years old. He’s a former member of the House and pastored Savannah Grove Baptist Church for more than 40 years.
You can read the resolution here.
And former Congressman (D-SC 6th District, 1975-1980) and State Representative John Jenrette (D-Myrtle Beach, 1965-1972) turns 80 years old this Thursday (5/19).
