COLUMBIA, SC (WBTW) – This week, the South Carolina General Assembly will have been in session this year for one month.
Last week, the first bill that was introduced in 2016 was signed into the law by Governor Haley.
That bill makes sure 11th graders in the state have a standardized test this school year.
Before this, because the state dropped “Common Core,” no test was in place for high school juniors.
This law means there will be a test for one year, pending a permanent replacement.
Another bill that will allow you to break into a vehicle to rescue a child or a vulnerable adult without any liability heads to Governor Haley.
The bill passed both the House and the Senate last week.
Statistics show, on average, nearly 40 children die accidentally every year in this country, after being left in hot cars, or after getting in one to play.
Tragically, we’ve had such cases in our area.
Among the bill’s sponsors are state representatives Richie Yow (R-Chesterfield), the Rev. Carl Anderson (D-Georgetown), Murrell Smith (R-Sumter) and Jay Lucas (R-Hartsville).
The current “session” (the state’s 121st) is in the second of its two years, having begun in January, 2015.
Last year, 131 bills (and even more resolutions, which include happy birthday wishes, congratulating high school sports teams and naming bridges and stretches of road) became law.
Those bills include legislation that has local or somewhat-focused importance, such as those that re-define fire district lines and voting precincts, school board compositions and hunting and fishing rules.
However, they also included bills of widespread interest, such as state appropriations, a stronger domestic violence law and moving the Confederate flag off Statehouse grounds.
However, the vast majority of bills never get a final vote. Most die in committee.
Among those that have sat in committee for a year now is a bill which, if it became law last year, would be pertinent now with the state holding its first-in-the-South presidential preference primaries.
The bill would require voters to register as either a Democrat or Republican if they voter in a partisan primary or partisan advisory referendum.
It was introduced in January, 2015, but has languished in committee since. Therefore, it will not be in effect this month for the presidential primaries.
22 states, including South Carolina, do not provide for party preferences in voter registration.
Remember, the South Carolina Republican presidential preference primary is Saturday, February 20.
South Carolina’s Democrat presidential preference primary is the following Saturday, February 27.